Enhancing Reading Comprehension Support in Upper Primary Grades

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill critical for academic success and latersocietal participation. Given the increasing number of students struggling to meet targetedproficiency levels, it is scientifically relevant to develop effective strategies for improvingreading comprehension, particularly in the upper grades of School Board X. This studyinvestigates how reading comprehension support can be enhanced for students failing to meetproficiency targets. Through a selective search review and interviews with eight teachers, theresearch identifies gaps in current practices and aligns them with evidence-based approaches.The findings emphasize the importance of matching support strategies to the identifiedcauses of reading difficulties. While pre-teaching is commonly applied, its implementation oftenlacks a targeted approach addressing specific student needs, such as decoding challenges,limited vocabulary, or gaps in prior knowledge. Motivation plays a crucial role in readingcomprehension. Approaches that connect reading tasks to real-world contexts and studentinterests foster deeper engagement and improve outcomes but are inconsistently applied incurrent practices.The study also highlights the need to address special educational needs, such as dyslexiaand ADHD, alongside environmental factors like socioeconomic context and multilingualism.Both require targeted and adaptive approaches to ensure inclusivity and bridge gaps incomprehension. Recommendations include improving the alignment between assessmentpractices and intervention strategies and enhancing the intentional use of motivational strategies.By focusing on the root causes of reading difficulties and fostering student engagement, thisstudy offers actionable insights to improve support and promote equitable literacy outcomes.