Reading Literacy Acquisition in Pre-School and School: Succession Aspect

The acquisition of reading literacy has been an important issue from generation to generation, nonetheless it is especially relevant today, when the concept of reading literacy has expanded under the impact of various social and economic circumstances, requirements for a good reader and writer have changed. The relevance of the problem originates from the results of recent scientific research in the world and in Latvia and surveys of preschool and primary school teachers. The goal of the research is to analyse the teachers’ understanding of reading literacy acquisition in preschool and primary school, and needs how to ensure targeted succession in reading literacy. The methodology of the study is based on theories about reading and interaction, theories about integrated approach from the point of view of succession, task–based learning theories. The empirical data have been obtained by analysing 96 pre-school, 84 primary school teachers’ surveys. In order to ensure higher reliability of the data, the survey involved teachers with at least four years of teaching experience in pre-school and primary school, gained while working with 5–7 year old children in pre-school and first grade in different regions of Latvia. Descriptive statistical methods have been used in the analysis of the data obtained in the study. The results of the research show that in the process of reading literacy acquisition, the results and recommendations of recent years of research have not been taken into account in order to promote the development of reading literacy, there are significant “gaps” from the point of view of succession: there is no exact coherence between the goal of reading literacy and the anticipated results to be achieved, in terms of the curriculum and its acquisition methodology between preschool and primary school. A common understanding of the terminology of the research field, as well as the coherence of curricula, cooperation among teachers of both educational stages are also a topical problem. The significance of the results is related to the fact that the real situation shows in which aspects it is necessary to improve the teaching content and methodology intended for the successive acquisition of reading literacy in preschool and primary school.