The Structural Relations of Component Reading Comprehension Skills in Kiswahili: The Influence of Socio‐Economic Status and Home Literacy Environment

Abstract This research explores structural relations among the component skills of reading comprehension in Kiswahili. Furthermore, the study examines the relationship between socio‐economic status, home and school language use, and home literacy environment with Kiswahili reading outcomes. The study utilized secondary data from the baseline Tusome Literacy activity implemented in Kenya at scale from 2015 to 2022 by USAID, Research Triangle Institute in collaboration with the Ministry of Education Kenya and other partners. A three‐stage stratified sampling procedure was used to randomly select the schools and students from a sample frame compiled from multiple education databases of public formal and non‐formal schools in Kenya. The final sample comprised 4886 grade 1 and 2 learners who completed a battery of early grade literacy assessment in Kiswahili and a survey of the socio‐economic status (SES), home literacy environment (HLE), and school and home language use. We conducted a regression analysis to examine structural relations among the component skills of reading comprehension and the relationships between the SES, HLE, and early literacy skills. The findings indicate that the component skills are interconnected with the sub‐lexical skills, serving as the building block for the higher‐order skills. Letter sound knowledge, text reading fluency, and listening comprehension predict reading comprehension. Reading stories at home, reading aloud, and silent reading practice at school significantly influences reading outcomes. The mismatch between home and school language and low SES negatively impacts reading outcomes. These findings indicate that systematic and explicit instruction is critical in acquiring literacy skills, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.