Analysis of primary school students' attitudes towards reading skills supported by in-class and extracurricular resources

This case study investigates elementary students' attitudes toward reading skills in a private primary school setting in Northern Eastern Arabia, considering gender differences. It examines whether their performance improves over a 20-week period, using a sample of a personalized e-learning tool— a tailored and interactive learning program—recognized for its innovative approach. A mixed-method design was employed for the research methodology. The participants include 125 second-grade students and 5 teachers. Data were collected through a 20-question survey known as 'Elementary Reading Attitudes' (ERAS) by McKenna and Kear (1990). Additionally, structured interviews with teachers, utilizing the ERAS framework, captured educators' perspectives. T-tests were used to determine significant differences between the mean scores of male and female groups. SPSS was employed for data analysis. The study revealed statistically significant variations in total scores, recreational reading, and academic reading sub-dimensions based on classroom variables. Furthermore, female students demonstrated a higher degree of positive attitude compared to their male counterparts. Further research is recommended to examine general reading attitudes among elementary students, explore potential gender-based discrepancies with larger groups, and assess the effectiveness of IXL in phonics instruction to enhance early reading abilities. Keywords: teaching phonics, reading skill, foundations of early teaching literacy, ERAS