Undergraduates' academic literacy and comprehension: Changes observed during an intervention

The academic literacy and reading comprehension capabilities of South African undergraduates are often insufficient for higher education. This study assessed literacy levels, particularly reading comprehension, in 51 first-year Extended Curriculum Programme students. Paired t-tests measured their ability to infer information before and after a year-long academic literacy course. Group 1, with the lowest pre-test scores, showed significant improvement, while Group 3, with the highest pre-test scores, showed minimal progress. These findings suggest the need for differentiated interventions to better support academically vulnerable students. The results demonstrate that, under appropriate conditions, struggling students can achieve notable gains in academic literacy and reading comprehension.