APPLICATION OF EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING READING SKILLS AT ENGLISH LESSONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

In the modern educational process, the integration of digital technologies becomes an important condition for improving the quality of learning. This is especially true for learning foreign languages, where the development of reading skills plays an important role. Learning websites provide new opportunities for individualisation, interactivity and accessibility, which is especially important when working with younger students.

In the context of primary school, where children are just beginning to develop reading skills, digital technologies can make learning more engaging and accessible, adapted to the individual characteristics of the child. However, the issue of their systematic use requires further research and methodological development.

The relevance of learning sites stems from the need to increase student motivation, create a personalised approach and provide an interactive learning experience. Platforms such as Reading Eggs, Raz-Kids and Starfall have proven to be effective due to their multimedia resources, adaptive tasks and the ability to track student progress.

The aim of this study is to develop and test a methodology for using learning websites to develop reading skills of junior high school students in English lessons. In order to realise the set goal, it is necessary to study the potential of educational websites as a tool for developing reading skills of junior pupils, to present the results of the empirical study and to develop methodological recommendations for their use. In accordance with the defined research goal and planned activities, the following research tasks were formed:

1. To analyse theoretical approaches to teaching reading in English in primary school.

2. To review the possibilities of modern educational websites.

3. To develop a methodology of their use.

4. Conduct a pilot study to evaluate the impact of learning websites on the development of reading skills.

Theoretical foundations of the study

At the stage of developing reading skills, junior schoolchildren face several key difficulties: insufficient mastery of vocabulary, difficulties in understanding the text, and maintaining interest in the process. Modern theorists, such as V. I. Zagvyazinsky, emphasise the importance of an interactive approach, and M. A. Danilov notes the need for personality-oriented technologies. Reading skills are key in teaching junior schoolchildren a foreign language. Pedagogy emphasises the following approaches applicable to teaching reading:

1. Communicative approach: emphasis on reading comprehension and its practical use.

2. Playful approach: using games to engage and increase interest.

3. Interactive approach: active use of technology, including learning websites.

Learning websites have the following advantages:

1. Interactivity: students participate in tasks in a game-like manner.

2. Personalisation: tasks are tailored to the learner's level and speed of learning.

3. Accessibility: materials can be used both in the classroom and at home.

4. Instant feedback: allows students to see their progress and mistakes at a glance.

These features make learning sites a powerful tool for building reading skills.

Practical part of the study

In accordance with the theoretical basis of the study, the empirical aim of the research was formed to test the effectiveness of educational websites in the development of reading skills of junior high school students.

Methodology

Participants: two groups of junior schoolchildren (20 people each):

1. Experimental group: training using learning websites.

2. Control group: traditional teaching.

The period of the empirical study was 8 weeks and included the use of the following data collection methods: testing of reading skills before and after the experiment, observation, questionnaires.

Table 1.

Stages of the empirical part

As a result of the experiment, the following changes were revealed in the two groups – experimental and control:

1. The experimental group showed significant improvement in all key indicators:

• Reading fluency increased by 40%, indicating a significant improvement in the speed and quality of reading comprehension.
• Vocabulary increased by 35%, indicating an improvement in participants' lexical awareness.
• Reading comprehension improved by 30%, showing progress in the ability to analyse and interpret what they read.

2. The control group showed less pronounced changes:

• Reading fluency increased by only 15%.
• Vocabulary increased by 10%, which is much lower than the experimental group.
• Text comprehension improved by 12%, indicating minimal progress without the use of experimental techniques.

A questionnaire survey was also conducted, and the students in the experimental group indicated that the tasks on the sites were interesting and engaging, while parents emphasised the convenience of using these resources for home learning.

Methodological recommendations

1. Platform selection: Use sites adapted for young children (e.g., with colourful interfaces and interactive tasks).

2. Integrate into lessons: incorporate sites at the introduction, consolidation and monitoring stages.

3. Individualisation: tailor tasks to the level of the student.

4. Feedback: use the results of work on the sites to monitor pupils' progress.

5. Combined approach: combine the use of websites with traditional teaching methods to achieve the best results.

Conclusions on the empirical part of the study:

1. Learning websites have a positive impact on the development of reading skills of younger pupils due to interactivity, personalisation and accessibility.

2. The use of websites increases students' motivation and engagement in the learning process.

3. The experimental study confirmed that students who worked with learning websites showed better results compared to the traditional approach.

4. The successful integration of educational websites into the educational process requires the development of methodological recommendations and professional development of teachers in the field of digital technologies.

Conclusion

The integration of educational websites into the process of forming reading skills in junior high school students is an effective means of improving the quality of learning and forming a sustainable interest in learning English.

For further development of this area, it is necessary to conduct additional research aimed at improving the methods of applying digital technologies, adapting educational platforms to the age characteristics of students and increasing the level of digital competence of teachers. Thus, educational websites can become an important component of the modern educational process, contributing to the successful socialisation and academic development of younger students.