Abstract
The main questions answered by the intervention of using portfolios during reading and spelling lessons were: do poor readers in the intervention condition perform better and do they show a higher self‐esteem than poor readers in the control condition? A post‐hoc design was used to compare an intervention group with a control group. The independent variable was using portfolios as part of reading and spelling instruction. The dependent variables were literacy skills, conceptual knowledge on reading and writing, and self‐esteem. Intelligence score was used as a covariable. The study included 92 students from grade 3 (six to seven‐year‐olds) from two schools providing regular education. The results on the quantitative measurements indicated that using portfolios did not improve performance with reading and spelling and self‐esteem. The qualitative findings with respect to the 14 poor readers of the participating subjects revealed that their reading performance and self‐esteem decreased further in both conditions. It is argued that teachers should explicitly use portfolios as a way to evaluate and discuss performance with poor readers so as to better understand the student's level of instruction and feelings of competence, and actually apply that knowledge during instruction.