This study explores effective strategies for overcoming challenges encountered when Teaching Reading in English as a Language of Learning and Teaching within the Buffalo City Metro Education District. Grounded in a qualitative research approach, the study employed an interpretive paradigm and a case study design. Purposive sampling was used to select the Grade 4 teachers, learners and school principals from 12 circuits in the district for this paper. Data was collected through semi structured, focus group interviews and observations, analysed thematically. This study highlights a gap between Grade 3 and Grade 4, as learners are struggling to master reading in English as a LoLT when they reach Grade 4. The study’s findings also reveal that some learners are unable to even say a word while reading, struggling with word sounds, some learners pretend to read during reading lessons, pointing at the wrong words. In addition, learners struggle with words with similar lexical forms; some words appear to be phonetically the same (in terms of sounds) as in ‘’bird’’ and ‘’bed’’ as well as, a word ‘’saw’’ (past tense of see) and ‘’saw’’ (a machine to cut the woods)," while others appear to be similar at the morphological level, such as "receptive" and "deceptive." The study recommends implementation of spelling tests, internal reading competitions in each school, and support from school management to Grade 4 English teachers. Lastly, English must be utilized as a language of learning and teaching from the Foundation Phase upwards alongside mother tongue.

Keywords: Reading, Strategies, English as a Language of Learning and Teaching.