The area for this thesis was the application of Precision Teaching (PT) to the teaching of essential skills to various populations-university undergraduates, high school adolescents, and primary school children. Chapter 1 of this thesis begins with a brief overview describing problems that exist within the educational system, and how we might intervene to raise the performances ofallieamers by using PT's systems and strategies. Paper 1 was a small n study (conducted over 10 weeks) aimed at improving the rate of reading high frequency English words in a group (n = 5) of children struggling with reading. This was compared to a small comparison group thal underwent Treatment as Usual (TAU; n = 2). Although the engagement time of the PT group was brief (M = 12 minutes per week), all the children showed significant gains in their accurate reading fluency. In Paper 2 we applied these same principles to teach statistics to undergraduates (Intervention, n = 24; TAU, n = 3 1). Results showed that the PT group performed significan tly better at post-test in comparison to TAU. In addition the PT group perfonned better on their weekly module content tests. Paper 3 was conducted to increase maths performance, comparing the intervention group (n = 19) with a control group Cn = 10). All the PT ch ildren performed signi ficant ly better on three of the four outcome measures of essential sk ill maths fluency Cd = 1.25- 1.67)-one of which measures had not been practiced providing some init ial support for contingency adduction. In Paper 4 we used a simple flashcard intervention to increase recall of second-language vocabulary. The intervention spanned four weeks and took only 15 minutes per week for each chi ld, yet the intervention group (n = 79) performed s ignifi cantly better then the WLC group (n = 16) at post-test Cd= 1.54). Both Papers 3 & 4 report data showing significant increase in the ReI measures and a low NNT. In all four papers Standard Celeration Charts were used to monitor leamer's improvement.

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This dissertation was initiated to investigate the preprimary teacher's role in identifying and assisting learning disabled preprimars. The literature section consists of a study of the normal process of child development and the phenomenon of learning disability and its manifestation in preprimars. The philosophy of inclusion and a number of existing programmes for learners with learning disabilities were examined. The empirical research assessed the responses of preprimary teachers from the Eastern Cape to a questionnaire, their experiences in dealing with preprimars with learning disabilities in a typical preprimary group were analyzed and a summary of the findings was made. Recommendations have been given to teachers regarding the identification of learning disabilities in preprimars, the assistance and support needed to enable the teacher to assist the learning disabled preprimar and the need for additional training to equip her to do so. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

This dissertation was initiated to investigate the preprimary teacher's role in identifying and assisting learning disabled preprimars. The literature section consists of a study of the normal process of child development and the phenomenon of learning disability and its manifestation in preprimars. The philosophy of inclusion and a number of existing programmes for learners with learning disabilities were examined. The empirical research assessed the responses of preprimary teachers from the Eastern Cape to a questionnaire, their experiences in dealing with preprimars with learning disabilities in a typical preprimary group were analyzed and a summary of the findings was made. Recommendations have been given to teachers regarding the identification of learning disabilities in preprimars, the assistance and support needed to enable the teacher to assist the learning disabled preprimar and the need for additional training to equip her to do so. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Learning disabilities are a life-long problem for many individuals. Besides the adjustments all adolescents experience in life, learning disabled adolescents must contend with academic problems at school which have a drastic effect on their selfesteem. This becomes particularly evident when these pupils face the demands of the secondary school syllabus where they have to be able to concentrate, read for information, memorise facts, answer questions and solve problems, and write assignments. By the time learning disabled adolescents reach secondary school they have already experienced so much failure that they become passive towards their studies. Teaching these pupils metacognitive learning strategies covering these skills helps them to become more independent learners. Through executive training procedures they are assisted to become more involved in their studies, the promotion of better self-regulation and self-monitoring is fostered, and as their scores improve, so does their motivation and selfconcept / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Learning disabilities are a life-long problem for many individuals. Besides the adjustments all adolescents experience in life, learning disabled adolescents must contend with academic problems at school which have a drastic effect on their selfesteem. This becomes particularly evident when these pupils face the demands of the secondary school syllabus where they have to be able to concentrate, read for information, memorise facts, answer questions and solve problems, and write assignments. By the time learning disabled adolescents reach secondary school they have already experienced so much failure that they become passive towards their studies. Teaching these pupils metacognitive learning strategies covering these skills helps them to become more independent learners. Through executive training procedures they are assisted to become more involved in their studies, the promotion of better self-regulation and self-monitoring is fostered, and as their scores improve, so does their motivation and selfconcept / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Orthopedagogics)