In South Africa students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds enrol at institutions of higher learning underprepared for the academic work expected of them. One reason for this is that English in South Africa is primarily an urban language and both Black children and teachers, especially in rural areas, lack sufficient exposure to it (Lemmer 1995) and at tertiary institutions students are expected to communicate efficiently in the language of instruction. The real-world problem at issue is ultimately the need for these students studying through the medium of English to develop their ability to participate actively in tutorials to improve both their academic understanding and their spoken discourse competence, which includes the ‘highly complex task of participating in talk-in-interaction’ (Dalton-Puffer 2007:280). Underlying the present study, then, is the conviction that through frequent interaction in the language of instruction, students will not only gain competence in speaking skills, but also deepen and expand their knowledge of their subject areas. This conviction led to the introduction of tutorials on a trial basis in my department and the study sought to develop a framework for analysing patterns of interaction in the tutorials that would also address the question of how the quality of such patterns might be assessed. The main construct investigated was ‘participation effectiveness’ (the quantity of speaker discourse acts and turns and speaker initiative at discourse act and turn-taking levels) and the overall findings indicated that third-year students participated more effectively than first-years; females performed better than males; and males in male-led tutorials used more discourse acts than females; while females in female-led tutorials did better than males. The analyses of effects of tutor discourse behaviour on student participation revealed that the types of questions tutors used and how they were combined were strong determinants of students' participation effectiveness. Although the approach of the study is essentially quantitative, the operationalisation of this main construct's two key components, namely 'participation' and 'initiative', forms a basis for also deriving more qualitative insights into this academically very important genre of spoken discourse. / Linguistics / D. Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

In South Africa students from disadvantaged educational backgrounds enrol at institutions of higher learning underprepared for the academic work expected of them. One reason for this is that English in South Africa is primarily an urban language and both Black children and teachers, especially in rural areas, lack sufficient exposure to it (Lemmer 1995) and at tertiary institutions students are expected to communicate efficiently in the language of instruction. The real-world problem at issue is ultimately the need for these students studying through the medium of English to develop their ability to participate actively in tutorials to improve both their academic understanding and their spoken discourse competence, which includes the ‘highly complex task of participating in talk-in-interaction’ (Dalton-Puffer 2007:280). Underlying the present study, then, is the conviction that through frequent interaction in the language of instruction, students will not only gain competence in speaking skills, but also deepen and expand their knowledge of their subject areas. This conviction led to the introduction of tutorials on a trial basis in my department and the study sought to develop a framework for analysing patterns of interaction in the tutorials that would also address the question of how the quality of such patterns might be assessed. The main construct investigated was ‘participation effectiveness’ (the quantity of speaker discourse acts and turns and speaker initiative at discourse act and turn-taking levels) and the overall findings indicated that third-year students participated more effectively than first-years; females performed better than males; and males in male-led tutorials used more discourse acts than females; while females in female-led tutorials did better than males. The analyses of effects of tutor discourse behaviour on student participation revealed that the types of questions tutors used and how they were combined were strong determinants of students' participation effectiveness. Although the approach of the study is essentially quantitative, the operationalisation of this main construct's two key components, namely 'participation' and 'initiative', forms a basis for also deriving more qualitative insights into this academically very important genre of spoken discourse. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (Linguistics)

The Directorate of Adult Education and Training of the national Department of Education views Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) not merely as literacy, but as the general conceptual foundation towards lifelong learning and development. This includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are needed for social, economic and political participation and transformation. These skills will assist learners in becoming more active participants in their communities, their workplaces and contribute towards the development of South Africa. This study aims to examine whether ABET programmes prepare learners to acquire the language which is needed to achieve this objective. It falls within one of the eight learning areas defined by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), namely the language, literacy and communication learning area. In order to research the effectiveness of learning within this area, it is important to analyse the interaction which takes place within a classroom; the type of questions both educators and learners ask; the type of errors learners make in the classroom; and how the educators treat these errors. What is also of paramount importance is whether the language skills learnt in the classroom are transferred to outside the classroom. To examme this, various authors' views on classroom interaction; questions; errors; treatment of errors; and evaluating the effectiveness of learning are presented. Instruments were designed to analyse these aspects within an ABET programme, and include: • the framework used to undertake the classroom interaction analysis, • the instrument used to explore the type of questions educators and learners ask in the classroom, • how an error analysis is used to identify typical learners' errors which occur frequently, • the methodology used to uncover how educators treat their learners' errors, and • the various stakeholders' questionnaires which were used to ascertain the effectiveness of learning at an ABET Centre. The research findings are presented and interpreted in order to provide recommendations for the development of language learning and teaching within the ABET field. The findings also gave rise to recommendations for classroom practices for ABET educators, and particularly the need for educator training and development. Recommendations for curriculum designers of ABET materials are also presented. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

The Directorate of Adult Education and Training of the national Department of Education views Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) not merely as literacy, but as the general conceptual foundation towards lifelong learning and development. This includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are needed for social, economic and political participation and transformation. These skills will assist learners in becoming more active participants in their communities, their workplaces and contribute towards the development of South Africa. This study aims to examine whether ABET programmes prepare learners to acquire the language which is needed to achieve this objective. It falls within one of the eight learning areas defined by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), namely the language, literacy and communication learning area. In order to research the effectiveness of learning within this area, it is important to analyse the interaction which takes place within a classroom; the type of questions both educators and learners ask; the type of errors learners make in the classroom; and how the educators treat these errors. What is also of paramount importance is whether the language skills learnt in the classroom are transferred to outside the classroom. To examme this, various authors' views on classroom interaction; questions; errors; treatment of errors; and evaluating the effectiveness of learning are presented. Instruments were designed to analyse these aspects within an ABET programme, and include: • the framework used to undertake the classroom interaction analysis, • the instrument used to explore the type of questions educators and learners ask in the classroom, • how an error analysis is used to identify typical learners' errors which occur frequently, • the methodology used to uncover how educators treat their learners' errors, and • the various stakeholders' questionnaires which were used to ascertain the effectiveness of learning at an ABET Centre. The research findings are presented and interpreted in order to provide recommendations for the development of language learning and teaching within the ABET field. The findings also gave rise to recommendations for classroom practices for ABET educators, and particularly the need for educator training and development. Recommendations for curriculum designers of ABET materials are also presented. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)