Attitudes to extensive reading have been shown to be crucial in the additional language (AL) learning classroom. Research seems to confirm that the affective domain – attitudes, motivations, interests and personal evaluations – is essential in a study of behaviour and practice in the AL classroom. The current study aims to find out what the reading attitudes and practices of students at a teacher training college are and explore whether there are significant relationships between the students’ reading attitudes and their reading ability, vocabulary skills and academic performance. It is in light of the above-mentioned quest that we seek to understand what reading attitudes are and what they entail. The ‘attitude’ construct is defined by Guthrie and Greaney (1991: 87) who state that people’s attitudes to reading are resultant from “perceptions” acquired from past reading experiences regarding how pleasurable and valuable reading is. It appears that positive reading outcomes assist in the development of a positive attitude, whereas negative outcomes of reading tend to discourage further ventures into reading, resulting in the development of a negative attitude (McKenna, Kear & Ellsworth, 1995: 941). / Educational Studies / M. A. (Applied Linguistics)

Attitudes to extensive reading have been shown to be crucial in the additional language (AL) learning classroom. Research seems to confirm that the affective domain – attitudes, motivations, interests and personal evaluations – is essential in a study of behaviour and practice in the AL classroom. The current study aims to find out what the reading attitudes and practices of students at a teacher training college are and explore whether there are significant relationships between the students’ reading attitudes and their reading ability, vocabulary skills and academic performance. It is in light of the above-mentioned quest that we seek to understand what reading attitudes are and what they entail. The ‘attitude’ construct is defined by Guthrie and Greaney (1991: 87) who state that people’s attitudes to reading are resultant from “perceptions” acquired from past reading experiences regarding how pleasurable and valuable reading is. It appears that positive reading outcomes assist in the development of a positive attitude, whereas negative outcomes of reading tend to discourage further ventures into reading, resulting in the development of a negative attitude (McKenna, Kear & Ellsworth, 1995: 941). / Educational Studies / M. A. (Applied Linguistics)

The study aims to explore the role of children’s homes in the educational performance of primary school learners. It employed qualitative approach which follows a case study design. It was conducted in three schools and children’s home. The participants consisted of six caregivers, six teachers and six learners whose responses were collected using in-depth interviews as an instrument. They were all purposefully selected as they possess information that is rich and relevant to my study. Participants were told that their interview was voluntary and they were free to withdraw at any time if they feel uncomfortable. The confidentiality in order to protect the identity of the participants was maintained. The data were collected by writing response from participants and using tape recorder. It was then transcribed, organised, marked by hand, and coded to produce themes. The major findings are that children’s homes can affect the performance negatively or positively; positively, if homes create enough time for children to study and have more access to people and resources in support of their studies and negatively in that there are numerous educational barriers that the caregivers in the children’s home face daily when it comes to assisting the orphaned and vulnerable learners in their school work. Based on the findings, the study gives a number of recommendations, namely, there is need to strengthen collaborative efforts between government and other non-governmental organisations to ensure increased availability of necessary resources to the orphaned and vulnerable learners; caregivers in children’s homes need to receive proper training and assistance in order to be able to handle the psychological difficulties experienced by the orphaned and vulnerable learners; education and legal campaigns must be put in place to eliminate stigma associated with orphan-hood. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This research investigated the relationship between the school principal’s instructional leadership role and the academic performance of pupils in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual and focus group interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on instructional leadership at each research site and the observation of the prevailing culture of teaching and learning traits at each school. A research sample of eight school principals and forty teachers was purposefully drawn from eight well-performing primary schools in the Southern Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings of the study confirmed that the school principal’s instructional leadership role serves as a pillar for the development and sustainment of a sound culture of teaching and learning in order to ensure that learners achieve optimally. Based on the perceptions of school principal and teacher participants, strategies were developed for effective instructional leadership so as to ensure optimal learner performance. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

In contrast with the large number of poorly performing schools in Swaziland over the past decade (1991-2000), a few schools have managed to attain consistently good results. One such school is St Michael's High. This study draws on the perceptions of different major stakeholders at St Michael's of factors deemed to have contributed to academic success at the school. The study thus follows Fertig (2000), who advocates research in effective schools to be done by looking at the perceptions of different stakeholders rather than in relation to an objective checklist. In this study, St Michael's High is found to be an effective school. Its experience can play a vital role in helping other ineffective and failing schools to improve their academic standing and tarnished public image, provided the schools unreservedly commit themselves to changing their ways. This investigation is aimed at understanding the roles which the school leadership and associated stakeholders have played in making St Michael's an exemplary school in Swaziland. Its findings indicate that the schools that themselves take the initiative to improve their effectiveness are the ones which are successful, which accords with the consensus in research literature on school effectiveness. The evidence gathered in this study suggests that St Michael's is characteristic of such effective schools. Since this is a qualitative interpretive case study on perception of success factors in a girls' high school within the city of Manzini, interviews comprising semi-structured questions were highly useful in tapping the understanding of how various stakeholders contribute to the academic achievement of students in the school. The findings, organised in the form of themes, help illuminate what appears to be a systematic and well-focussed approach toward the academic development of the school and the fulfilment of its goals. Every aspect of the school system is thoroughly explored. The validity of the stakeholders' claim that St Michael's High is a dream school for most Swazi children is verified by the school's examination results for the past decade. But what the research reveals are the cultural, academic, social, and moral values and beliefs which serve as a strong anchor for the school leadership and management, and without which St Michael's as an organisation would be unable to meet the challenge of implementing academic and national reconstruction.

The study aims to explore the role of children’s homes in the educational performance of primary school learners. It employed qualitative approach which follows a case study design. It was conducted in three schools and children’s home. The participants consisted of six caregivers, six teachers and six learners whose responses were collected using in-depth interviews as an instrument. They were all purposefully selected as they possess information that is rich and relevant to my study. Participants were told that their interview was voluntary and they were free to withdraw at any time if they feel uncomfortable. The confidentiality in order to protect the identity of the participants was maintained. The data were collected by writing response from participants and using tape recorder. It was then transcribed, organised, marked by hand, and coded to produce themes. The major findings are that children’s homes can affect the performance negatively or positively; positively, if homes create enough time for children to study and have more access to people and resources in support of their studies and negatively in that there are numerous educational barriers that the caregivers in the children’s home face daily when it comes to assisting the orphaned and vulnerable learners in their school work. Based on the findings, the study gives a number of recommendations, namely, there is need to strengthen collaborative efforts between government and other non-governmental organisations to ensure increased availability of necessary resources to the orphaned and vulnerable learners; caregivers in children’s homes need to receive proper training and assistance in order to be able to handle the psychological difficulties experienced by the orphaned and vulnerable learners; education and legal campaigns must be put in place to eliminate stigma associated with orphan-hood. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This research investigated the relationship between the school principal’s instructional leadership role and the academic performance of pupils in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual and focus group interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on instructional leadership at each research site and the observation of the prevailing culture of teaching and learning traits at each school. A research sample of eight school principals and forty teachers was purposefully drawn from eight well-performing primary schools in the Southern Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings of the study confirmed that the school principal’s instructional leadership role serves as a pillar for the development and sustainment of a sound culture of teaching and learning in order to ensure that learners achieve optimally. Based on the perceptions of school principal and teacher participants, strategies were developed for effective instructional leadership so as to ensure optimal learner performance. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)