The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the facilitation methods used in the adult centre to motivate adult learners to participate in Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) programmes, as the majority of South Africans have a low level of literacy. The illiteracy could not be viewed independently of the apartheid policies that were in place before democratisation in 1994. After the democratisation the African National Congress (ANC) policies, prioritised the provision of ABET. The policy was for ABET provide education including basic literacy, numeracy to a level equivalent to the General Certificate of Education to adults who have had little or no formal schooling. ABET is viewed as a means to educate and train adults and is regarded as a force for social participation and economic development. The researcher was prompted to investigate the effectiveness of the facilitation methods to motivate adult learners to participate in learning or not. Adults’ participation in learning programmes will help them towards social participation and also to develop them economically. If adults are economically developed, South Africa will not be facing such huge rate of unemployment, poverty and illiteracy. As there are a number of development programmes that are offered at Ekurhuleni to equip adults with relevant skills required for development and equipping them with the skills to face economic challenges of the country, motivation becomes essential because if learners are not motivated to participate, they are not going to be involved in them and get the necessary education. The focus is also on the facilitation methods that are used in the learning centre. Qualitative research has enabled the researcher to gather enough data through employing interviews. Individual interviews, focus group interviews as well as observation were the tools used in this study. It reveals that facilitation methods that are used are not effective enough to motivate adult learners’ participation in ABET programmes. Thus recommendations and suggestions were made to assist the i facilitators in rendering effective facilitation methods for the benefit of the adult learners. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

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)