M.Ed. (Curriculum Studies) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (German) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When English as a second language (L2) is learnt via classroom instruction, the extent to which learners become proficient depends, in part, on the education system in place and, more specifically, on the methods of instruction. This study set out to compare the efficacy of two focus-on-form methods of L2 instruction, namely enhanced input and traditional teacher-centred instruction, in teaching one typically problematic aspect of English grammar for L2 learners, namely the use of the passive form. The participants comprised two groups of grade 11 Afrikaans-speaking learners in a secondary, Afrikaans-English parallel medium school in the southern region of Gauteng, South Africa. One day before the onset of instruction on the English passive, all potential participants completed a pre-test to assess their existing knowledge of the English passive, in order to allow the members of one group to be paired with the members of the other group. Eight pairs could be found; a total of 16 learners thus participated in the study. Both groups then received 14 lessons (7 hours in total) on the English passive: The Enhanced group received (written) input enhancement in groups, whereas the Traditional group as a whole did copying exercises and received explanations on the formation of the passive structure. Participants wrote a post-test immediately after the end of the instruction period and a delayed post-test nine weeks later. The results of the immediate and delayed post-tests did not indicate a significant difference between the two groups; neither did the learners’ scores improve significantly from the pre-test to the post-tests. Reasons for this lack of improvement are suggested. Classroom observation indicated that learners in the Enhanced group enthusiastically participated in the activities, whereas the Traditional group appeared to be bored after a few lessons. The study also set out to ascertain whether different methods of assessment on the English passive lead to different test marks. It seemed that assessment tasks requiring little writing (such as multiple choice questions) result in higher marks than tasks requiring learners to formulate answers on their own. Although this was a small-scale study, the results suggest that under better circumstances (e.g., more time for instruction and a larger group of participants) it might be useful to conduct similar types of studies to test the effects of enhanced input and/or assessment methods when South African schools change from Outcomes Based Education to the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement system in 2012. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanneer Engels as tweede taal (T2) deur middel van die klaskameronderrig aangeleer word, hang die vaardigheid wat die leerder verwerf gedeeltelik af van die opvoedkundige sisteem waarbinne T2- onderrig geskied en, meer spesifiek, van die metodes van onderrig wat gebruik word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die effektiwiteit van twee fokus-op-vorm-metodes van T2-onderrig met mekaar te vergelyk, naamlik verrykte toevoer en tradisionele onderwysergesentreerde onderrig, in die onderrig van een tipies problematiese aspek van die Engelse grammatika, naamlik die gebruik van die passiefvorm. Die deelnemers het bestaan uit twee groepe Afrikaanssprekende graad 11- leerders in ‘n sekondêre, Afrikaans-Engels parallel-medium skool in Suid-Gauteng. Alle deelnemers het een dag voor die aanvang van die onderrig oor Engelse passiefvorme ‘n voortoets afgelê sodat hul bestaande kennis aangaande sulke vorme gemeet kon word. Op grond van hul toetsresultate is die lede van die een groep daarna met die lede van die ander groepe afgepaar. Agt pare is geïdentifiseer; in totaal was daar dus 16 deelnemers. Beide groepe het 14 klasse (7 ure in totaal) se onderrig oor die Engelse passiefkonstruksie ontvang: Die Verrykte groep het geskrewe toevoer in groepsverband ontvang, terwyl die Tradisionele groep verduidelikings oor die vorming van die passief asook afskryf-oefeninge ontvang het. Deelnemers het onmiddellik ná die 14 klasse ‘n na-toets geskryf en nege weke ná instruksie ‘n uitgestelde na-toets. Die resultate van die onmiddellike en uitgestelde na-toets het nie beduidende verskille tussen die groepe aangedui nie. Die leerders se uitslae het ook nie beduidende verskille tussen die onmiddellike- en uitgestelde na-toets getoon nie. Redes vir die gebrek aan meetbare vordering word aangevoer. Klaskamer-observasie het egter getoon dat leerders wat die verrykte toevoer ontvang het, meer entoesiasties aan klaskameraktiwiteite deelgeneem het teenoor die groep wat tradisioneel onderrig is en verveeld voorgekom het. Die studie het ook gepoog om te bepaal of verskillende assesseringsmetodes vir Engelse passiewe lei tot verskillende toetsuitslae. Dit het voorgekom asof assesseringstake wat minimale skryfwerk vereis het (bv. veelvuldige keuse-vrae) tot beter resultate gelei het as die vrae wat van leerders verwag het om self antwoorde te formuleer. Alhoewel die studie van beperkte omvang was, is daar aanduidings dat dit – onder meer geskikte toestande (bv. meer tyd vir instruksie en groter deelnemergroepe) – nuttig sal wees om soortgelyke studies oor verrykte toevoer en/of verskillende assesseringsmetodes uit te voer, veral wanneer Suid-Afrikaanse skole in 2012 van Uitkomsgebaseerde Onderrig na die Assessment Policy Statement-sisteem toe verander.

This research studies the acquisition and development of specific reading skills in English by "Coloured" primary school children for whom English is a second language. This study involves both oral and silent reading research. Developmental trends in both modes of reading are compared with those established for reading in Afrikaans in order to ascertain whether any transfer takes place from Afrikaans to English. For analysis of data obtained from oral reading, this researcher adopted an error analysis method devised by Kenneth Goodman (1973), viz. Miscue Analysis (MA). Readers read a passage and their miscues were recorded. From the miscues this researcher established, for the different standards: the frequencies of miscues; readers' ability to associate sound and symbol; sensitivity to grammar; meaning access; and correction strategies. In the silent reading research, readers' performances in a test battery of eight sub-tests provide insights into the presence or absence of information processing skills. Readability levels (Singer and Donlan (1980), discrimination index and facility value (Heaton 1975), and Chi-Square Statistics (Roscoe 1969) determine the development of specific reading skills, viz.: utilization of textual cues; understanding cause and effect relationships and sequence; previewing and anticipation; scanning, referring and synthesizing; understanding text structure and coherence; understanding propositional development; understanding synonymy and antonimy; and understanding communicative value. Grellet (1981), Kennedy (1981), and Harri-Augstein (1982), inter alia, regard these skills as crucial to efficient text processing. Analyses of data show there are developmental patterns, but skills emerge 1 - 3 years late when compared with results obtained by Kennedy (1981 ) and develop at a retarded and erratic pace. The readers in all the standards have not mastered the skills sufficiently to process text efficiently. This research shows that Std 3 is a cut-off level where a transition takes place from lower-order to higher-order skills processing. In addition, Chi-Square Statistics show little transfer from Afrikaans to English; the skills develop independently in the two languages. Enquiry has identified various factors that influence skills deficiencies, viz.: syllabus prescriptions and problems of interpretation; teachers' understanding of the reading process and the methods employed; teacher-training progresses; materials prescribed for reading; and reading in the society. This research recommends ways in which short comings can be remedied

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

In die 1970’s (voor die ontwikkeling van gevorderde klanktegnologie) was Afrikaanssprekers gedwing om hulle self te vermaak. Volksliedjies en ander Afrikaanse liedjies is dikwels onbegeleid of met eenvoudige begeleiding gesing. In skole is kinders aan verpligte sangonderrig blootgestel en Afrikaanse kinderliedjies soos dié van Anna Rudolph is landwyd deur Afrikaanssprekers gesing. Vandag (2011) word hierdie liedjies baie selde gehoor, en sonder “backtracks”, mikrofone en klankversterkers vind feitlik geen kindersang meer plaas nie. Die doel van die studie is gemotiveer deur twee moontlike negatiewe gevolge van foutiewe aanvangsonderrig in ag te neem: die huidige (2011) positiewe resepsie van onaanvaarbaar geïntoneerde en swak gekomponeerde populêre liedere, en baie Afrikaanssprekers se skynbare onvermoë om te kan sing. Deur op die vertrekpunt van musiekonderrig en spesifiek die aanleer van Afrikaanse kinderliedjies soos dié van Anna Rudolph te fokus, is resepsie-aspekte van Afrikaanse kinderliedere uitgewys. Die literatuurstudie het die bestudering van Afrikaanssprekers se sangkultuur vanaf die 1970’s tot vandag (2011) en die resepsie van kinderliedere deur kinders behels. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik. Verskeie onderhoude is gevoer. 45 van Rudolph se kinderliedere is geëvalueer volgens erkende kriteria vir kinderliedere en ’n katalogus van die kultuurbydrae van Rudolph is saamgestel. Die uitvoer van ’n veldproef wat die samestelling van ’n nuwe Anna Rudolph-CD en -bladmusiek insluit, onderskei hierdie navorsing van enige vorige soortgelyke studie. Probleme ondervind tydens die studie sluit die finansiering van die produksie van die CD en die voortdurende bemarking en verkope daarvan in. Die saamstel van die katalogus van Anna Rudolph se kultuurbydrae het ’n uitgebreide soektog behels en is steeds onvolledig, aangesien Rudolph op versoek en soos wat geleenthede hulle voorgedoen het, onverpoos gekomponeer het en die komposisies dus nie almal gepubliseer is nie. Baie van die gepubliseerde komposisies se publikasiedatums kon ook nie opgespoor word nie. Die bevindinge waartoe geraak is, toon die vervanging van die Afrikaanse sangkultuur van die 1970’s met ’n elektroniese luisterkultuur (2011). Hierdie transformasie het oor ’n tydperk van 40 jaar plaasgevind. Daar bestaan reeds ’n hele geslag nuwe Afrikaanse ouers met klein kindertjies wat nie kan of wil sing nie. Dit bring mee dat die resepsie van baie Afrikaanse kinderliedere soos wat dit in musiekbundels verskyn kommerwekkend negatief is. Die evaluering van ’n seleksie van Anna Rudolph se kinderliedere het getoon dat die musiek van die 1970’s steeds vandag gebruik kan word, alhoewel sommige lirieke vernuwe moet word. Die verpakking van die liedjies in CD-formaat in plaas van musiekbundels is van deurslaggewende belang. Die navorsing met veral die suksesvolle uitvoering van die veldproef waartydens 1500 Anna Rudolph-musiekstelle (met opnames uit die 1970’s) verkoop is, bring die navorser by die volgende aanbeveling: Die hernude verwekking van ’n Afrikaanse sanglus moet nou dringend by klein kindertjies begin. Vir die strewe na hierdie doelwit moet daar deurlopend CD’s van Afrikaanse kinderliedjies vervaardig word wat gebaseer is op die volgende praktiese prosedure: <ul> <li> Die redigering van sekere Anna Rudolph-kinderliedjies asook dié van ander kinderliedkomponiste (van die 1970’s);</li> <li> Die krities-wetenskaplike evaluering (deur musiekkenners) van bestaande kinderliedere aan die hand van erkende kinderliedkriteria;</li> <li> Die implementering van ’n kinderpaneel om kinderliedere (wat voldoen aan die wetenskaplike kinderliedkriteria) te resepteer vir gebruik in skoolverband en by die ouerhuis;</li> <li> Die opneem van bogenoemde kinderliedjies op CD’s in ’n eietydse idioom en met gebruik van kindersangertjies en kinderkore as kunstenaars; en</li> <li> Die effektiewe verspreiding van sulke CD’s na Afrikaanse skole.</li></ul> ENGLISH : During the 1970s, before the development of advanced sound technology, Afrikaans speakers were compelled to entertain themselves. This included singing songs. Folk songs and other Afrikaans songs were often sung, either unaccompanied or with simple accompaniments. In schools children were exposed to compulsory tuition in singing, and children’s songs with Afrikaans texts, such as those by Anna Rudolph, were sung throughout the country. Currently (2011) these songs are seldom heard and almost no singing by children takes place without backtracks, microphones and sound amplifiers. The motivation for this study was the consideration of two results that could be regarded as negative due to incorrect initial instruction: the current (2011) positive reception of unacceptable intonation and badly-composed popular songs, and the apparent inability of many Afrikaans-speaking people to sing. By focussing on the starting point of music education, specifically the learning of Afrikaans children’s songs such as those written by Anna Rudolph, aspects of the reception of Afrikaans children’s songs were identified. The literature review covered studies of the singing habits of Afrikaans speakers from the 1970s until the present (2011) and the reception of children’s songs by children. A qualitative research design was used. Various interviews were conducted. 45 of Rudolph’s children’s songs were evaluated using recognised criteria for such songs and a catalogue of Rudolph’s cultural contribution was compiled. In the conducting of a field experiment a new CD of children’s songs by Anna Rudolph, plus sheet music, was produced, and this aspect sets the research apart from any previous, similar studies. Problems that were experienced during the study included the financing of the production of the CD as well as its ongoing marketing and sales. The compilation of the catalogue of Anna Rudolph’s cultural contribution required extensive research and it remains incomplete because Rudolph composed incessantly on request as well as for specific occasions. Consequently, not all the compositions were published. It was also not possible to ascertain the dates of publication of all the compositions. The conclusions reached indicate that the Afrikaans singing culture of the 1970s has been supplanted by an electronic listening culture (2011). This transformation has taken place over a period of 40 years. There is, therefore, a whole new generation of Afrikaans-speaking parents with young children who either cannot or will not sing. This results in a disturbingly negative reception of Afrikaans children’s songs that are published only as sheet music. The evaluation of a selection of Anna Rudolph’s children’s songs showed that this music from the 1970s can still be used today, although some lyrics would need to be updated. The packaging of the songs in a CD format instead of as sheet music would be of cardinal importance. The research gleaned from the successful conducting of the field experiment during which 1500 music sets of songs by Anna Rudolph (containing recordings made during the 1970s) were sold leads the researcher to the following recommendation: A new desire to sing in Afrikaans should be inculcated in young children as a matter of urgency. To attain this objective CDs of Afrikaans children’s songs should continually be produced, and these should be based on the following practical procedures: <ul> <li> The editing of selected Anna Rudolph children’s songs, and also those of other composers of children’s songs (from the 1970s);</li> <li> The critical and scientific evaluation of existing children’s songs (by music experts) according to recognised criteria for children’s songs;</li> <li> The formation of a reception panel of children to evaluate children’s songs (which satisfy the criteria for children’s songs) for use in schools and at home;</li> <li> The recording of such children’s songs on CDs in a contemporary idiom sung by children’s voices and children’s choirs; and</li> <li> The effective distribution of such CDs to Afrikaans schools.</li></ul> Additional information available on a CD, DVD stored at the Merensky Library on Level 3 Copyright / Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Music / unrestricted