The aim of the study was to establish how and compile educational relationship-focussed reading support strategies for educators to support learners who experience barriers to reading. The educator-learner relationship first had to be delineated by establishing the dimensions of the relationship, namely emotional, cognitive and value-driven activities that impact on the learner's feelings, knowledge and attitudes towards his or her world, and for the purpose of this study, how these pertain to the learner's reading development. Components of reading development, as well as barriers to reading and appropriate supportive reading activities were also described. The most essential reading skills are indicated to be a motivation to read, linguistic cueing in reading in terms of phonemic, morphemic, syntactic and semantic cueing, sight word recognition and comprehension. On this theoretical basis the reading support strategies were compiled encompassing reading and relationship-focused activities. Aims for achieving the relationship and reading skills were established, for which appropriate reading and relationship activities were then compiled. Qualitative research was implemented in the design and implementation of the reading strategies. Data were obtained from implementing the reading and relationship-focussed strategies, from learners' reading profiles, from educators' and learners' evaluation of the strategies, as well as from the researcher's own evaluation as a research participant. All the results were then triangulated to arrive at the findings of the research. These indicate that the reading and relationship activities will be successful if presented simultaneously, and with full cooperation by educators and learners alike. The contribution as well as the limitations of the research are indicated, and finally recommendations are provided. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The aim of the study was to establish how and compile educational relationship-focussed reading support strategies for educators to support learners who experience barriers to reading. The educator-learner relationship first had to be delineated by establishing the dimensions of the relationship, namely emotional, cognitive and value-driven activities that impact on the learner's feelings, knowledge and attitudes towards his or her world, and for the purpose of this study, how these pertain to the learner's reading development. Components of reading development, as well as barriers to reading and appropriate supportive reading activities were also described. The most essential reading skills are indicated to be a motivation to read, linguistic cueing in reading in terms of phonemic, morphemic, syntactic and semantic cueing, sight word recognition and comprehension. On this theoretical basis the reading support strategies were compiled encompassing reading and relationship-focused activities. Aims for achieving the relationship and reading skills were established, for which appropriate reading and relationship activities were then compiled. Qualitative research was implemented in the design and implementation of the reading strategies. Data were obtained from implementing the reading and relationship-focussed strategies, from learners' reading profiles, from educators' and learners' evaluation of the strategies, as well as from the researcher's own evaluation as a research participant. All the results were then triangulated to arrive at the findings of the research. These indicate that the reading and relationship activities will be successful if presented simultaneously, and with full cooperation by educators and learners alike. The contribution as well as the limitations of the research are indicated, and finally recommendations are provided. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This study aims to investigate the challenges affecting reading in the foundation phase and to explore the different approaches that teachers use to address them. The research is qualitative in nature and used a case study approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and document analyses. Participants were teachers from two different schools in the rural areas of Bolobedu, Limpopo Province of South Africa. The data collected revealed the challenges encountered by teachers in teaching reading in the foundation phase of schooling. I also analysed documents that teachers used in teaching reading. The documents were used to triangulate the data obtained through observations and interviews. Content analysis was used to interpret and make meaning of the data. The findings revealed challenges of a socio-economic nature, parental involvement, family roles, poverty, teacher competency, availability of resources and language barriers leading to barriers to reading. In addressing these challenges, teachers rely on workshops, phase and grade meetings and their personal experiences. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)