The aim of this study was to investigate the design and implementation of early intervention programmes used for disadvantaged learners in South Africa. The focus was on the Grade R class since it has been introduced to prepare learners for formal schooling. The extent to which the programme could influence the learner's skills were investigated. The design is defined in terms of the structure, goals, and content of the programme. The implementation strategy in this investigation is explained in broad terms to include ECD policies, delivery structures and modes, teacher preparedness and arrangements made at school level. The investigation was conducted as a case study in disadvantaged school-based Grade R classes of the Gauteng province. It established that the design of the Grade R programme followed the constructivist approach by combining the developmental and behavioural approaches to teaching. The design was commendable with regard to its goals and its duration. However, concerns were raised with regard to the structure and content of the Learning Area Programmes. An alternative design is recommended. The success of any programme depends to a large extent on implementation strategies used for delivery. This investigation established that policy formulation at national level followed international trends. Implementation power was devolved to the provincial departments in order to accommodate provincial diversity. However, structural deficits and undefined line functions were identified at provincial and district levels. The impact of this deficiency was evident in the Grade R classes. Finally this study concluded that although learners showed developmental gains, this cannot be regarded as the influence of the Grade R teaching because this age group is still developing and the change could be ascribed to maturation. The learners did not acquire basic literacy skills. Their poor language and intellectual abilities remain extremely low. / Educational Studies / D.Ed.(Psychology of Education)

This study was conducted in order to assess the effects of cognitive stimulation in early childhood. The quantitative study set out to test a target group of 40 children, ranging in age from two years to three and a half years, in order to determine the importance of stimulation and intervention from a young age. A pre-test evaluated the initial level of each child‟s cognitive abilities (mathematics, literacy and life skills). This was followed by a random selection of the subjects into experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent an eight-week intervention programme which focused on the primary concepts in each area of cognitive development. The control and experimental groups continued with their normal school learning programmes. The results indicate that the impact of stimulation on young children is significant and there is a great difference in the abilities and understanding of concepts for those children which were stimulated individually, as compared with those children who were not so stimulated. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

School readiness is a stage in a child's development when he learns easily and effectively. A child who is not yet ready for school on school entry is already at a disadvantage in the formal learning situation. This in itself can affect his school performance in the later years. The researcher, being a primary school teacher noticed that the children from the informal settlements that had no pre-school intervention arrived at school unready to learn. This investigation set out to evaluate the school readiness of children from an informal settlement without a pre-school programme. The school readiness of these children were compared against children from an informal settlement with a pre-school programme. Test and questionnaires were used to determine the five year olds' school readiness. The researcher used the idiographic method of research. The findings of the research were based on the interpretations of the tests and questionnaires. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

This study constitutes an attempt to describe and analyse the quality of selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa, and provide criteria by which the quality of programmes could be assessed. The need for, and importance of, providing quality early childhood development programmes is highlighted. The influence of educational pf:lilosophies on programmes is recognised, hence the total development of the child and educational philosophies related thereto are discussed. Factors and components within programmes that contribute to high quality are explored. Moreover, criteria by means of which quality early childhood development programmes may be assessed, are provided. In this regard criteria for the formulation of aims, selection and the organisation of content, assessment, role of the teacher and parent involvement in programmes are suggested. It is against these criteria that selected early childhood development programmes in South Africa are described and analysed. programmes conclude the study. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

Through document analysis, one-on-one interviews with parents, and observations the researcher aimed to explore early intervention in pre-school children with learning difficulties in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. The researcher set out to determine whether parents were aware of the importance of early intervention in addressing learning difficulties in their children, what support existed to help parents give support to children with learning difficulties, and how support could be improved to enable parents to help their children. This study found that parents in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape needed support that would enable them to provide early intervention for their children with learning difficulties. The study also showed that parents were aware of the importance of early intervention to help their children with learning difficulties. Most parents were receiving support, but there was room for improvement in the support that they were receiving. Flowing from this, the study also found that parents needed different forms of support, e.g. emotional and financial support. Based on the findings, recommendations were made. Recommendations were aimed at improving support for parents, so they can provide successful early intervention for their pre-school children, e. g. through the creation of open channels of communication between parents and other role players, like government departments and service providers. Recommendations were also made for future research, e. g. research into ways to create open channels of communication. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The challenges of backlogs experienced amongst Grade R-learners, results in learners not being school and learning ready when entering Grade 1. Obstacles for example are insufficient stimulation, under developed perception, and poor gross and fine motor skills, require early intervention and ought to receive attention in Grade R. From the socialecological perspective and taking into consideration the great amount of learners in South Africa originating from deprived environments, the study is focused in the domain of the Social Deprivation Theory. The bio-ecological context within which learners find themselves, influence the cognitive and perceptual development of every learner. Epistemologically the study focuses on the similarity between Critical Theory and Interpretivism. Critical Theory highlights the meaning of experience as manifested in relation to social circumstances and developmental background. Interpretivism in this study focuses on the meaning which individuals attach to their experiences in the spotlight and results in greater understanding and insight of the researched phenomenon. Circumstances of deprivation occur worldwide, even in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and England. Already for decades in USA young children gain in their development through intervention in early childhood (Ludwig & Phillips, 2007). Duncan and Brooks-Gunn (2000) identified a relation between child poverty/deprivation and poor school performance in the USA. Research in England (Thompson, 2000) shows that the impact of social neglect of children have serious consequences. The National Education Policy Act (Pandor, 2008; SA DvO, 1997:2) uses Early Childhood Development (ECD) as an umbrella term which refers to the development processes whereby children physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, morally and socially grow and develop from birth to the age of nine years (SA, DoE, 1995, White paper 5,). The kind of education learners receive in Grade R is crucial to their further development in the education system (Van Zyl, Le Roux & Janse van Rensburg 2011, DvO, 1997:2). Learners lacking an adequate foundation may experience difficulties throughout their school career. In South Africa there is concern as to the standard of education and training, manifesting in a low pass rate on Grade 12-level. This study is undertaken to determine the current shortages in the South African educational system which may hinder the learning potential of Grade R-learners. An attempt is made to determine which handicaps/backlogs Grade R-learners experience, which fits the framework of the deprivation theory, which can undermine learner readiness. This study determine whether intervention by means of a perceptual-motor skills programme can enhance the school readiness of pre-school learners. Finally to determine which shortages/ backlogs exists in the perceptual-motor skills of Grade R nlearners from deprived backgrounds in South Africa. Guidelines for a perceptual-motor intervention program was developed through this study. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data-analysis is used in this study (Onwuegbuzie, Johnson en Collins, 2009). The dissertation is compiled in article format. In the first article of the study, the issues of teacher development and support mechanisms and equipment at primary schools and kindergartens are explored. Qualitative and phenomenological research was undertaken and information was gathered by means of questionnaires directed at teachers. In the following article the school readiness of 48 Grade R-learners from deprived backgrounds were tested. The research participants came from similar sosio-economic background, from quintile one and two schools. Seeing that those were the only primary schools with Grade R classes in that area, they were identified on behalf of their availability. In this study the data was analysed and descriptive statistics (means, averages, standard deviations, minimum and maximum values, percentages) and t-tests were used to determine variations in terms of perceptual motor skill development and learning readiness. An experimental group of 21 Grade R learners followed a 10 week long perceptual-motor skills intervention programme. In the follow-up school readiness test (article 3), results indicated that the intervention showed a positive response with regards to the school readiness of the Grade R learners. Drawing to a conclusion (article 4), the intervention programme is critically discussed and recommendations were made to all those concerned with Grade R teaching (teachers, principals, Departments of Education). The conclusion according to the results of the research shows that the intervention had a positive effect on the school and learning readiness of this group of Grade R learners. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Visual perception is a psychological construct that describes the awareness of visual sensations and arise from the interactions of the individual or observer in the external environment together with the physiology of the observer’s visual system. A variety of theories of the development of visual perception have led to the development of different psychometric measures aimed at quantifying the cognitive construct. The Visual Perceptual Aspects Test was developed by Clutten (2009) to measure nine different constructs of visual perception. The original VPAT was validated using content and construct validity based on a Western Cape sample. However, to the researcher’s knowledge, a factor analysis had not yet been conducted on the VPAT to determine the factor validity of the test. Furthermore, no measures of validity or reliability had been conducted on the VPAT using a sample outside of the Western Cape. The aim of this research is to validate the hypothesised nine factor structure of the Visual Perceptual Aspects Test, using a confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation model, a bifactor confirmatory factor analysis and a bifactor exploratory structural equation model. The results of the analysis showed marginal model fit of the VPAT with the sample data, with sufficient levels of reliability for certain sub-tests. However, the VPAT did not meet significant levels of validity or reliability of the proposed model structure of the VPAT for the sample group of learners based in the Eastern Cape. / Psychology / M.A. (Research Psychology)

Abstract Childhood development has always been a major topic when studying psychology and biology. This makes sense because the brain develops from the time a child is conceived to the time that child has reached around the age of twenty-seven. Doctors, psychologists, and sociologists look at numerous things when studying childhood development. However, how common is it for researchers to study how the fine and performing arts affect childhood development? Sociologists tend to be extremely open and mindful of all aspects of things such as culture, sexuality, religion, and even age. By taking a sociological standpoint when studying the arts and studying childhood development, society is able to make connections between the two that leads to better understanding of a child's development socially, mentally, and academically.

The challenges of backlogs experienced amongst Grade R-learners, results in learners not being school and learning ready when entering Grade 1. Obstacles for example are insufficient stimulation, under developed perception, and poor gross and fine motor skills, require early intervention and ought to receive attention in Grade R. From the socialecological perspective and taking into consideration the great amount of learners in South Africa originating from deprived environments, the study is focused in the domain of the Social Deprivation Theory. The bio-ecological context within which learners find themselves, influence the cognitive and perceptual development of every learner. Epistemologically the study focuses on the similarity between Critical Theory and Interpretivism. Critical Theory highlights the meaning of experience as manifested in relation to social circumstances and developmental background. Interpretivism in this study focuses on the meaning which individuals attach to their experiences in the spotlight and results in greater understanding and insight of the researched phenomenon. Circumstances of deprivation occur worldwide, even in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and England. Already for decades in USA young children gain in their development through intervention in early childhood (Ludwig & Phillips, 2007). Duncan and Brooks-Gunn (2000) identified a relation between child poverty/deprivation and poor school performance in the USA. Research in England (Thompson, 2000) shows that the impact of social neglect of children have serious consequences. The National Education Policy Act (Pandor, 2008; SA DvO, 1997:2) uses Early Childhood Development (ECD) as an umbrella term which refers to the development processes whereby children physically, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, morally and socially grow and develop from birth to the age of nine years (SA, DoE, 1995, White paper 5,). The kind of education learners receive in Grade R is crucial to their further development in the education system (Van Zyl, Le Roux & Janse van Rensburg 2011, DvO, 1997:2). Learners lacking an adequate foundation may experience difficulties throughout their school career. In South Africa there is concern as to the standard of education and training, manifesting in a low pass rate on Grade 12-level. This study is undertaken to determine the current shortages in the South African educational system which may hinder the learning potential of Grade R-learners. An attempt is made to determine which handicaps/backlogs Grade R-learners experience, which fits the framework of the deprivation theory, which can undermine learner readiness. This study determine whether intervention by means of a perceptual-motor skills programme can enhance the school readiness of pre-school learners. Finally to determine which shortages/ backlogs exists in the perceptual-motor skills of Grade R nlearners from deprived backgrounds in South Africa. Guidelines for a perceptual-motor intervention program was developed through this study. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data-analysis is used in this study (Onwuegbuzie, Johnson en Collins, 2009). The dissertation is compiled in article format. In the first article of the study, the issues of teacher development and support mechanisms and equipment at primary schools and kindergartens are explored. Qualitative and phenomenological research was undertaken and information was gathered by means of questionnaires directed at teachers. In the following article the school readiness of 48 Grade R-learners from deprived backgrounds were tested. The research participants came from similar sosio-economic background, from quintile one and two schools. Seeing that those were the only primary schools with Grade R classes in that area, they were identified on behalf of their availability. In this study the data was analysed and descriptive statistics (means, averages, standard deviations, minimum and maximum values, percentages) and t-tests were used to determine variations in terms of perceptual motor skill development and learning readiness. An experimental group of 21 Grade R learners followed a 10 week long perceptual-motor skills intervention programme. In the follow-up school readiness test (article 3), results indicated that the intervention showed a positive response with regards to the school readiness of the Grade R learners. Drawing to a conclusion (article 4), the intervention programme is critically discussed and recommendations were made to all those concerned with Grade R teaching (teachers, principals, Departments of Education). The conclusion according to the results of the research shows that the intervention had a positive effect on the school and learning readiness of this group of Grade R learners. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

This practicum focuses on developing a deeper knowledge about stress and our external environments. It is directed towards the profession of Landscape Architecture, and healthcare facilities including professionals. It outlines critical information about stress: how stress affects people’s physical, emotional, mental health and well-being, and how landscape architects are able to mitigate different types of stress through the design and use of our exterior environments, offering respite and healing in times of great need. Stress reveals and manifests itself in numerous ways. It has become a major problem within our society, much bigger than people care to acknowledge or believe. Landscape Architects have the ability to help people reflect upon the stress that they are under by creating spaces that inevitably sooth their ‘selves’. Through the profession and subsequent work of Landscape Architects the awareness of stress can be addressed, helping bring respite and relieve tension and stress, whether large or small, which is extremely critical in today’s society. Through the use of gardens and exterior spaces designed with stress-relief in mind, we will be able to decrease hospital stays, drug use and the overall amount of money used by medical institutions and governments, while decreasing the progression and succession of illness and diseases related to and accentuated or propagated by, or due to stress. Through this document I will discuss ideas and theories that influence and/or are pertinent to Landscape Architecture and stress, as well as natural elements that should be taken into consideration when starting to design or when planning a design that will be situated within medical institutions and healthcare facilities, but not limited to, and including any other exterior environment (such as a backyard). It will also outline design elements which emphasize appropriate ways to design these spaces and places responsibly and sensitively. By understanding how people respond to stress, Landscape Architects may be able to design appropriate, beautiful spaces. Initially this practicum was directed towards designing beautiful, meaningful gardens for the sick and/or dying, as well as for the families, visitors, and employees within healthcare settings. It has evolved, to include how our brains and bodies are physiologically affected by spaces and places that we encounter, and how these spaces either reduce or increase stress responses within us, therefore, increasing or decreasing our ability to heal, be healthy, and feel well. Stress is a major condition that is often “down-played”, ignored, or not understood within society. It is in fact a very serious condition / illness that has the ability to dictate the outcome of our physical and mental performances, and especially our health and well-being. Landscape Architects have the ability and responsibility to contribute positively to people’s bodily reactions to spaces: exterior and interior.