Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 142-145).

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-145). Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984. / Also available in print.

D.Ed. / This study focuses on disability and specific learning difficulties as barriers to learning. With the introduction of inclusive education in South Africa, the fundamental rights of learners with disabilities to access educational opportunities equal to their non-disabled peers, were recognised. Many learners with physical disabilities and specific learning difficulties started attending mainstream schools, instead of being referred to special schools. The inclusion of these learners brought about many challenges to them, as well as to their teachers. It was now expected from teachers to make instructional, curriculum and assessment adaptions, in order to support and assist learners with a variety of disabilities and learning difficulties and to cater for their diverse needs. Learners with physical-, sensory- or neurological disabilities, as well as those with specific learning difficulties, may experience reading and writing difficulties which prevent them from giving a true reflection of their acquired knowledge in classroom tests and examinations. These barriers to learning are therefore causing barriers to assessment. The purpose of adaptive methods of assessment (also called special concessions) is to minimize the effects of a learner’s intrinsic or extrinsic barriers upon assessment performance and to place him/her on par with other learners. It provides the opportunity for learners experiencing barriers to assessment, to participate in the assessment process and to reach their full potential - which is in accordance to an inclusive learning community. Therefore, it is imperative that teachers should be familiar with the various types of disabilities and learning difficulties, as well as the appropriate special concessions that should be implemented, should a learner experience a barrier to assessment. The purpose of this research study was to explore and describe Grade 7 teachers’ understanding and implementation of adaptive methods of assessment (particularly amanuenses), for learners with reading and writing difficulties. A qualitative research study from an interpretative research paradigm was conducted. In this study I used a qualitative case study design. Sixteen teachers from four primary schools, as well as the four principals of the respective schools in the district of Gauteng East, were selected purposively as participants. Openended questionnaires, focus group interviews, observations and field notes, as well as document analysis of the schools’ assessment policies, were used as methods of data collection. The data was transcribed and analysed, using Tesch’s method of open coding and was interpreted on the basis of the literature.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

This is an ethnographic study conducted in a first grade classroom where the learning environment was structured by a teacher using a whole language philosophy. The focus of the study was on the instructional and social organization of the classroom and how they influenced the literacy learning of Yaqui Indian students. This classroom was selected because it was reputed as providing an effective learning environment. The study was developed to investigate the discontinuity and mismatch theory. This theory suggests that the interactional styles, ways of learning, and experiences of Indian children in the home/community may not match those typically used in schools. These cultural differences may affect their learning in the classroom. Data was gathered through being a participant observer in the classroom during three school years; formal and informal interviews with the teacher, students, parents of the Yaqui students, and staff members; examination of school documents and records; a teacher-researcher dialogue journal; and the attendance of events in the school and community. The findings are presented through a description and interpretation of events in the classroom. They are based on the understanding of how one teacher organized the learning environment to accommodate the Yaqui students' experiences and cultural background while facilitating literacy learning. The findings incorporate the most recent theories of language organization of instruction, the social organization in the classroom, and the teacher interacted together to create a social context that contributed to the quality of learning and participation in the classroom. This is a case study of a classroom with a relatively unique population of students and a particular teacher. What can be generalized from this study to other classrooms is an understanding of the influence the instructional and social organization has on student learning and a methodology that can be used to study this issue. The learning theories, organization of instruction and social organization described can serve as an example for other teachers and illustrate the power of this methodology.

This study investigated differences in Vietnamese (native) and English (second) oral language proficiency across sex, age, socioeconomic status (SES), and grade levels for Vietnamese students as a result of their exposure to a 3-year (K-2) transitional bilingual education program. It also attempted to determine whether there was a difference in English language proficiency across Vietnamese language proficiency as well as whether there was a relationship between English language proficiency and Vietnamese language proficiency. One hundred twenty six subjects were selected based on the fact that they had participated in the said bilingual education program and that the scores they had obtained on the Language Assessment Scales (LAS) which measured their proficiency in English and Vietnamese were available for both kindergarten and second grade. These children's school records were examined in view of noting their LAS scores, sexes, birthdates, and SES. Statistical treatments used were analysis of covariance and Spearman's rho correlation. Tukey post-hoc tests were calculated where appropriate. The results indicated that: (1) for Vietnamese language proficiency, girls scored higher than boys, middle- and high-SES students scored higher than low-SES students, but no significant difference was found between the scores of older students and the scores of their younger counterparts; (2) for English language proficiency, females scored higher than males, older students scored higher than younger students, and scores increased linearly with SES increment; (3) there was a significant difference in English language proficiency across Vietnamese language proficiency; (4) there was a significant positive relationship between English language proficiency and Vietnamese language proficiency; and (5) the subjects enjoyed a marked gain in English but suffered a significant loss in Vietnamese.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Education, 2016 / Due to the contextual difference between rural schools and urban school, many rural learners have migrated to urban schools. The rural population movement in the urban contexts has resulted in an increased number of rural learners in urban schools and also contributed in the diversity of cultures, ethnicities and races in urban schools making it difficult for teachers to respond to every learner’s needs. This study hypothesises that rural learners are likely to face challenges in terms of inclusion and negotiating their identities in the new urban schools. This study describes the challenges faced by rural migrant learners in new urban school, and how these migrant learners construct their identities in the new urban context. The study focusses on one primary school in Johannesburg that has a large influx of rural learners over the years. Using the key concepts of social identity, social inclusion and social exclusion, this describes the lived experiences of migrated learners and how they negotiate their identities in a new urban context. Findings show that migrated learners face inclusive challenges both academically and socially and challenges in adapting to the new urban school environment. The factors that caused academic challenges were: language barrier, difficult subjects, and teachers’ intervention. Social challenges were, adapting to a new environment, interacting with other learners and learning a new culture of the school.

No description available.

Thesis (M.A. (Translation Studies)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The research reported in this mini-dissertation is an ethnographic case study which sought to investigate the development of biliteracy in one of the rural primary schools in the Limpopo province. Its focus is on how Grade 3 learners engage with texts and the strategies that teachers use to promote biliteracy (in English and Sepedi). Data collection methods included classroom observation, semi-structured teacher interviews and analysis of teaching and learning materials and the print environment. A brief analysis of the school’s language policy was also completed. The research revealed that the learners are hardly being taught to read and write whether in Sepedi, (their home language) or in English. While the school language policy states that English should be introduced in Grade 2, it is actually taught only in Grade 3. Additionally, as the learners do not understand English, the teachers frequently code-switch into Sepedi and therefore the learners hardly get any exposure to English. Many other negative aspects were uncovered. Out of the 28 lessons scheduled to be observed only 20 lessons actually took place. The learners are therefore not actually spending the allocated time on literacy development. The teaching is highly routinised with teachers, by and large, using an approach that emphasises repetition and rote-learning. The learners hardly ever get a chance to engage with texts independently. Even the textbooks available are not used but are stored away in the cupboards. Teachers painstakingly copy material from the textbooks on to the chalkboard and learners then copy this into their exercise books. The classroom environment is uninspiring, as there are hardly any learning materials on display. The interviews showed that the teachers had not been adequately trained to teach literacy and were in fact unaware of more effective ways of getting learners to engage with texts. They saw themselves as victims of frequent policy and curricular changes and blamed Government for poor training and lack of resources. The study in fact confirms findings of earlier research that the acquisition of literacy is simply not taking place in the poor, rural schools of South Africa and there is indeed a crisis in education in these schools