Submitted in fulfillment for the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Education in the Department of Didactics in the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand, 1994. / This study investigates the teaching of English composition in Zulu secondary schools which are in the KwaZulu Department of Education and Culture. Of special importance in this study is to determine the extent to which insights from composition research have informed classroom practice regarding composition teaching in a sample of secondary schools. In assessing the current state of composition teaching in KwaZulu, a two-pronged approach is followed: Linguistics and Didactics. The analysis is underpinned by three linguistic theories of composition (current-traditional, expressionistic and social) and five didactic principles: individualisation, socialisation, control, active participation and motivation. A questionnaire was administered to 68 teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) out of the 100 targeted ESL teachers drawn from three circuits: Umlazi North, Umlazi South and Umbumbulu. To place the study of composition teaching in didactic context, Chapter 2 contains a formulation and substantiation of the five didactic principles: individualisation, socialisation, control, active participation and motivation. In essence, these principles are used as yardsticks to explain what constitutes effective teaching and learning. Regarding the linguistic dimension of the study, Chapter 3 outlines three linguistic theories (current-traditional, expressionistic and social). Each of these-theooesriabased on a different epistemological and philosophical orientation, and, consequently, each results in a different composition paradigm or model. Chapter 4 presents a theoretical discussion of the basic tenets of the process approach to composition writing - an eclectic approach which captures the essential features of both the expressionistic and social composition paradigms. The process approach is presented as a didactically-justifiable approach to composition writing which promotes all strategies, techniques and methods which are in line with the expressionistic and social composition paradigms. In this approach, the current-traditional composition paradigm is negated. Chapter 5 presents qualitative and quantitative results of the empirical study. The major findings of this study are:- o the need to teach composition writing using techniques that accommodate individual learner needs, fears and frustrations (and sometimes joy) regarding composing in a second language, e.g., English. o the need to harness and channel peer pressure positively by making learners work in peer groups during all the stages of the writing process; planning, drafting and revision. In this context, learners are socialised as they collaborate rather than compete to successfully produce composition pieces that communicate effectively. o the need to abandon the dominant current-traditionalcomposition paradigm in favour of the expressionistic and social paradigms which encompass techniques associated with the process approach - as against the product approach - to composition teaching. o the need to address composition teaching problems emanating, mainly from the Apartheid education dispensation regarding black schools, e.g., overcrowding and high teacher - pupil ratios which are demotivating factors militating against efficient composition teaching. Chapter 6 uses the five didactic principles as criteria to assess the didactic efficacy of linguistic theories and current practices regarding the teaching of composition writing. With regards to individualisation and socialisation didactic principles, the results are not promising. Control and motivation presented results which were negative and positive in some respects. The results were positive regarding active participation didactic principle. Chapter 7 places the empirical results of the study in linguistic context. It uses teachers' responses regarding their use of certain composition techniques to establish the dominant composition paradigm. The analysis shows that the current-traditional paradigm dominates. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the damaging long-term effects of the current-traditional paradigm of composition writing. Chapter 8 concludes this study with in-depth recommendations to teachers, teacher educators and administrators who have all been identified as agents who frequently act as catalysts to promote educational change. The five didactic principles are used as a reference framework for the recommendations. In other words, for each of the five didactic principles, there are recommendations for teachers, teacher educators and administrators.

[Truncated abstract] Enjoyable physical education (PE) has the potential to promote adolescent involvement in healthy activities outside the school setting. Disturbingly, evidence exists that many students do not enjoy PE and do not believe that it meets their needs. Indeed, a number of studies have documented an age-related decline in PE enjoyment among students. The research reported here is based on the assumption that a deeper understanding of the enjoyment processes could guide researchers and assist teachers in making PE classes more enjoyable for students. Given the fact that enjoyment is a product of multiple processes, a model of enjoyment developed by Scanlan and Lewthwaite (1986) was viewed as a potentially useful framework to guide this research. The validity of this model has been established in youth sport settings. However, further studies are needed to examine the utility of this framework in PE settings. In STUDY 1 (Chapter 3), a measurement instrument was constructed based on the Scanlan and Lewthwaite (1986) model. Content validity of the instrument was established by obtaining feedback from eight experts in psychology and four highly experienced secondary school teachers. ... Moreover, the results of correlation analyses again revealed significant positive relationships between PE teaching processes and enjoyment of PE. Unique findings in this study centered on the specific aspects of PA that were positively related to PE enjoyment. More v specifically, significant positive relationships were also obtained between PE enjoyment and self-reports of exercise duration (min-per-week: r = .30, p <.001), exercise intensity (r = .28, p < .001), exercise habit strength (r = .29, p < .001), and exercise stage-of-change (rho = .23, p < .001). Together, the findings from these studies provide support for the Scanlan and Lewthwaite (1986) model within the PE context. In addition, the findings provide guidance about how PA programs can be structured to maximize student enjoyment of PE. In terms of program structure, student enjoyment may be fostered by considering six processes. These processes are: self-referent competency, other-referent competency, teacher-generated excitement, activity-generated excitement, peer interaction, and parental encouragement. By emphasizing these processes, teachers will not only increase student enjoyment of PE but also increase the likelihood of involvement in PA outside of the school setting. Given global trends toward decreases in PA and increases in obesity, these outcomes could have important benefits for reducing public health costs in future.

No description available.

The purpose of this project was to review literature for appropriate elements that should make up an adolescent exercise video. Methods consisted of gathering research from twenty-three publications in books and professional journal articles. A review of the literature was examined to create chapters of information and a checklist pertaining to what makes up an appropriate adolescent exercise video.

This thesis documents and explores health-related exercise (HRE) policy and practice within selected secondary schools in England and Wales, and examines the impact of the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) revisions (DfEE/QCA and Welsh Assembly, 1999) on the status and expression of HRE in the curriculum. It also considers the factors affecting teachers' approaches to change and their consequent decisions and behaviours. Specifically, the research makes comparisons between the policy and practice in schools at the time of data collection (2000) and that reported by Harris (1997). The methodology incorporated both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Case studies were completed in 2001 in five strategically selected mixed sex state schools, three of which were located in one Local Education Authority (LEA) in England and two of which were in one LEA in Wales. One of the English schools was a specialist sports college (SSC). Case study data analysis focused on the status and expression of health within each school, with particular attention to HRE policy and practice prior to and following the National Curriculum revisions. This analysis also explored the factors influencing the delivery of HRE in each department. The case study element of the research included the lesson observation of a unit of work on health-related aspects of PE in one school from the English LEA. This allowed an examination of the translation of school level policy into practice. A survey of all the secondary schools in the two case study LEAs in 2001 elicited questionnaire responses from 67.5% of heads of PE departments (PE HoDs). Analysis employed the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The findings revealed that delivery of HRE in case study schools was based on a fitness for sports performance perspective, utilising fitness testing and training. This was despite many teachers reporting a philosophy for physical education that reflected a fitness for life perspective with pupils adopting active lifestyles as its goal. Case study schools reported that the NCPE had influenced HRE delivery, however, limited change had resulted from the 1999 revisions.