Adult Mother-Tongue Literacy learning is a universal problem as readily available statistics indicate. In this study, I explore various aspects of adult Mother-Tongue Literacy learning, including: • a profile of a Learner typical of those who attend the Pinetown Welfare Society Adult Literacy Programme; • some indication of the success of literacy programmes around the world; • the kinds of problems experienced by Learners in the Kwadabeka Literacy Project attached to the Pinetown Welfare Society; • some relevant theoretical concepts which underpin adult learning, and particularly the learning of literacy in adults; • the perceptions of Marcel Jousse on the effect of non-literate and semi-literate milieux on the capacities of Learners; • suggestions as to how an improved understanding of the capacities of Learners can influence the choice, design and presentation of Literacy teaching and learning materials; • examples of those aspects of current programmes which answer the needs identified by Marcel Jousse. In the conclusion, I suggest: • how the theories of Marcel Jousse can be further explored and applied in the area of Mother-Tongue Literacy learning, and to a definition of literacy; • how the needs identified by Marcel Jousse can be further accommodated; • what kinds of materials need to be introduced to make Mother-Tongue Literacy less problematic and more accessible to its Learners; • how an evaluation of the Pinetown Welfare Literacy Programme might assist in improving Mother-Tongue Literacy learning. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1998.

This research report explores how Project Literacy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), involved in adult basic education, was able to achieve sustainability by engaging in a comprehensive and ongoing restructuring process. It was mainly the new political dispensation as well as changes in funding policies for NGOs that necessitated the restructuring process. The principal aims o f the study were to document how this organisation managed its change process and what other measures it took to enhance the sustainability of its organisation. The research has been conducted in the qualitative research approach. The case study was selected as a major technique. A questionnaire and interviews with key staff were the main dava gathering methods. Triangulation was achieved by the use of various organisational documents such as independent evaluations among other?. Research findings suggested that without the restructuring process Project Literacy would not have been sustainable. The findings illustrated that the ability to change and adapt continuously was imperative. It also showed that any NGO needs a clear vision, a good product, sound management practices and motivated and efficient staff.

The content of books published for adult beginner readers reveals as much about how literacy is understood and valued as it does about how literacy learners are viewed and constructed. This research consists of a description and analysis of the corpus of easy readers or stories published specifically for adult beginner readers in South Africa from 1990 to 2000. It is based on the assumption that texts can be used as evidence of the educational theories which underpin and inform them. The research consist of three parts: the development of analytical tools; a broad descriptive review of books published in all South Africa's official languages; a detailed content analysis of English books. The analytical tools are derived from research into children's literature, dominant conceptions of the meanings and purposes of adult literacy and research into gender and language. The corpus of books is examined in terms of literary quality, pedagogy and ideology. 120 books published in all South African languages are analysed according to various criteria relating to genre, theme, setting and design. The 38 English books in the sample are, in addition, analysed in depth in relation to plot, narrative features, character, emotions, direct speech, gender, imagery and readability. The research reveals that unlike fiction for children beginner readers, fiction for adult beginner readers in South Africa is relatively restricted in terms of genre, theme and literary quality in general. While a significant number of stories conform to conventional notions of what constitutes good fiction, many others are simply overdetermined vehicles for "development" messages - non-fiction masquerading as fiction. Despite the presence of a surprising number of humorous titles, many of the books are characterised by overtly moralising and didactic themes.The majority of the books do not substantially challenge stereotypes. The readership is generally portrayed as docile, predictable, hard-working, decent and stoical. Male characters tend to be more varied and complex and female characters conform to their stereotypical roles. Stories are mostly set in domestic, racially homogeneous domains populated by poor African people. Although there are notable exceptions to the above trends, the stories generally depict an uncontested, harmonious, homogeneous and docile world. In terms of issues relating to pedagogy the corpus reveals an overwhelming dominance of English second language books. This suggests that literacy acquisition in mother tongue African languages is not a serious endeavour in the current South African context. In terms of readability features, aside from surface similarities, there are wide discrepancies between publishers. Books are mainly written in naturally occurring language and do not appear to be written with predictability or decodability features particularly in mind. The analysis overall illustrates the complex nature of fiction for adult beginner readers which has to meet the simultaneous demands of readability and engagement. The corpus of books for adult beginner readers reflects competing conceptions of the purposes of promoting adult literacy: functionality, immediate application and relevance versus long-term development of reading through the evocation of emotion and imagination. / Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

The study investigates the use of the Asifunde! materials by educators and learners in mother tongue literacy classes at two learning sites namely, Msunduzi and uMngeni Municipalities located in KwaZulu-Natal. The study focuses on the ways in which the Asifunde! Materials (learners' workbook, educators guide and easy readers) are used in the classroom. The study contributes to a gap in current literature on the use of materials by adult educators and learners. The study poses one critical question: "How do educators and learners in ABE classes use the Asifunde! materials?" This question is further elaborated into six subquestions: • Do educators mediate the content? If so, how? • How much time do educators spend on each section/page/unit? • To what extent do educators discuss the content and exercises with learners? • What is the learners' response (interest/extent of engagement/amount of discussion and enjoyment)? • How does the level of the material match the learners' needs? • How much communication is there between learners about the content of the material? Asifunde! materials were developed in response to call of the then Minister of Education Kader Asmal for a National Literacy Campaign in 1999. The Asifunde! material is a literacy course developed specifically for adults who have not had educational opportunities in the past. Its emphasis is on reading and writing mother tongue as well as on the implementation of these skills. The study is on literacy and literacy learning, which is understood here as the study of reading and writing processes that learners use as they engage in interpreting text Topics such as: literacy acquisition; purposes of literacy; the role of materials in acquisition of literacy; approaches to teaching reading and writing; and the educator as mediator of learning, are explored in the literature review as they are pertinent to the study. The study revealed that: 1. The use of the learner's book and the educator's guide varies between educators. 2. The educators do not fully understand the educational rationale behind the materials. 3. Learners respond positively to the materials. 4. There is very little use of the easy readers by both the educators and the learners. 5. Learners' learning and progress is largely influenced by the educator's use of the materials. 6. The learners are very excited about learning to read English now that they are competent in reading and writing their mother tongue. The study presents the following recommendations: 1. Training of educators in the use of the material. 2. The revision of the educator's guide to accommodate a range of educators in terms of experience and creativity. 3. Clarification of the focus and purpose of the materials regarding reading and writing. 4. Emphasis on the importance of the easy readers. 5. Inclusion of longer writing exercises towards the end of the book. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / According to the latest available statistics, 9 million people in South Africa are illiterate. A large number of these people did not attend school. This can be attributed to a number of factors, amongst others no entry to any form of schooling, economic realities and a expectation of low quality of life It is especially after 1994 that Adult Basic Education and Training was scrutinized in order to address the backlogs. A more closer investigation has shown that the adult education centres at a convenient sample of 3 secondary schools in the Western Cape (N = 18) are merely an extension of mainstream education, without taking into account the notion of the Andragogy (The Teaching of Adults). This study aims to determine guidelines to assist the educator of adults on the path to empowerment, in order to help to ensure the above scientific accountability

This is a qualitative, comparative study of management and learner perceptions of ABET English level 4 in a range of companies around Durban. South Africa's past is characterized by separate and unequal education and an ABET policy has been created in an attempt to address these educational inequalities. The legislation surrounding ABET creates a consistent approach intended to achieve economic growth and social transformation. During a long period of involvement in ABET, it appeared that the problems with and complaints about English level 4 were the same in all companies. In order to investigate and compare learner and management perceptions and expectations, a qualitative study was conducted with interviews being the main means of data collection. Twenty-seven learners and ten managers participated in the research with education levels ranging from Standard 5 to a post matric qualification. The interviewees were drawn from employees within the manufacturing, shipping, commercial and hospitality sectors. It was found that the expectations of managers and those of learners are often unrealistic and are not aligned and there is disillusionment when these expectations are not met. There is a complete lack of understanding as to the nature of English level 4 and I ascribe this to the perennial problem of the perceived value of soft skills in this profit driven business and production environment. Recommendations are made as to how the expectations surrounding English level 4 can be more realistic and how the situation can be improved. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

My venture into the field of ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) began in 1994 as a community based tutor and coordinator of ABET programs. In the past six years, setting up and co-ordinating ABET programs together with individuals and organisations, has been my main endeavour. This experience has led me to the realisation that the key to successful literacy programmes is attendance and the motivation of learners. Since I have not had much experience working within industry, my impressions and picture of ABET classes conducted at the workplace have always been vague, so I chose this area of focus for two reasons. Firstly, this would widen my knowledge in workplace literacy programmes by reading widely on the topic, and secondly, it would afford me the opportunity to meet and find out attitudes from learners themselves. I would be able to find out and see personally what is actually taking place at the floor level in ABET classes in this sector. Since ABET classes are offered to learners at the workplace, I wanted to know about their aspirations and gain first hand knowledge of their motivation to attend, more so because of the current focus on the promotion of literacy in commerce and industry. Thus, this study aims to find out whether workers are motivated to attend ABET classes in the workplace. The place where I conducted my research is the Beacon Sweet and Chocolate factory in the Mobeni Industrial area of Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

Summary in English. / When considering their dropout, many described experiences of being a misfit, or feeling uncomfortable with discourse practices in which they were expected to engage. Some had logistical difficulties in attending, such as transport or small children, but even greater than these was the fact that they had been disappointed. These learners believe the "literacy myth" that literacy, as a set of skills one can acquire, will result in significant improvements in one's life. They also equate literacy with education, and although they experience none of the benefits that are supposed to accrue to the literate, they continue to say that they believe in its power. However, in practice, attendance at adult centres is relatively poor in comparison with numbers of potential students, those termed "illiterate." It may be deduced that adult "illiterates" regard literacy as some kind of "saviour", a panacea for all ills. Even if it is not directly accessed, the fact of its existence and the notion of its power is enough to provide hope for a better future and comfort in hard times.

This study investigated the physical affective, cognitive and volitional problems of the learner in adult basic education (ABE) with reference to the learner's relationship towards the tutor, the learning content, the self, and family and friends. The research design provided for a literature study of ABE in South Africa, as well as the personhood and relationships of the ABE learner. This was done to arrive at a research hypothesis concerning the relative impact of various categories of problems on the ABE learner. The empirical summary had both quantitative and qualitative components. It was found that ABE learners are influenced by the following factors, listed in order of impact: affective problems; cognitive problems; problems related to the learning content, physical problems and problems related to family and friends. Positive fmdings were that volitional problems and problems related to tutors were relatively less significant. In its recommendations the study emphasises the crucial role of, and need for professionally trained adult basic educators who can deal effectively with the personal and contextual problems of ABE learners. Moreover, the typical perseverance of ABE learners demands the establishment of excellent and responsive infrastructure for ABE provision, inter alia in provincial education departments. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Technikons were established in order to meet the need for skilled labour in the field of Engineering and Technology. Yet, within the Transkei it is found that there is a greater need for literacy training as a means of contributing to social and economic upliftment as technological advancement cannot take place within an illiterate society. As the Eastern Cape Technikon is based within the Transkei, a challenge is put to this institution to meet the needs of its surrounding community. Thus besides providing technologically -orientated education, the question is put as to how the Technikon could address illiteracy in the area. A study of countries which have addressed these issues is made and an investigation into the problem within the area is carried out. Based on conclusions drawn from these, recommendations are made. These do not necessarily pertain to all technikons but can be considered when approaching the issue of literacy/illiteracy . / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Comparative Education)