Thesis (MEdPsych )--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adequate literacy skills form the basis for learning and development. Unfortunately, a lack of adequate literacy skills is a world-wide tendency. Literacy in South Africa is part of this problem. The Department of Basic Education has, since 2000, been using the National Systemic Evaluation (NSE) to determine the level of learners' literacy skills. This evaluation takes place in grades 3 and 6 every alternate year. The latest evaluation indicated that the number of Intermediate Phase learners in South Africa who do not have the required literacy skills has increased over the last few years. The school where this research was undertaken also experiences problems with learners whose literacy skills are not up to standard. The results of the National Systemic Evaluation (NSE) of 2005 indicate that only 30% of the grade 6 learners in the school are able to read and write at the required age level. As a result, a large percentage of the learners' reading and writing skills can be compared to learners in the Foundation Phase. Teachers in the Intermediate Phase have indicated that they do not have sufficient knowledge and self-confidence to support learners whose literacy skills are comparable with those in the Foundation Phase. It is within this frame of reference that I developed a support programme for teachers who teach in the Intermediate Phase. The aim of the research was to evaluate the efficacy of the Literacy Support Programme (GOP) for the Intermediate Phase. The study will determine if the teachers' self-confidence, skills and strategies for literacy support have improved. Transformation of the learners' backlog cannot take place before their teachers' self-confidence to support them has improved dramatically. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Voldoende geletterdheidsvaardighede vorm die basis van leer en ontwikkeling. Ongelukkig is 'n gebrek aan voldoende geletterdheidsvaardighede 'n wêreldwye tendens. Suid-Afrika ondervind ook hierdie probleem. Die Departement van Onderwys gebruik sedert 2000 die Nasionale Sistemiese Evaluering (NSE) om die vlak van leerders se geletterdheidsvaardighede te bepaal. Hierdie evaluering vind al om die ander jaar in graad 3 en 6 plaas. Die evaluering het getoon dat die aantal Intermediêre Fase-leerders in Suid-Afrikaanse skole wat nie oor voldoende geletterdheidsvaardighede beskik nie, die afgelope paar jaar toegeneem het. Die skool waar hierdie navorsing gedoen is ondervind ook probleme met leerders se geletterheidsvaardighede wat nie op standaard is nie. Die sistemiese evalueringsuitslae van 2005 het getoon dat slegs 30% van die Graad 6-leerders in dié skool volgens hul ouderdomsvlak kan lees en skryf. Gevolglik is daar 'n baie groot persentasie leerders wie se lees- en skryfvaardighede met leerders in die Grondslagfase (GF) vergelyk kan word. Die onderwysers in die Intermediêre Fase het aangedui dat hulle nie oor genoeg kennis of selfvertroue beskik om leerders te ondersteun wie se geletterdheidsvaardighede steeds met die van die Grondslagfase vergelyk kan word nie. Dit is binne hierdie verwysingsraamwerk dat ek 'n ondersteuningsprogram vir onderwysers van die Intermediêre Fase ontwikkel het. Die doel van die navorsingstudie was om die effektiwiteit van die Geletterdheidsondersteuningprogram (GOP) vir die Intermediêre Fase te evalueer. Die studie wil bepaal of die onderwysers se selfvertroue en vaardighede/strategieë vir geletterdheidsondersteuning in die Intermediêre Fase verbeter het. Transformasie van leerders se agterstande kan nie plaasvind alvorens die onderwysers nie oor genoeg selfvertroue beskik om hierdie leerders te ondersteun nie.

This study investigates the challenges in teaching learners experiencing barriers in mathematics at the intermediate phase in Tshwane South District. Relevant literature review reveals that teachers’ inadequate training and lack of supportive structure hinders their pedagogy, resulting in demoralisation, frustration, and a sense of inadequacy. Nonetheless it is teachers’ responsibility to make learning happen; the inclusive educational policy maintains that teachers are the prime engine of realizing educational goals. They are to support and accommodate diverse learners and meet their needs (Department of Education [DoE], 2001). In situations where contradicting factors wrestle and contend with pedagogy practice actualizing the desire goal of including and supporting all will be difficult. The study was conducted within the qualitative paradigm; specifically case study design was employed. Ten teachers were interviewed from five different settings. An inductive analysis method was used to analyze data. Findings of the study indicate various challenges in teaching learners experiencing barriers in mathematics. The findings revealed issues related to education such as: language barriers, overcrowded classes, the Gauteng Primary Language and Mathematic Strategies (GPLMS), lack of resource materials. Learners and teachers factors influencing mathematics teaching and availability of support strategies to enable teachers to assist learners experiencing barriers. The study recommends that GPLMS should be revised to make proper allowance for learners experiencing barriers, inculcation of English language at the foundational phase, proper training of teachers for Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) implementation and hiring of relevant personnel to teach mathematics at foundational phase. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study investigated the implementation of computer-assisted education in the outcomes-based education system at Sterling Primary School in East London. A literature study was done on constructivism on which outcomes based education is based. The literature review also focused on computer-integrated education. The integration of computer-assisted education at Sterling Primary School was appraised with the help of the Evolutionary Model developed by Miller (1997). It was observed that the educators and learners at this school were trying to integrate computers into their teaching and learning process. Although this study focussed on the Intermediate Phase, it could provide a basis for further study in the field of computer-assisted education in Senior, and Further Education and Training Phases throughout the Republic of South Africa. / Dissertation (MEd (Computer-Assisted Education))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

Learning disability affects many learners in South Africa and its impact is exacerbated by environmental disadvantage. In a fast changing educational system within a framework of Outcomes-Based Education, where inclusion of learners from various cultures who face a wide variety of barriers to learning is a reality, the need for more accommodating teaching aids and techniques is pressing. Reading comprehension skills influence most aspects of school work, cognitively, emotionally and socially, and therefore learning support strategies to address reading difficulty are especially important. This research focused on visualization as a metacognitive reading comprehension technique for learning support to intermediate level learners with learning disabilities who suffer environmental deprivation. The aim was to help learners to develop and utilise their cognitive skills when reading by forming a mental picture of the text that is being read. Internalization and generalization of this technique was targeted. The communicative meaning of text, rather than fluent word recognition, was emphasized. Manifestations of learning disability, environmental deprivation, problems in reading comprehension and visualization as a "whole brain" approach to reading development were reviewed in the literature. In collaboration with a multicultural school for learners with epilepsy and learning disabilities, the visualization technique was formatively refined during ten sessions of practical implementation. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to assess behaviour and performance per learner. Clinical assessments verified the findings of the case studies. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Thesis (M. Ed.(Language Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Learners in rural areas are disadvantaged in terms of exposure to English First Additional Language (EFAL).They require more basic attention in reading and writing skills. For this reason, the study analyses why Intermediate Phase learners in schools in rural areas are struggling to read and write in EFAL. In view of this, Darara (2012:4) argues that reading and writing is not an educational hurdle affecting only learners at Intermediate Phase in schools. The purpose of this study is to bring to light learners’ challenges in reading and writing in EFAL at Intermediate Phase. The study thus employs how to eliminate learners’ reading and writing challenges emanating at this phase. The method used in this study is qualitative and it is used in order for teachers to bring out their experiences on EFAL teaching. Data collection was done through structured interviews and non-participant observation. Nine teachers were sampled from three primary schools in the Mankweng Circuit. Each school forwarded three teachers, this means one from each intermediate grades. The research results from both interviews and observations are jointly presented in order to avoid repetitions. The researcher presents profiles of schools and teachers together with the way reading and writing are conducted in schools. The study, in its presentation, highlights the way teachers are moved around the province through the government programme Rationalisation and Redeployment. Amongst the findings revealed by the study, most of the teachers do not take English as their major subject in their teaching career. This is one reason why reading and writing at Intermediate Phase in rural schools is almost unachievable. The study recommends that EFAL teachers conduct workshops and training with fellow teachers in ex-model C and private schools to learn from each other in order to overcome challenges emanating from the two skills.

The findings of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2006 highlighted concerns about support for and the quality of reading literacy teaching in South African primary schools. In South Africa there is a paucity of research outlining schooling conditions and teachers’ reading literacy teaching practices especially in the Intermediate Phase. The aim of this mixed methods study was to explore schooling conditions and teaching practices for the implementation of the curriculum for Grade 4 learners’ reading literacy development across a range of education contexts. Two research sub-questions explored in two research phases were used to investigate the overall question which was: What influence do schooling conditions and teaching practices have on curriculum implementation for Grade 4 reading literacy? In phase one, PIRLS 2006 principal and teacher questionnaire data were re-classified for secondary analysis according to language of instruction (English First Language or English Additional Language) and the mean performance of each participating class of learners on the PIRLS 2006 international benchmarks and further benchmarks established to reflect the performance of the majority of South African learners. Response distributions on selected classroom level variables detailing teacher characteristics and reading literacy teaching practices as well as selected school level variables describing teaching conditions impacting the teaching of reading literacy were compared across each reclassified benchmark sub-sample. In phase two, six school and teacher case studies were purposively selected from each of the sub-samples to complement and extend the findings from the analysis of the survey data using multiple qualitative data sources. The findings revealed that differences in schooling conditions and teaching practices across the PIRLS achievement spectrum were generally aligned to differences between advantaged, high achieving schools and disadvantaged low-achieving schools. Thus, the study provides insights into the high levels of between-school inequalities for the development of Grade 4 reading literacy and school and classroom level reasons for such inequalities. On the basis of the findings, recommendations for policy, teacher practice and teacher education, and further research are provided. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / unrestricted

No description available.

Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study seeks to investigate how a language is used in teaching and learning of natural science in the intermediate phase, with specific reference to the way in which isiXhosa (learners’ home language) is used alongside English (the resource language and medium of teaching and learning). My research investigated teaching and learning practice materials in two classes and studied the roles of English and isiXhosa in mediating cognitively challenging subject content, particularly natural science concepts and terminology. In chapter two I refer to different theoreticians to advance my argument around the use of language as a tool to promote cognitive development and conceptual understanding in areas of academic learning in this case, natural science. I looked at work done internationally on cognitive development and then explored numerous research projects conducted on the same issue in an African context around the use of indigenous languages in teaching and learning. I also explored the Language in Education Policy underpinning the natural science curriculum statement, particularly the distinction between additive and subtractive bi/multilingualism. I will discuss the language of science and investigate how this highly specialised natural science jargon is used to convey understanding of science to learners who are not native speakers of English. Classroom observations and interviews with teachers are used to gain insight into the use of both isiXhosa and English in everyday teaching and learning. Teaching and learning materials such as textbooks and learners’ work are also explored. These are attempts to determine how natural science concepts and terminology are explained to learners and which language is used and for what purposes? The study concludes that the lack of materials in isiXhosa, coupled with unplanned code switching to English and the extensive use of English borrowings affect learners’ ability to understand cognitively challenging material. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek hoe taal gebruik word in die onderrig en leer van natuurwetenskap in die interim fase met spesifieke verwysing na die wyse waarop isiXhosa (die leerders se huistaal) saam met Engels (die taal van hulpbronne en van onderrig-leer). My navorsing het die onderrig en leer praktyke van en materiaal in twee klasse ondersoek en die rolle van isiXhosa en Engels bestudeer waar kognitief-komplekse leermateriaal, veral natuurwetenskap konsepte en terminologie gebruik is. In hoofstuk twee verwys ek na verskeie teoretici om my argument oor die gebruik van taal as instrument om kognitiewe ontwikkeling en konseptuele begrip van natuurwetenskap (in hierdie geval) te bevorder, te ondersteun. Ek ondersoek internasionale perspektiewe op kognitiewe en konseptuele ontwikkeling in akademiese kontekste, in hierdie geval natuurwetenskap, opgevolg deur ‘n verskeidenheid van navorsingsprojekte op dieselfde onderwerp in die konteks van Afrika, veral wat betref die gebruik van inheemse tale in leer en onderrig. Ek neem die Taal in Onderrig Beleid onderliggend aan die natuurwetenskap kurrikulumverklaring in ag, met spesifieke verwysing na die onderskeid tussen aanvullende en afbrekende twee- en meertaligheid. Die taal wat in die natuurwetenskappe gebruik word, word ook onder die loep geneem en die ondersoek fokus op die wyse waarop hierdie hoogs gespesialiseerde vaktaal gebruik word om natuurwetenskap by leerders wat nie huistaalsprekers van Engels is nie, tuis te bring. Klaskamerwaarneming en onderhoude met onderwysers is gebruik om insig te verkry in die gebruik van beide isiXhosa en Engels in daaglikse onderrig en leer. Onderrig- en leermateriaal soos handboeke en leerders se werk is ook ondersoek. Hierdie is gedoen om uit te vind hoe natuurwetenskap konsepte en terminologie aan leerders verduidelik word en watter taal gebruik word vir watter doeleindes. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat ‘n gebrek aan onderrig- en leermateriaal saam met onbeplande kodewisseling tussen Engels en Afrikaans en die uitgebreide gebruik van leenwoorde uit Engels beïnvloed die leerders se vermoë om kognitief komplekse materiaal te verstaan.

Educationists, linguists and other stakeholders are concerned about the effectivity of the level of teaching regarding Afrikaans Additional Language. Some of the teachers of Afrikaans Additional Language are not qualified in the teaching of specifically a foreign language. There is a lot of uncertainty concerning the difference between the teaching of a home language and additional language teaching. In order to ensure learners improvement and achievement as well as future use of Afrikaans Additional Language it is necessary that the teaching of additional languages, especially Afrikaans must be given appropriate attention. The purpose if this study was to determine the selection the teachers made regarding teaching and learning approaches, methods and teaching materials, including the curriculum, textbooks and other documents, as well as to establish the perceptions of the learners regarding these approaches, methods and materials in the teaching of Afrikaans Additional Language in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District through empirical research, and to undertake a literature study to establish a teaching-learning program framework that can facilitate to the effective implementation of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement in all the language skills of Afrikaans Additional Language. An interpretive research paradigm was used as foundation for this study. A literature study was undertaken to establish what such a framework should look like with specific attention to language skills. Qualitative research was undertaken through using multiple case studies where teachers and learners who were willing to take part were questioned and observed regarding the teaching of Afrikaans Additional Language as well as the problems they experienced. Documents such as teaching materials and the curriculum were analysed as well. The analyses had a two-pronged focus: thematic analysis with the use of the computer software program, NVivo 8, where the data was reduced and thereafter analysed manually by the researcher. The researcher then used a comparative analysis to compare the different case studies (schools). The results of this study showed that the implementation of the curriculum was problematic for teachers, they were uncertain about the degree of difficulty of the teaching materials, and would rather stick to textbooks. The results also indicated that the teachers who did not use the communicative approach preferred to teach mainly through direct instruction. The communication in the classrooms was mainly teacher-orientated and the learners got little chance to use the language in interactive activities. The proposed teaching-learning programme framework for Afrikaans Additional Language should help teachers with the planning of their teaching as well as the implementation of the curriculum that could result in more effective Additional Language Teaching to learners. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Teaching and Learning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Educationists, linguists and other stakeholders are concerned about the effectivity of the level of teaching regarding Afrikaans Additional Language. Some of the teachers of Afrikaans Additional Language are not qualified in the teaching of specifically a foreign language. There is a lot of uncertainty concerning the difference between the teaching of a home language and additional language teaching. In order to ensure learners improvement and achievement as well as future use of Afrikaans Additional Language it is necessary that the teaching of additional languages, especially Afrikaans must be given appropriate attention. The purpose if this study was to determine the selection the teachers made regarding teaching and learning approaches, methods and teaching materials, including the curriculum, textbooks and other documents, as well as to establish the perceptions of the learners regarding these approaches, methods and materials in the teaching of Afrikaans Additional Language in the Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District through empirical research, and to undertake a literature study to establish a teaching-learning program framework that can facilitate to the effective implementation of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement in all the language skills of Afrikaans Additional Language. An interpretive research paradigm was used as foundation for this study. A literature study was undertaken to establish what such a framework should look like with specific attention to language skills. Qualitative research was undertaken through using multiple case studies where teachers and learners who were willing to take part were questioned and observed regarding the teaching of Afrikaans Additional Language as well as the problems they experienced. Documents such as teaching materials and the curriculum were analysed as well. The analyses had a two-pronged focus: thematic analysis with the use of the computer software program, NVivo 8, where the data was reduced and thereafter analysed manually by the researcher. The researcher then used a comparative analysis to compare the different case studies (schools). The results of this study showed that the implementation of the curriculum was problematic for teachers, they were uncertain about the degree of difficulty of the teaching materials, and would rather stick to textbooks. The results also indicated that the teachers who did not use the communicative approach preferred to teach mainly through direct instruction. The communication in the classrooms was mainly teacher-orientated and the learners got little chance to use the language in interactive activities. The proposed teaching-learning programme framework for Afrikaans Additional Language should help teachers with the planning of their teaching as well as the implementation of the curriculum that could result in more effective Additional Language Teaching to learners. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Teaching and Learning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012