M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics) / This study sets out to examine the use of mother tongue education in one Grade 3 classroom in the foundation phase in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The focus is on learners’ and parents’ whose children are in that Grade 3 classroom as well as educators’ experiences of the use of mother tongue education. The aims of this study were to examine how, when, why and by whom mother tongue is used in the Grade 3 classroom and to examine how mother tongue medium of instruction can contribute to the teaching of literacy in the Grade 3 classroom. With these aims in mind, data were collected from the Grade 3 teacher and the Grade 3 learners as well as the parents of these learners. A qualitative approach was used to obtain data from the Grade 3 teacher, five Grade 3 learners as well as parents of these learners. Classroom observations and semi-structured interviews were used as means of collecting data. Interviews were conducted one-on-one and 6 lessons on Literacy as a learning area in the foundation phase were observed. The findings in this study reveal that the mother tongue, Xitsonga was the dominant language during classroom activities. This was influenced by the learners’ inability to use the second language. It is also revealed that the teacher and learners as well as parents have positive attitude towards the mother tongue as a language of learning and teaching in schools. However, some parents still believe that their children should be taught through English as the medium of instruction hoping that they will be able to secure better jobs. Another finding is that not all learners’ language needs are catered for in black African schools, hence, such learners experience difficulties in learning through a language which is not their mother tongue. On the basis of the findings, the study recommends that the Department of Education should support the use of the mother tongue in the L2 classroom in order to strengthen literacy during early learning.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

There have been profound changes within German culture and society in recent decades including the social reality and legal equality of same-sex couples and parents and an increased visibility of non-heterosexual individuals. Through my many years of formal education and as a teacher of English as a Second or Other language (TESOL) in Germany, I have not seen this reality represented in TESOL education in target language samples, textbooks, images or critical discussions. The aim of this thesis was to explore whether teachers and students on a TESOL language teacher education (LTE) programme at a Bavarian university are aware of issues of gender, sexual diversity and heteronormativity on their programme and in their classrooms. This fits well with the many other studies carried out internationally in this field over the past few years but looks specifically at a politically and culturally homogeneous part of Germany. By adopting a feminist poststructuralist and queer-theoretical approach to create, deliver and reflect on a course geared specifically towards troubling the silence and exclusion of sexual diversity in (language) teacher education, it investigates if and how social change has manifested itself in a Bavarian LTE programme. Through the use of multiple data collection methods, a background questionnaire to situate the students in this Bavarian context, interviews with non-heterosexual staff and students, a troubling course-construction, delivery and recording, a researcher reflective journal, and participant exit interviews and reflective written assessments, this case study examines staff and students' experiences of and attitudes towards heteronormativity in LTE and que(e)ries the potential for change. The findings reveal that there is initially little conscious awareness of the pervasiveness of heteronormative discourses in LTE TESOL classrooms or in language use, but that through que(e)rying materials, critical dialogue, reflection in interviews and classes, practice and active explicit analysis of taken-for-granted exclusions and silences, a heightened and critical awareness can be achieved.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Asian Studies / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

<p> The development and the implementation of teaching practices remain among the most important challenges for higher education programs; the growing population of international students in U.S. colleges and universities has made this challenge more pressing. Considerable research has addressed the challenges that international students in U.S. colleges and universities encounter but has not addressed the effects of constructivist learning environments on their learning and social outcomes. This dissertation aimed to address the effects of constructivist learning environments on the academic achievement and sense of belonging of international students in U.S. colleges and universities. Path analysis was conducted to test specific hypotheses and sub-hypotheses related to the effects of learning styles preferences, constructivist learning environments, English language skills, students&rsquo; academic level (undergraduate vs. graduate), major geographic region of origin (as a surrogate for ethnicity), age, and gender on actual and perceived learning achievement and also on sense of belonging. The study examined data from 80 international undergraduate and graduate students in a large private university in down state New York. Three scales were developed: (a) Wahba Constructivist Learning Environment Spectrum Scale, (b) Wahba International Students Sense of Belonging Scale, and (c) Wahba International Students Learning Style Inventory. Findings indicated that constructivist learning environments have positive effects on international students&rsquo; perceived learning achievement and sense of belonging. Future research recommended to extend the study&rsquo;s findings to consider the perspective of teaching faculty and higher education administrators.</p><p></p>