published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 69-72).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 69-72). Also available in print.

The study was undertaken to observe and participate in the process and development of a language policy for a rural secondary school in Peddie in the Eastern Cape. This was done in collaboration with parents, learners, and teachers. The researcher acted as a researcher, facilitator and learner in the process that Iead to the final product. Twenty four learners were selected from Grade 8 to Grade 10. These learners formed three focus groups. A questionnaire and lesson observation were used to establish what was taking place in the school with regard to language practices and preferences by learners, teachers and parents. Lesson observations were recorded by a tape recorder. Outcomes are that Xhosa is the dominant language to which the learners are exposed. They only have the exposure to 'chunks' of English in class and when they read magazines, newspapers and listening to radio and TV. Teachers code switch. This is supported by both learners and their parents. Parents want their children to improve performance by being taught in the medium of a language they understand well enough. The study shows different perceptions about the language that should be used as LOLT. Parents in the study favour English as LOLT, while parents in general favour Xhosa. This view is also held by both teachers and learners. At a conscious level when teachers and learners talk about the language to be used as LOLT, they favour English, but when they are faced with the reality of the class they are ambivalent, hence they code switch. The study finally reports on the divergent views of the parents, on one hand, and those of the teachers and the learners on the other hand. The divergence will be resolved in a workshop, part of the broader process of school language policy research, which is beyond the scope of the research reported in the thesis. The final product, in the form of the school language policy, will then be drafted for presentation to the School Governing Body (SGB) for ratification and writing up process.

This research project begins by exploring the problems surrounding the implementation of the 1997 Language in Education Policy (LiEP), and offers insight into why some schools, despite the promotion of additive bilingualism, choose English as the primary medium of instruction. It is a comparative case study of two Grade 1 classes in different situational contexts, which highlights the teaching strategies and language practices of teachers who teach predominantly non-English speakers through the medium of English. Research carried out through this case study illustrates the use of a wide range of teaching strategies, which assist young learners when learning through an additional language. In School A, thematic linking between different learning areas to maximise vocabulary development in both the mother tongue and the additional language, as well as repetition, recycling, scaffolding and contextualisation of content were found to be important. In addition, the use of questioning to elicit understanding, as well as classroom organisation and code-switching were strategies which assisted both the teacher and learners in this multilingual environment. In School B, class size, group work and the inclusion into the timetable of a wide range of diverse activities over and above the main learning areas, which provided opportunities for language development, were important considerations. In addition, routine, predictability and an attention to detail, in keeping with a form-focussed approach, aided the children in understanding the mechanics of literacy and guiding them towards becoming phonologically aware.

The purpose of this study was to investigate: (1) the extent to which world instructors report using specific communicative instructional strategies; (2) the difference between instructional strategies used by ESL only instructors, versus instructors of ESL and foreign languages, or instructors of only foreign languages; (3) the relationship between instructors* academic preparation and target language use in class; and (4) the relationship between instructors* pedagogical beliefs about second language learning and their reported target language use in class. The World Language Communicative Instructional Strategies Survey was administered to world language instructors from three academic institutions. Upon sending two requests, 48 instructors returned usable instruments (55%). Descriptive statistics revealed extensive use of communicative instructional strategies, yet a difference in application of these strategies exists. A comparison of means revealed that assuring that students learn collaboratively in 85% to 100% in target language, integration of all four language skills, and assuring students* independent target language practice were applied less than other strategies. ESL instructors reported a higher use of communicative instructional strategies than instructors of ESL and foreign languages, or foreign languages only. A comparison of means indicated the differences in communicative instructional strategies use are in integration of all four language skills and in assuring 85% to 100% in-target-language collaborative learning. Findings also revealed a discrepancy between the reported use of communicative instructional strategies and the academic preparation received in order to do so. This study provides implications for the preparation of world language instructors. Specifically, the findings focused on mastery of language taught, on specific instructional methodology courses, and the practicum experience.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the speech act of refusal in educational contexts in isiXhosa. The speech utterance is used to accept or refuse request. The request can be made by a friend, parent, school principal etc. The authority of the one making request is very important because it makes the recipient of the request to think twice before he or she refuses. This is done by the fact that the recipient is afraid to damage the face of the requestor. Secondly, the rights that people have make it difficult for the person in authority to use his powers in a way that is not satisfactory, because people belong to unions that protect their rights. For instance, the teacher requests leave because he wants to go and make provisions for his son who is coming from the initiation school. In this regard, the principal is unable to refuse fully although the exams are around the corner. He has to use certain strategies in convincing the teacher about the importance of the forthcoming exams. In the Department of education there is a district director and his team, responsible for certain departments, the school inspectors, subject-advisors, school principals, teachers and students. Each and every one of the above-mentioned has a right to make request. Some of them resort into using politeness strategies when requesting or refusing to obey the request. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die spraakhandeling van weiering in opvoedkundige kontekste in isiXhosa. Die spraakuiting word gebruik om 'n versoek te aanvaar of te weier. Die versoek kan gemaak word deur 'n vriend, ouer, skoolhoof, ens. Die gesag van die persoon wat die versoek maak is baie belangrik, want dit veroorsaak dat die ontvanger van die versoek deeglik dink voordat hy/sy dit weier. Dit word veroorsaak deurdat die ontvanger van die versoek bang is om die gesig ('face') van die versoeker te beskadig. Die regte wat mense het, maak dit moeilik vir die persoon met gesag om sy/haar magte te gebruik op 'n wyse wat onbehoorlik is, want mense behoort aan vakbonde wat hulle regte beskerm. Byvoorbeeld, 'n onderwyser versoek verlof want hy wil voorsorg gaan maak vir sy seun wat terugkeer uit die inisiasieskool. In hierdie gval is die skoolhoof nie in staat om die versoek volledig te weier nie, alhoewel die eksamens binnekort geskryf sal word. Die skoolhoof gebruik sekere strategieë om die onderwyser te oortuig van die belangrikheid van die eksamens. In die Departement van Onderwys, is daar 'n distriksdirekteur en sy span, verantwoordelik vir sekere departemente, die skoolinspekteurs, vakadviseurs, skoolhoofde, onderwysers en leerders. Elkeen van die genoemde persone het die reg om versoeke te rig. Sommige persone maak gebruik van beleefdheidstrategieë in die weiering of reg van 'n versoek.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines data from advice-giving in Tshivenda relating to pragmatic theorist's argument that every human interaction, to a large extent carries with it an element of threatening to one or both participant's face. The speech act of politeness has been identified as one of the most effective speech acts to be employed in giving as well as soliciting advice. Every speech acts is influenced by contextual, cultural and many other background factors associated to age, gender and rank which contribute towards how a speech is composed. The issues relating to the theory of politeness prompted this study on the extent to which politeness plays a role in giving advice in an educational context of Tshivenda speaking learners. The study has employed Brown and Levinson's theory of politeness as a universal phenomenon against the findings of my data, in that universality of these theorists does not quite fit with this study. In this study, politeness in Tshivenda school context has demonstrated that it has been employed as a strategy for encoding distance between speaker and the solicitor. The purpose of advising teachers and students through politeness behavior is to mitigate face and to create a favourable context anticipated by the solicitor. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek data van adviesgewing in Tshivenda in verband tot die pragmatiekteoretikus se argument dat elke menslike interaksie tot 'n groot mate daarmee saamdra 'n element van bedreiging vir een of beide deelnemers se gesig ('face'). Die spraakhandeling van beleefdheid is geïdentifiseer as een van die mees effektiewe spraakhandelinge wat gebruik word in die gee en vra van advies. Elke spraakhandeling word beïnvloed deur kontekstuele kulturele en talle ander agtergrondfaktore wat verband hou met ouderdom, gender, en rang, wat bydra tot die kernposisie van die spraakhandeling. Die vraagstukke rakende die teorie van beleefdheid het hierdie studie gemotiveer, wat handelaar die mate waartoe beleefdheid 'n rol speel in adviesgewing in Tshivenda in opvoedkundige kontekste deur leerders. Die studie het Brown en Levinson se teorie van beleefdheid aangewend en geevalueer teenoor die bevindinge van die data van Tshivenda. Daar is bevind dat die universaliteits-aansprake van Brown en Levinson nie volledig strook met die data uit Tshivenda nie. In hierdie studie, het beleefdheid in Tshivenda in skoolkontekste gedemonstreer dat dit ingespan word om afstand te kodeer tussen spreker en hoorder. Die doel van adviesgewing aan onderwysers en leerders deur beleefdheidsgedrag is om gesig te verminder en om 'n gunstige konteks te skep, soos geantisipeer deur die adviesvraer.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An apology in Setswana is offered ;when an individual has violated a social norm or want to restore any form of a complainable. When it is given, it serves as a remedial work,designed to smooth over any social disruption that was caused. Sometimes a person who is suppose to apologize may find reasons to minimize the degree of the offence. If the offence in question is big, a verbal apology may be insufficient to restore the damaged relationship. Male and female learners commit a lot of offences towards each other at school and they are obliged to apologize for such offences. In the process of apologizing, they are faced with a wide chioce of strategies to choose from. In most cases, male learners have a tendency of giving an explanation to their offences. They do not always seek for a direct apology. In the acceptance of their offences, they opt for longer strategies to apologize. Males seem to be either proud or shy to ask for an apology from females. Female learners on the other hand, do not want to use longer strategies to apologize, but they ask for forgiveness immidiately. It is not all the males who do not want to apologize directly to females, but there are some who apologize directly. They are the ones who take females as their equals and they also want to maintain a good relationship with them. The same applies with females, a minimal number of them use longer strategies to apologize. They do not use direct strategies. There are other strategies also useful to Setswana male and female learners, but their use is not so popular. Strategies like explicit acceptance of the blame and expression of self-deficiency are considered the least of manifested. An apology is usually influenced by the way the complainant shows his or her dissatisfaction. Male and female learners also differ with the way they complain. They use complaint strategies differently. Both male and female learners use direct accusation and indirect accusation extensively. But the difference comes by the fact that females are longer with their complaints than males. Females show their annoyance by involving more complaint strategies. Males do not take long to complain, they involve a few strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Apologie in Setswana word gedoen wanneer 'n individu 'n sosiale norm oortree het, of enige vorm van 'n klagte wil herstel. Wanneer dit gegee word, dien 'n apologie as remediële werk, ontwerp om enige sosiale ontwrigting wat veroorsaak is, uitstryk. Somtyds kan 'n persoon wat veronderstel is om 'n apologie aan te teken, redes vind om die graad van die oortreding te minimaliseer. Indien die oortreding baie groot is, kan 'n verbale apologie onvoldoende wees om die beskadigde verhouding te herstel. Manlike en vroulike Setswana-sprekende leerders pleeg talle oortredings teenoor mekaar by die skool, en hulle is verplig om apologie aan te teken teenoor mekaar. In die proses van apologie aanteken, word hulle gekonfronteer met In wye verskeidenheid strategieë waaruit hulle kan kies. In die meeste gevalle, het leerders die neiging om In verduideliking te gee vir hulle oortredings. Hulle kies nie altyd 'n direkte apologie nie. In die aanvaarding van hulle oortredings, kies hulle langer strategieë om apologie aan te teken. Manlike persone blyk óf te trots óf te skaam te wees om apologie aan te teken teenoor vroulike leerders. Vroulike leerders, hierteenoor, wil nie langer strategieë aanwend om apologie aan te teken nie, en hulle vra onmiddellik vir vergiffenis Dit is egter nie alle manlike leerders wat nie direk apologie aanteken teenoor vroulike leerders niesommige manlike leerders teken wel direk apologie aan, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so gewild nie. Hulle is die manlike leerders wat die vroulike leerders as hulle gelykes sien en 'n goeie verhouding met hulle wil handhaaf. 'n Klein getal vroulike leerders gebruik langer strategieë om verskoning aan te teken en hulle gebruik nie direkte strategieë nie. Daar is ander strategieë wat ook bruikbaar is vir Setswana-sprekende manlike en vroulike leerders, maar die gebruik daarvan is nie so populêr nie. Strategieë soos die aanvaarding van blaam, en uitdrukking van self-tekort, word die minste gemanifesteer. 'n Apologie word gewoonlik beïnvloed deur die wyse waarop 'n klaer sy/haar ontevredenheid wys. Manlike en vroulike leerders vershil ook t.o.v. die wyse waarop hulle kla - hulle gebruik klagtestrategieë verskillend. Sowel manlike as vroulike leerders gebruik direkte en indirekte aantygings uitgebreid. Vroulike leerders neem egter langer met hulle klagtes as manlike leerders. Vroulike leerders wys hulle ontevredenheid deur meer klagte strategieë te gebruik, terwyl manlike leerders nie lank neem om te kla nie - hulle gebruik slegs 'n paar strategieë.