This research explores issues relating to language policy, and language learning and teaching. It further looks at the relationship that exists between language policy and language learning and teaching. In the research I argue that well-thought out and well-meaning language policies will fail to be implemented meaningfully if there is no clear and unambiguous implementation plan. I also note that the national vision and ideals which are often embodied in the language policy fail to take effect if, again, there is no comprehensive implementation plan. This view is held by many scholars and researchers in the areas of language policy and planning.

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / The central concern of the research study is the academic underachievement of the student. The problem is probed by looking at the language and learning difficulties encountered by the student as he strives to cope with the demands of his academic programme. The research target group consists of students registered inter alia, to do English 100, a course that exposes the students to literary texts. Since the group is at the entry level to university education, the complex of adjustments which confront the student offer stimulating theoretical possibilities. Illumination to the problem is sought in three related directions, viz the semanticconceptual, the sociocultural and an encapsulation strategy. In its general orientation the study looks beyond the student and the lecture room in seeking answers to vexing educational problems. The research method used is, in the main, eclectic with a predilection to approaches that lend themselves more amenably to the sociocultural and experiential undergirding of the investigation as a whole. . The main findings identify the key players on whom initiatives towards alleviation and amelioration largely depends. Above all, the problem is conceived as sociocultural, for which only a socioculturally adequate solution can ever be viable. The perceived significance of the research study is its serious attempt to ask educationally significant questions. It however, does not claim to offer answers in such an intricate area of human endeavour.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study aimed at establishing and analysing the literacy practices in the rural and urban communities and their effect on the academic achievements of learners. It also aimed to establish the impact of other factors, such as the exposure to the language of examination, the level of parents formal education and the quality of parental mediation in the their children's academic work, which could be responsible for the imbalance between the rural and urban learners academic achievements. This study endeavours to established that the literacy practices in urban areas prepare learners for schooled and global literacies while the literacies in rural areas are to localised and thus impoverish the learners initial literacy development. This study also seek to determine the extent to which the current language policy in education in Uganda favours the urban learners at the expense of the rural learners as far as the acculturation into and acquisition of the schooled and global literacies are concerned. / South Africa

In this study, it is argued that a bi/multilingual instruction is extremely beneficial for bi/multilingual students in higher education in South Africa. Since the adoption of democracy in 1994, cultural and linguistic diversity has become the norm in classrooms at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. The testing of bi/multilingual strategies in this study (i.e. translation and development of multilingual glossaries; code-switching by tutor and students during teaching and learning; code-meshing by students online; and reading, speaking and writing bilingually), is an attempt to pedagogically adapt the curriculum to students’ needs. The data was collected from students in their Tourism Communication tutorial. The study was conducted in order to demonstrate that students benefit from bilingual pedagogies, which mobilise isiXhosa and English as languages of learning. Data was collected from tests, a questionnaire and interview, summaries, online discussions, written assignments and reflective journals in order to determine to what extent students’ performance was enhanced by bilingual tuition.

M.Ed. (Language Teaching) / The lack of proper regard for language variation and the heterogeneous nature of language in the teaching of Afrikaans First Language Secondary Phase caused various problems. Not only individuals but the whole Afrikaans language community and the language itself suffered. Language variation is actually recognised in the learning content and teaching approach of the latest Afrikaans First Language syllabus. However, because of the inadequate recognition in the syllabus and the current complexity of the Afrikaans language community, it is necessary to provide guidelines for augmenting the syllabus to improve the teaching-learning situation. This study therefore proposes appropriate learning content with regard to the heterogeneous nature of language, language variation and specific problems in the Afrikaans language community. In order to accommodate all the varieties of Afrikaans and speakers of these varieties in the teaching-learning situation, a multi-variety approach is recommended. With that in mind a strategy to implement a multi-variety approach and the teaching of the complex phenomenon, language variation in Afrikaans First Language Secondary Phase is proposed.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:25:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 jorge_francisco_silva.pdf: 967067 bytes, checksum: ab2d1d81a159c4c39011f82edb3c6847 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-17 / The object of research of this thesis is the Common European Framework (CEFR) and its levels of proficiency in foreign languages. The development of the CEFR by nearly 50 member countries of the European Council started in 1991. The CEFR reference scales have become an international landmark and currently provide guidelines for the formulation of language policies for teaching, learning and assessment in about 30 European languages, including English. Although the CEFR is also used in Brazil in preparatory programs and in different types of selection processes, little is known about it and the literature on the subject in Portuguese is still scarce. The general aim of this study is to investigate which language theories were used in preparing the CEFR. Our specific aim is to analyze the concepts of language, teaching, learning, self and assessment in the CEFR to understand how its proficiency levels were determined. By means of a bibliographical research, several publications of the European Council, partner institutions and independent researchers were gathered and organized to investigate the questions proposed in this research. In the end, it was possible to establish the historical evolution of the theoretical basis of the CEFR, its origins in the Linguistic Turn, with later developments from the School of Philosophy of Language and the disciplines of Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics. The different concepts, especially the concept of language in the CEFR, were also duly considered. Finally, it was possible to understand more clearly how the said proficiency levels were determined. / O objeto de investigação desta dissertação é o Quadro Comum Europeu (Common European Framework of Reference) e seus níveis de proficiência em línguas estrangeiras. O Quadro ou CEFR começou a ser desenvolvido pelos quase 50 paísesmembros do Conselho Europeu em 1991. As matrizes de referência do CEFR tornaram-se um marco internacional e oferecem atualmente orientações para a formulação de políticas linguísticas para o ensino, aprendizagem e avaliação em cerca de 30 línguas europeias, incluindo o inglês. Apesar de o CEFR também ser usado no Brasil em cursos preparatórios para testes internacionais e em vários tipos de processos seletivos, pouco se sabe sobre ele e a literatura sobre o assunto em português ainda é escassa. O objetivo geral deste estudo é investigar quais teorias de linguagem foram usadas na elaboração do CEFR. O objetivo específico é analisar as concepções de língua/linguagem, ensino e aprendizagem, sujeito e avaliação do CEFR para entender como os seus níveis de proficiência foram determinados. Por meio de uma pesquisa bibliográfica, foram reunidas e organizadas diversas publicações do Conselho Europeu, de suas instituições parceiras e de pesquisadores independentes, para investigar as questões propostas nesta dissertação. Ao final, foi possível estabelecer a evolução histórica das bases teóricas do CEFR, com origem na Virada Linguística, passando pela Escola da Filosofia da Linguagem e pelas disciplinas da Sociolinguística e da Pragmática. As diferentes concepções, com destaque para a concepção de língua/linguagem no CEFR, também foram devidamente analisadas. Finalmente, foi possível compreender com mais profundidade como os referidos níveis de proficiência foram determinados.

This project attempts to conceptualize the relationship between the language learner and the social world, developing a comprehensive theory of identity that integrates the language learner and the language learning context, while trying to keep motivation high.

No description available.