A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Education (Psychology Department) at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / This study aims to investigate the attitude of High School learners towards Life Orientation. Life Orientation is a new learning area that is being introduced into South African schools as part of curriculum transformation in our democracy. It is intended to equip learners with the skills to live meaningful lives in a society that requires rapid transformation. Our country has seen many changes lately within the context of the advancement of democracy and education is not exempt from these changes. Parker (1998) argued that people who will survive in society are people who have the ability to receive and process information quickly. More than a decade later his comment still rings true. This study of attitudes towards Life Orientation attempts to find out if knowledge that learners receive in Life Orientation is relevant enough to make learners live meaningful lives in a society that is so rapidly transforming. The research was conducted in twelve high schools which were randomly selected in and around the Pietermaritzburg and Durban Areas. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data was used. Questionnaires were administered to high school learners and key questions which inform outcomes and the content that is covered in Life Orientation were used to:  determine learners’ attitudes towards Life Orientation through the use of questionnaires;  establish the relationship (if any) between the nature of attitudes and respondents’ response variables such as age, gender and learner performance; and  determine the extent to which learners feel empowered by Life Orientation. The status and practice of Life Orientation reveal that learners have a positive attitude towards Life Orientation but they appear to attach more emphasis and display more attitudinal reaction to such issues as HIV/AIDS, personal development as well as the career aspects of Life Orientation. Furthermore, the study revealed that aspects of life orientation that are peripheral to individuals such as the qualities of Ubuntu (communality) and tolerance were considered important only later in the life of learners. The attitude of learners is influenced by the context they find themselves in. Educators were found to have contributed to the attitudes of their learners as interpreters of the curriculum. Lastly, findings also revealed qualitative development of wisdom in learners as they progress through their grades in their high school years. The findings of the research require attention by the Education Department to deal with educators, so that they can impact learners’ attitudes positively towards a desired outcome because they determine what is regarded as valuable knowledge. The need to place equal value on other aspects of Life Orientation requires strengthening in order to produce learners who will live meaningful lives in a society that requires rapid transformation.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間・環境学) / 甲第24702号 / 人博第1075号 / 新制||人||251(附属図書館) / 2022||人博||1075(吉田南総合図書館) / 京都大学大学院人間・環境学研究科共生人間学専攻 / (主査)准教授 PETERSON Mark, 准教授 中森 誉之, 教授 勝又 直也, 教授 FIELD Malcolm Henry / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human and Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DGAM

This study aims to answer the questions of when and why foreign language teachers use their learners’ first language (L1) in the foreign language classroom. Additionally, the study also explores learner attitudes toward teachers’ use of the L1, and compares these attitudes with the teacher practices. In order to answer the research questions, international peer-reviewed studies have been used and analysed. The findings include L1 use in a number of different situations, for example during grammatical and lexical explanations, when giving instructions on classroom activities, and in informal interactions with the learners. Teachers may use the L1 in order to facilitate learners’ understanding, to save time, and to create a positive and welcoming classroom environment. The investigation of the learner attitudes shows that they are not always aligned with the teachers’ beliefs and practices. The learner attitudes are also ambiguous, displaying a variety of opinions for or against the teachers’ use of the L1. One possible explanation for the wide range of opinions could be the different levels of target language proficiency among the learners, with advanced learners leaning more toward less L1 use by the teacher, while beginners lean more toward the use of the L1. However, this could not be shown to always be the case, suggesting that other factors might also influence the attitudes toward the use of the L1. In the light of the results of this study, the discussion mainly revolves around the possible benefits and disadvantages of L1 use in the foreign language classroom, and what implications this might have for foreign language teachers. For example, more L1 use could result in less meaningful communication in the target language, which might pose a lost opportunity for language acquisition. On the other hand, the L1 could also lead to learners feeling more comfortable in class, lowering their affective filter and thus result in improved language acquisition.

The senior secondary school learners' limited English proficiency motivated the researcher to investigate the extent to which contextual and learner factors contributed to this problem. The ultimate aim was to recommend guidelines for dealing with the problem. The review of literature and empirical methods of research were used to this effect. The literature review revealed that the learners' societal, home/family and school/classroom contexts contributed to learners' development ofESL proficiency. It further showed that the independent learner factors (i.e. learner factors that are not influenced by the context from which the learner comes and/or in which SLA takes place) and dependent learner factors (i.e. learner factors that are completely or partly subject to the influence of the context from which the learner comes or in which SLA takes place) significantly influenced the development ofESL proficiency. With its focus on language learning strategies, the empirical investigation found a significant relationship between the learners' level ofESL proficiency and use of direct strategies (i.e. strategies that involve the mental processing of the target language, albeit in different ways and for different purposes). The investigation found no significant relationship between the learners' level of ESL proficiency and use of indirect strategies (i.e. strategies that underpin the process of language learning). Several contextual and learner factors were found to influence the relationship between the learner's strategy use and the development ofESL proficiency. These findings formed the basis for recommending specific guidelines for dealing with limited ESL proficiency, as well as recommending possible directions for future research. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

The senior secondary school learners' limited English proficiency motivated the researcher to investigate the extent to which contextual and learner factors contributed to this problem. The ultimate aim was to recommend guidelines for dealing with the problem. The review of literature and empirical methods of research were used to this effect. The literature review revealed that the learners' societal, home/family and school/classroom contexts contributed to learners' development ofESL proficiency. It further showed that the independent learner factors (i.e. learner factors that are not influenced by the context from which the learner comes and/or in which SLA takes place) and dependent learner factors (i.e. learner factors that are completely or partly subject to the influence of the context from which the learner comes or in which SLA takes place) significantly influenced the development ofESL proficiency. With its focus on language learning strategies, the empirical investigation found a significant relationship between the learners' level ofESL proficiency and use of direct strategies (i.e. strategies that involve the mental processing of the target language, albeit in different ways and for different purposes). The investigation found no significant relationship between the learners' level of ESL proficiency and use of indirect strategies (i.e. strategies that underpin the process of language learning). Several contextual and learner factors were found to influence the relationship between the learner's strategy use and the development ofESL proficiency. These findings formed the basis for recommending specific guidelines for dealing with limited ESL proficiency, as well as recommending possible directions for future research. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)