The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent bi-modal input improves the word segmentation ability of L2 learners of Japanese. Accurately identifying words in continuous speech is a fundamental process for comprehending the overall message, but studies show that second language (L2) learners often find this task difficult, even when all individual words are familiar to them (e.g. Field, 2003; Goh, 2000). This is where the combination of written and audio input (bi-modal input), like when providing captions in the target language, could be helpful because it can provide orthographical image of the sound they hear, which in turn makes the input more intelligible (Charles & Trenkic, 2015). This study was implemented through a single-case design (SCD), where 12 third-year Japanese learners at a public university in the Midwestern United States underwent a semester-long pre-post design experiment. Participants watched a series of Japanese documentary with sound and captions (bi-modal input) throughout the semester. Before and after viewing each video, participants took Elicited Imitation Tasks (EIT) as the pre-post-tests, as well as at the beginning and at the end of the semester. The result showed that most participants improved their EIT scores throughout the semester, even to utterances from videos and speakers to which they had not been exposed. This study provided evidence that bi-modal input has the potential to help learners’ internal phonological representations of lexical items to become more stable and sophisticated, which would in turn contribute to L2 Japanese learners’ speech processing efficiency.

Various assessments and international studies have shown that learners in South African schools experience challenges and perform poorly with respect to literacy and numeracy. To become competitive in the global arena, there is an urgent need to raise the standards of education. Language is required for all learning, including numeracy and mathematics. Many young learners in South Africa struggle to develop adequate language skills because of an inherent pathology and/or barriers in their learning environment. Learners who do not develop adequate listening and language skills during their early years are most likely to experience difficulty in acquiring literacy and numeracy skills, resulting in poor academic progress. By supporting learners to overcome their developmental delays as early as in the foundation phase, future learning problems may be prevented. To raise education standards, teachers need to heighten their attempts to facilitate literacy and numeracy in the foundation phase. Teachers currently have to adapt to a new national curriculum statement (NCS) that is based on an outcomes-based education (OBE) approach (Department of Education, 1997:16). Many teachers, especially those in black townships and other previously disadvantaged areas, find this difficult as they have not been sufficiently trained or are not adequately qualified. Educational changes have necessitated the need for high quality staff development and support. Speech-language therapists (SLTs) working within a collaborative approach in the education context can support the learners who need to acquire listening and language skills, as well as the teachers who have to facilitate these skills. This study developed a support programme for foundation phase teachers to facilitate listening and language for numeracy. The multifaceted programme consisted of training, mentoring, and practical components, which aimed at developing the participants’ competence (foundational, practical, and reflective competence). The programme integrated the principles of adult learning within an OBE approach while taking culture and diversity into consideration. The programme was evaluated within a Logic Model framework. The research made use of a concurrent, equal status triangulation design where triangulation was obtained by transforming QUAL data into QUAN data to be compared. In the QUAN strand, data were collected from 96 teacher participants (who were selected by using a convenience sampling method) by means of questionnaires, portfolio assignments, attendance registers, and financial statements. Qualitative data were collected from eight focus group discussions (using a nested design with 12 participants at a time) as well as a research diary, testimonials, and various correspondences. The findings indicated that all the participants have gained knowledge, skills, and confidence, but to varying degrees. Factors that affected the outcomes included aspects related to time, the choice of venue, age, prior support and qualifications, as well as motivation related to the context. Group learning was identified as a suitable strategy for teacher support in these contexts. Provided that specific factors are considered to increase effectiveness, the outcomes indicated that the programme could be used to support foundation phase teachers in these specific contexts. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

Music is a form of language and uses tones and rhythm as its media of universal language. Language development and music development have many similarities. Both are communicative modes, aurally and orally transmitted, containing phonetic, syntactic, and semantic components, develop early in life and are socially interactive media. The researcher has noted the important role that music plays in the teaching of English as a second language. To be able to learn, understand and experience music and language, the learner should have well-developed listening skills. The aim of this research is to investigate the use of music and movement to develop the listening skills of the ESL learner. To provide activities to develop listening and concentration through music and movement, the researcher aims to prove that music and movement should be used to develop ESL learners' language. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

This study focuses on listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners. The researcher wanted to establish the state of these skills, and whether they influence the scholastic achievement of learners. Literature study was done, and literature indicates that listening skills are a prerequisite for language proficiency. Listening is a skill that has to be mastered before a child can learn to speak. Listening is essential for all learning, and also determines the success of learning in the formal school system. Cognitive development of the Grade R learner, which is a complex interaction among psychological, environmental and genetic factors, is also considered. Factors which influence auditory perception are emphasized and supported by the literature, as is the importance of good auditory skills. A literature study on brain development is also executed. The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and that cognitive development is seated in the brain. The study indicates the importance of correct stimulation and the acquisition of skills during the first eight years of a child’s life. School readiness, auditory perception and listening skills of the school entrant are considered. Listening skills as well as perceptual skills are skills needed for school readiness and will be discussed. The researcher utilised the mixed method for the empirical investigation, and data were interpreted from the Interpretivistic paradigm. Questionnaires to practising Grade R educators (n=20) determined the state of listening and auditory skills of current Grade R learners in the Kenneth Kaunda district in the Potchefstroom area. This was the qualitative part of the data collection. For quantitative data collection, school readiness tests (n=500) used during the past ten years from a specific pre-primary school in above mentioned district, were utilised. The test used in this study is the “Standardised School Readiness Test” of dr. S le Roux. By the statistical processing of the tests the researcher wanted to determine the state of listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners during the past ten years; whether a decrease is indicated by the statistics, and whether listening and auditory skills only make a difference according to year groups. This could, however, not be proven statistically. The educators who completed the questionnaires indicated significantly that listening and auditory skills of learners have decreased during the past few years. The researcher interprets the phenomenon as a result of the amount of learners in a class. Class ratio may have an influence, since only four to six learners are tested at a time with the school readiness test as opposed to 24 – 30 learners in a Grade R class. The researcher wanted to establish whether listening and auditory skills play a determining role in school readiness and scholastic achievement. According to literature and empirical research, listening and auditory skills do in fact play a determining role in scholastic achievement. If learners are unable to listen, they cannot learn to read and their reading comprehension is poor. All above factors contribute to learners not being ready for school when commencing Grade 1. If attention is given to the development of auditory perceptual skills as well as good listening skills of learners in the Grade R phase, the future Annual National Assessment (ANA) results of Grade 3 learners may be influenced positively. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study focuses on listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners. The researcher wanted to establish the state of these skills, and whether they influence the scholastic achievement of learners. Literature study was done, and literature indicates that listening skills are a prerequisite for language proficiency. Listening is a skill that has to be mastered before a child can learn to speak. Listening is essential for all learning, and also determines the success of learning in the formal school system. Cognitive development of the Grade R learner, which is a complex interaction among psychological, environmental and genetic factors, is also considered. Factors which influence auditory perception are emphasized and supported by the literature, as is the importance of good auditory skills. A literature study on brain development is also executed. The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and that cognitive development is seated in the brain. The study indicates the importance of correct stimulation and the acquisition of skills during the first eight years of a child’s life. School readiness, auditory perception and listening skills of the school entrant are considered. Listening skills as well as perceptual skills are skills needed for school readiness and will be discussed. The researcher utilised the mixed method for the empirical investigation, and data were interpreted from the Interpretivistic paradigm. Questionnaires to practising Grade R educators (n=20) determined the state of listening and auditory skills of current Grade R learners in the Kenneth Kaunda district in the Potchefstroom area. This was the qualitative part of the data collection. For quantitative data collection, school readiness tests (n=500) used during the past ten years from a specific pre-primary school in above mentioned district, were utilised. The test used in this study is the “Standardised School Readiness Test” of dr. S le Roux. By the statistical processing of the tests the researcher wanted to determine the state of listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners during the past ten years; whether a decrease is indicated by the statistics, and whether listening and auditory skills only make a difference according to year groups. This could, however, not be proven statistically. The educators who completed the questionnaires indicated significantly that listening and auditory skills of learners have decreased during the past few years. The researcher interprets the phenomenon as a result of the amount of learners in a class. Class ratio may have an influence, since only four to six learners are tested at a time with the school readiness test as opposed to 24 – 30 learners in a Grade R class. The researcher wanted to establish whether listening and auditory skills play a determining role in school readiness and scholastic achievement. According to literature and empirical research, listening and auditory skills do in fact play a determining role in scholastic achievement. If learners are unable to listen, they cannot learn to read and their reading comprehension is poor. All above factors contribute to learners not being ready for school when commencing Grade 1. If attention is given to the development of auditory perceptual skills as well as good listening skills of learners in the Grade R phase, the future Annual National Assessment (ANA) results of Grade 3 learners may be influenced positively. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Music is a form of language and uses tones and rhythm as its media of universal language. Language development and music development have many similarities. Both are communicative modes, aurally and orally transmitted, containing phonetic, syntactic, and semantic components, develop early in life and are socially interactive media. The researcher has noted the important role that music plays in the teaching of English as a second language. To be able to learn, understand and experience music and language, the learner should have well-developed listening skills. The aim of this research is to investigate the use of music and movement to develop the listening skills of the ESL learner. To provide activities to develop listening and concentration through music and movement, the researcher aims to prove that music and movement should be used to develop ESL learners' language. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The goal of this thesis was to create a model of how video-taped law lectures (authentic materials) can be used in designing individual lessons which will, in general, incorporate current EAP practices and standards in aiding the LL.M. students to improve their lecture listening comprehension skills. More specifically, my model will show how within each lesson the video-taped law lectures can be used to target either a particular linguistic form or lecture construct feature for which studies have shown to be problematic in L2 lecture comprehension. Moreover, this model will further demonstrate how these lessons should address lecture organization specific to the study of law, as well as show how general lecture listening strategies can be presented as an integral part of every lesson.

No description available.

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling word gepoog om teen die agtergrond van multikulturele skoolsituasies in Suid-Afrika 'n oorsig van die problematiek random kommunikasievaardighede te gee. Algemene intra- en interpersoonlike kommunikasievaardighede word uitgelig. In aansluiting by 'n literatuurondersoek is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met skoolhoofde en onderwysers wat by multikulturele skoolsituasies betrokke is, ingesamel. Die wyse waarop mense met mekaar praat is deurslaggewend. Kommunikasieprobleme kan ontstaan wanneer kultuurgroepe met mekaar kommunikeer. Die hantering van misverstande en konflik in multikulturele skoolsituasies is belangrik. Onderwysbestuurders moet verskeie kommunikasievaardighede tydens 'n konfliksituasie aanwend. Die doeltreffende funksionering van 'n skool word grootliks medebepaal deur effektiewe kommunikasievaardighede wat toegepas word om verhoudinge tussen verskillende groepe te verbeter. Onderwysbestuurders behoort opgelei te word om effektief met alle betrokkenes in 'n konfliksituasie te kommunikeer. / This paper endeavours to give a review of the problematic nature of communication skills against the background of multicultural school situations in South Africa. General intra and interpersonal communication skills are highlighted. Further to the literature review, qualitative data has been gathered through interviews with a number of principals and teachers who are involved in multicultural school situations. The manner in which people speak to each other is important. Communication problems can occur when culture groups communicate. The management of misunderstandings and conflict is important in multicultural school situations. Education managers must utilise several communication skills during a conflict situation. The successful functioning of a school is essentially co-determined by the employment of effective communication skills to improve relationships between different groups. Education managers should be trained to communicate effectively with all persons involved in a conflict situation. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

Text in Afrikaans / In hierdie verhandeling word gepoog om teen die agtergrond van multikulturele skoolsituasies in Suid-Afrika 'n oorsig van die problematiek random kommunikasievaardighede te gee. Algemene intra- en interpersoonlike kommunikasievaardighede word uitgelig. In aansluiting by 'n literatuurondersoek is kwalitatiewe data deur middel van onderhoude met skoolhoofde en onderwysers wat by multikulturele skoolsituasies betrokke is, ingesamel. Die wyse waarop mense met mekaar praat is deurslaggewend. Kommunikasieprobleme kan ontstaan wanneer kultuurgroepe met mekaar kommunikeer. Die hantering van misverstande en konflik in multikulturele skoolsituasies is belangrik. Onderwysbestuurders moet verskeie kommunikasievaardighede tydens 'n konfliksituasie aanwend. Die doeltreffende funksionering van 'n skool word grootliks medebepaal deur effektiewe kommunikasievaardighede wat toegepas word om verhoudinge tussen verskillende groepe te verbeter. Onderwysbestuurders behoort opgelei te word om effektief met alle betrokkenes in 'n konfliksituasie te kommunikeer. / This paper endeavours to give a review of the problematic nature of communication skills against the background of multicultural school situations in South Africa. General intra and interpersonal communication skills are highlighted. Further to the literature review, qualitative data has been gathered through interviews with a number of principals and teachers who are involved in multicultural school situations. The manner in which people speak to each other is important. Communication problems can occur when culture groups communicate. The management of misunderstandings and conflict is important in multicultural school situations. Education managers must utilise several communication skills during a conflict situation. The successful functioning of a school is essentially co-determined by the employment of effective communication skills to improve relationships between different groups. Education managers should be trained to communicate effectively with all persons involved in a conflict situation. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)