This study concentrate on adult literacy training in the Border/Kei region of the Eastern Cape. The region is a largely rural area characterized by impoverishment. In contrast to the on-going technological progress within the country, is a high level of illiteracy, rendering communities ill-equipped to address socioeconomic problems. The research problem addresses adult literacy training in the region, in the context of outcomes-based education (OBE) and other solutions. The second chapter presents a study of some international practices with regard to adult literacy training and competency-based education. General trends in the United Kingdom and Australia are examined, in order to ascertain the rationale for and approaches to, adult literacy training. The findings indicate that some of the international trends are towards competency-based education and training as a practical and relevant approach to the current economic and concomitant educational and training needs. Furthermore, government commitment is identified as essential to relevant adult literacy programmes and to ensuring the continuity of adult literacy training. Chapter three examines the current developments in the South African education system regarding adult literacy training. It also examines the possibility of an outcomes-based approach to enhance the effectiveness of adult literacy training. The findings indicate that the State is primarily responsible for ABET in South Africa. The Department of Education's policy on ABET and the national multi-year implementation plan currently dictate the approach to adult literacy training. OBE is emphasised in terms of the learning programmes, so as to facilitate flexibility and the potential to provide the wide foundation that is essential for lifelong learning. The fourth chapter examines the effectiveness of adult literacy programmes in the Border/Kei region. The findings indicate that a lack of funding and of physical infrastructure, are two factors which hamper effective adult literacy training within the area. The fifth chapter examines a possible strategic direction for implementing OBE and other solutions, to enhance adult literacy training within the Border/Kei area. The findings indicate that there is a need to encompass an outcomes-based approach. A proposed structure for the implementation of adult literacy training in the region is presented. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Comparative Education)

This study offers an account of reading clubs as a literacy intervention in a grade 8 English class at a former ‘Coloured’ high school in South Africa. Using Margaret Archer’s social realist methodology, it examines different practices of ‘reading’ used by learners in talking and writing about text. Archer’s analytical dualism and morphogenetic model provided an explanatory framework for this study. Analytical dualism allows for the separation of the parts (structural and cultural elements) from the people (the grade 8 learners) so as to analyse the interplay between structure and culture. The morphogenetic model recognises that antecedent structures predate this, and any study but that through the exercise of agency, morphogenesis, in the form of structural elaboration or morphostasis in the form of continuity, may occur. This study used a New Literacies perspective based on an ideological model of literacy which recognises many different literacies, in addition to dominant school literacies. Learners’ talk about books as well as personal journal writing provided an insight into what cultural mechanisms and powers children bring to the reading of novels. Understandings of discourses as well as of Gee’s (1990; 2008) construct of Discourse provided a framework for examining learners’ identities and shifts as readers. The data in this study, which is presented through a series of vignettes, found that grade 8 learners use many different experiences and draw on different discourses when making sense of texts. Through the separation of the structural and cultural components, this research could explore how reading clubs as structures enabled learners to access different discourses from the domain of culture. Through the process and engagement in the reading clubs, following Gee (2000b), learners were attributed affinity, discoursal and institutional identities as readers. It was found, in the course of the study, that providing a safe space, scaffolding, multiple opportunities to practice and a variety of reading material, helped learners to access and appropriate dominant literacies. In addition, learners need a repertoire of literacy practices to draw from as successful reading needs flexibility and adaptability. Reading and writing inform each other and through gradual induction into literary writing, learners began to appropriate and approximate dominant literacy practices. Following others who have contributed to the field of New Literacy Studies (Heath, 1983; Street, 1984; Gee 1990; Prinsloo & Breier, 1996), this study would suggest that literacies of traditionally underserved communities should not be considered in deficit terms. Instead these need to be understood as resources for negotiating meaning making and as tools or mechanisms to access dominant discourse practices. In addition the resilience and competition from Discourses of popular culture need to be recognised and developed as tools to access school literacies.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on the effect of a reading strategy instruction research intervention on teachers and learners in Grade 4 to 6 at a primary school in the Western Cape. Literacy levels for South African Intermediate Phase learners remain at a disturbingly low level and Systemic Evaluation Assessments performed by the Department of Education show that reading, and more specifically reading comprehension, is a serious area of concern. A closer look at the Revised National Curriculum Statement and in-service as well as pre-service teacher training courses reveals that while teachers are trained to teach reading, very little, if any, focus is placed on training them how to teach comprehension. With a growing trend towards English as language of instruction for multilingual, non-English first language learners, the need to equip learners with ways of constructing meaning from texts becomes ever more crucial. This study addresses the need for reading comprehension through the use of reading strategies – conscious tools that readers can be taught to improve their individual meaning-making efforts during the reading process. The study implements reading strategies through an intervention based on pre-selected reading strategies set within a structured teaching approach which aims to provide teachers (and learners) with adequate guidance and support for implementing reading strategies. Through a case-study design this study utilises a mixed-method methodology for gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data serve to provide baseline data of selected reading-related abilities for learners before the start of the intervention, and to provide comparative data for specific measurements taken before and after the intervention. The qualitative data, gathered through classroom observations, unstructured interviews and obtaining samples of learners‘ work, provide rich, in-depth data about how teachers and, to a lesser extent, learners took on reading strategy instruction, and what factors influenced them in the process. This study found that a multitude of factors affect the uptake of strategy instruction as part of everyday teaching practice, and, furthermore, that teachers and learners move through distinct phases in their uptake of reading strategy instruction. While the study highlights a number of issues that are important to reading strategy instruction in Grades 4 to 6 in South Africa, a few of the more pertinent issues are the following: (1) teachers seem to need specific basic knowledge of language and texts for effective reading strategy instruction to take place (and very little, if any, research seems to address this issue), (2) the frequency of reading strategy instruction seems crucial to its success – the more often, the better, (3) engagement with teachers over a longer period is necessary for effective change in their instructional methods to take place, and (4) the gap between research and practice (that which is taught in classrooms) remains considerable. The findings of this study, while specific to reading strategy instruction, contribute to the rapidly-growing body of knowledge on reading comprehension instruction, (particularly within a multilingual environment) and teacher development from the basis of research that is focused on changing teacher practice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie fokus op die uitwerking van ‗n intervensie oor die onderrig van leesstrategieë op Graad 4 tot 6 onderwysers en leerders by ‘n Wes-Kaapse laerskool. Die geletterdheidsvlakke van Suid-Afrikaanse leerders in die Intermediêre Fase bly kommerwekkend laag, en Sistemiese Evalueringstoetse wat deur die Departement van Onderwys gedoen is, toon dat lees, en meer spesifiek leesbegrip, ‘n ernstige bron tot kommer is. Wanneer in meer detail gekyk word na die Hersiene Nasionale Kurrikulumverklaring, asook na die opleidingskursusse van diensdoenende onderwysers en onderwysstudente, blyk dit dat hoewel onderwysers geleer word hoe om lees te onderrig, daar min, indien enige, fokus geplaas word op die onderrig van leesbegrip. Met die toename in die gebruik van Engels as taal van onderrig vir meertalige, nie-Engelssprekende eerstetaal-leerders word dit al hoe meer belangrik dat leerders weet hoe om betekenis uit tekste te skep. Hierdie studie maak gebruik van leesstrategieë om die behoefte aan leesbegrip aan te spreek – leesstrategieë is metodes wat leerders kan aanleer om bewustelik toe te pas om hul individuele pogings tot betekenisskepping te verbeter. Die studie implementeer leesstrategieë d.m.v. ‘n intervensie wat van voorafgeselekteerde leesstrategieë gebruik maak en waarvan die opleiding sodanig gestruktureer is dat onderwysers (en leerders) die gepaste leiding en ondersteuning gebied word vir die implementering van leesstrategieë. Die studie gebruik ‘n gevallestudie-ontwerp tesame met ‘n ‚gemengde-metode‘ metodologie wat vir die insameling van beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data voorsiening maak. Die kwantitatiewe data verskaf basisdata oor geselekteerde leesverwante vermoëns vir leerders voor die aanvang van die intervensie, en dien as vergelykbare data vir spesifieke metings voor en na die intervensie. Die kwalitatiewe data, wat ingesamel is deur klaskamerwaarnemings, ongestruktureerde onderhoude en voorbeelde van leerders se werk, verskaf ryk, diepgaande data oor hoe onderwysers en, tot ‘n mindere mate, leerders die onderrig van leesstrategieë aangeneem het, en watter faktore hulle in hierdie proses beïnvloed het. Hierdie studie het bevind dat ‘n verskeidenheid faktore ‘n invloed het op die aanvaarding van strategie-onderrig as deel van alledaagse onderrigpraktyk, en veral dat onderwysers en leerders deur spesifieke fases beweeg in hul aanvaarding van leesstrategie-onderrig. Hoewel die studie lig werp op verskeie belangrike kwessies vir die onderrig van leesstrategieë in Graad 4 tot 6 in Suid-Afrika, is ‘n paar van die meer pertinente kwessies die volgende: (1) dit blyk dat onderwysers spesifieke basiese kennis van taal en tekste nodig het vir effektiewe onderrig van leesstrategieë (en dat min, indien enige, navorsing skynbaar hierdie kwessie aanspreek), (2) die gereeldheid van leesstrategie-onderrig blyk kritiek tot die sukses daarvan te wees – hoe gereelder, hoe beter, (3) betrokkenheid by onderwysers oor ‗n langer tydperk is nodig om te verseker dat hulle hul onderrigpraktyk verander, en (4) die gaping tussen navorsing en realiteit (dit wat in klaskamers onderrig word) blyk steeds aansienlik te wees. Hierdie studie se bevindinge, hoewel spesifiek gerig op die onderrig van leesstrategieë, dra by tot die snelgroeiende kennisveld oor die onderrig van leesbegrip (veral in ‘n meertalige omgewing) en die ontwikkeling van onderwysers vanuit die oogpunt van wat vereis word om onderrigpratkyk te verander.

Thesis (PhD (Consumer Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / In the ten years since the inclusive elections of 1994, the South African government has created an international precedent in the housing field. It is widely acknowledged that in this period it has delivered more subsidised houses than any other country in the world. The housing backlog is still between 2 to 3 million and growing every year, so housing policies for the future must continue to , not only provide subsidised housing for a large part of the population but also seeking to establish a viable market for low-cost housing units and to create sustainable human settlements for low-income groups. There are a therefore large numbers of new consumers that enter the housing market for the first time.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Within the context of development, skills development is one of the central components in the drive to bring about the reconstruction, development and transformation of the South African society. Investment in people is a key strategy in our economic renewal. With estimations of a third of the South African population not having effective basic skills, education is not merely limited to reading and writing, but developing human capacity to playa more active role individually, within communities and within the larger South Africa. Literacy and numeracy are seen as fundamental skills, and without these skills, other skills may not be learned or acquired. Illiteracy rates within rural areas in South Africa are unacceptably high and people deemed "illiterate" within these areas are at risk in that provision of literacy programmes is not readily available. Within this context, a literacy programme was implemented at a farm school outside Durbanville (situated in the Western Cape). The Fundani literacy programme was implemented over a period of 16 months. The participants comprised of farm workers (most of whom were parents of children attending the Attie van Wyk Primary School). Literacy is also said to empower people. Programme evaluation was chosen as research design. The findings of the research are discussed to place it within the context of the research questions, namely whether the intervention (the Fundani literacy programme) would change/influence the literacy ability and empowerment status of the participants. The participants' empowerment status was measured with a standardised questionnaire using a pre-test, post-test and post-past-test design. The participants were also evaluated at the end of the literacy programme as to their literacy and numeracy gains. The research took place in three phases. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used during the research. The first phase consisted of a pre-test on empowerment (this was done by means of a standardised questionnaire during semi-structured interviews). The second phase involved exposure to the Fundani literacy programme, followed by a formal test to measure literacy and numeracy gains as well as a post-test measuring changes in empowerment status. Finally a post-post-test was applied to measure changes in empowerment status three months after the programme had been completed. Although only four participants out of 13 completed the Fundani literacy programme, statistical analysis showed statistically significant improvements in empowerment from pre-test to post-test of the total group. The four participants that completed the programme also showed literacy and numeracy gains. The findings of the study suggest that although there is a high drop-out rate in adult literacy programmes, the longer participants participate in a literacy programme, the greater the improvement in their empowerment status will be. It also became evident throughout the research that women find it difficult to attend literacy programmes as common constraints (such as domestic duties and male resistance) are not easily overcome. As this research used a very small sample size, future studies need to be conducted over longer periods of time, using a much bigger sample. Such programmes/interventions also need to be more functional, which could lead to a greater sense of motivation and empowerment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Binne die konteks van ontwikkeling is vaardigheidsontwikkeling 'n kritieke dryfveer in die transformasie van Suid-Afrika. Die ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronne is een van die strategieë om die ekonomie te versterk. Met sowat 'n derde van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking wat nie oor basiese vaardighede beskik nie, is opvoeding nie beperk tot lees en skryf nie, maar omvat die ontwikkeling van die mens in sy geheel om 'n meer aktiewe rol binne homself, die gemeenskap, en Suid-Afrika te speel. Lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede is fundamentele vaardighede waarsonder ander tegniese vaardighede nie maklik aangeleer kan word nie. Ongeletterdheidsvlakke in Suid-Afrika, en veral in die landelike gedeeltes van Suid-Afrika, is baie hoog. 'n Verdere punt van kommer is die onbeskikbaarheid en aanbieding van geletterdheidsprogramme binne die landelike gebiede van Suid-Afrika. Dit is binne hierdie konteks dat 'n geletterdheidsprogram vir plaaswerkers by 'n plaasskool buite Durbanville (in die Wes-Kaap) aangebied is. Die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram is by die Attie van Wyk primêre skool geïmplementeer. Die Fundani program is oor 'n periode van 16 maande gevolg. Die teikengroep was ouers van leerders (van wie die meeste plaaswerkers is) van die Attie van Wyk primêre skool. Die doel van die geletterdheidsprogram was nie net om lees- en skryfvaardighede aan te leer nie, maar om die deelnemers te bemagtig om meer beheer oor hul lewens toe te pas. Programevaluering is gebruik as navorsingsontwerp. Die twee navorsingsvrae verwys na die aard van intervensie en is daarop gemik om te bepaal of die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram wel 'n effek op die geletterdheid sowel as bemagtigingsvlakke van die deelnemers gehad het. Die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus is gemeet met 'n gestandardiseerde vraelys terwyl 'n voor-en-na toets en 'n verdere toets (post-past-toets) ontwerp gevolg is. Die deelnemers is ook aan die einde geëvalueer ten opsigte van verbetering in hul lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede. Die navorsing is in drie fases geïmplementeer. Kwalitatiewe asook kwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data in te win. Die eerste fase het uit 'n voor-toets bestaan wat die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus gemeet het. Dit is met 'n gestandardiseerde vraelys tydens semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gemeet. Gedurende die tweede fase is deelnemers aan die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram blootgestel. Aan die einde van die program is die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus weer gemeet deur 'n na-toets om verandering in bemagtiging te meet. 'n Formele geletterdheidstoets is ook gedurende fase twee geskryf om verandering in lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede waar te neem. Fase drie het uit 'n verdere toets bestaan om die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus drie maande ná die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram te meet. Alhoewel slegs vier uit die 13 deelnemers die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram voltooi het, was daar wel statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe van die voor-toets na die na-toets. Die vier deelnemers wat wel die Fundani geletterheidsprogram voltooi het, het aan die einde van die program getoon dat hulle baat gevind het by die program ten opsigte van hullees-, skryf- en rekenvaardige verwerkings. Die navorsing se bevindinge dui daarop dat hoe langer deelnemers aan sulke geletterdheidsprogramme blootgestel word, hoe groter sal die verbetering in hulle bemagtigingstatus wees. Vroue vind dit moeilik om sulke programme te voltooi as gevolg van familie- en gesinsverpligtinge asook vanweë teenkanting van mans binne die gemeenskap. Alhoewel die navorsing van 'n baie klein steekproef gebruik gemaak het, word daar voorgestel dat soortgelyke studies van dieselfde aard oor langer tye met 'n groter steekproef geëvalueer word. Die aard van sulke tipe programme/intervensies behoort meer funksioneel te wees om deelnemers verder te motiveer en te bemagtig.

This study is part of a larger research programme that seeks to contribute towards an understanding of South Africa's complex literacy landscape and formulate strategies that may address these particularly in the Foundation Phase. It is a case study of one public primary school in Grahamstown where isiXhosa is used as a medium of instruction until Grade 3, after which the medium of instruction changes to English. This transition is not helped by the little reading that happens in the language at the FP. The learners under study are Grade 3 isiXhosa first language speakers, learning English as a First Additional Language (FAL) with limited exposure to the language. Through a qualitative participatory action research process, the study investigated the extent to which a reading club in general and a responsive reading programme in particular, might develop learners' English vocabulary at this particular school. The value of reading clubs as a vehicle for second language learning as well as the importance of considering learner needs in the development of the reading programme are key contributions this study makes. The study draws on social constructivism as a theoretical framework based on the principle that learning is a social acitvity. Vygotsky (1978) states that language learning (LL) takes place through interactions in meaningful events, rather that through isolated language activities. The process is seen as holistic, that is, each mode of language supoorts and enhances overall language development. Furthermore, LL develops in relation to the context in which it is used, that is, it develops according to the situation, the topic under discussion and the relationship betwwen participants. Language also develops through active engagement of the learners. The role of the teacher or a more competent other is then seen as that of a facilitator in a learning context in which learners are viewed as equally capable of contributing to their learning through learning from and with each other (Holt and Willard-Holt, 2000). Vygotsky's theory of social interaction has been influential in highlighting the important role of social and cultural contexts in extending children's learning. The preliminary results of this study point toward the importance of the learning environment, particularly an informal environment in second language development. The results also highlight the need for learners (a) to be provided with opportunities to engage with meaningful and authentic texts, (b) to be allowed to make their own book choices, (c) to participate in large group, small group and individual activities to enable them to engage with a variety of texts, and (d) to confront vocabulary in a variety of ways through multiple texts and genres.

In response to local and international findings which reflected over a number of years that South African learners cannot read and write at their expected levels, the Department of Education (DoE) launched the Foundations for Learning Campaign (FFLC) in March 2008 as an intervention strategy. It is against this background that a research project was initiated to investigate the impact of the FFLC on teachers’ classroom instruction and the reading culture of foundation phase learners. Qualitative interviews and observations were used to collect data from the participants. While many of the participating teachers had found creative ways to make the new policy work in their own literacy classrooms, the study found that there was no sufficient training of teachers and other stakeholders prior to the launch of the FFLC. The lack of monitoring and support by the DoE was also seen as a hindrance to the success of the initiative. I concluded the study by recommending that the time is ripe for a more detailed and introspective reflection and review of the FFLC policy. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child’s literacy development. However, home-school partnerships to support young learners’ emergent literacy development are weak in South Africa. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children’s literacy development. The South African education system lacks a dedicated policy for the promotion of family literacy. Against this background the present study investigated the role of family literacy programmes in supporting emergent literacy among young children. A literature study on family literacy and family-school-community partnerships to support literacy framed an empirical inquiry following an interpretivist approach, using an action research design and qualitative techniques of data collection. The Wordworks Home-School Partnerships programme was selected for implementation and the programme was modified through the design and inclusion of a children’s component. A multicultural independent primary school situated in Pretoria, South Africa was selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. The school principal, four Foundation Phase teachers and seven families including nine children participated in the study. Criteria for family inclusion were that the participating families should have at least one child enrolled in Grade R and at least one parent should agree to attend the full six-week duration of the modified Wordworks School-Family Partnerships programme. Data was gathered during parallel sessions from parents, children and teacher-facilitators through multiple techniques: observation, interviews, feedback sessions, artefacts and journals. Data was analysed according to qualitative principles and the findings were presented in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. Key findings indicated a greater sense of community among the families and the teachers, improved quality of parent-child interactions, parents’ improved knowledge of emergent literacy skills and improved confidence in supporting their children with early literacy development. The medium term impact of the programme includes benefits for the whole school, the teaching staff, parent body and children. Based on the findings of the literature study and the implementation of the family literacy programme through action research, recommendations were made to improve school-family partnerships with a view to supporting emergent literacy development among young learners. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

Collaboration between the parents and the school has a powerful influence on a child’s literacy development. However, home-school partnerships to support young learners’ emergent literacy development are weak in South Africa. Research into family literacy in South Africa is particularly important due to many socio-economic factors impacting negatively on family life and on children’s literacy development. The South African education system lacks a dedicated policy for the promotion of family literacy. Against this background the present study investigated the role of family literacy programmes in supporting emergent literacy among young children. A literature study on family literacy and family-school-community partnerships to support literacy framed an empirical inquiry following an interpretivist approach, using an action research design and qualitative techniques of data collection. The Wordworks Home-School Partnerships programme was selected for implementation and the programme was modified through the design and inclusion of a children’s component. A multicultural independent primary school situated in Pretoria, South Africa was selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. The school principal, four Foundation Phase teachers and seven families including nine children participated in the study. Criteria for family inclusion were that the participating families should have at least one child enrolled in Grade R and at least one parent should agree to attend the full six-week duration of the modified Wordworks School-Family Partnerships programme. Data was gathered during parallel sessions from parents, children and teacher-facilitators through multiple techniques: observation, interviews, feedback sessions, artefacts and journals. Data was analysed according to qualitative principles and the findings were presented in a narrative format substantiated by verbatim quotations. Key findings indicated a greater sense of community among the families and the teachers, improved quality of parent-child interactions, parents’ improved knowledge of emergent literacy skills and improved confidence in supporting their children with early literacy development. The medium term impact of the programme includes benefits for the whole school, the teaching staff, parent body and children. Based on the findings of the literature study and the implementation of the family literacy programme through action research, recommendations were made to improve school-family partnerships with a view to supporting emergent literacy development among young learners. / Educational Foundations / D. Ed. (Socio-Education)

In response to local and international findings which reflected over a number of years that South African learners cannot read and write at their expected levels, the Department of Education (DoE) launched the Foundations for Learning Campaign (FFLC) in March 2008 as an intervention strategy. It is against this background that a research project was initiated to investigate the impact of the FFLC on teachers’ classroom instruction and the reading culture of foundation phase learners. Qualitative interviews and observations were used to collect data from the participants. While many of the participating teachers had found creative ways to make the new policy work in their own literacy classrooms, the study found that there was no sufficient training of teachers and other stakeholders prior to the launch of the FFLC. The lack of monitoring and support by the DoE was also seen as a hindrance to the success of the initiative. I concluded the study by recommending that the time is ripe for a more detailed and introspective reflection and review of the FFLC policy. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)