published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Diss. Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2006.

Bibliography: pages 123-132. / The dissertation reports on a study of the classroom practice of four Grade One teachers who teach in multilingual classrooms. The report seeks to provide a descriptive analysis of what these teachers say and do as they teach their pupils a concept of print. Increasing numbers of teachers in South African schools find themselves teaching linguistically diverse groups of pupils. While these teachers are most often unable to speak or understand the home languages of all of the pupils in their classes, they are faced with the task of teaching pupils to read in a language which may not be equally familiar to all of them. The reading lessons of four teachers in four schools were observed over a period of six months as they taught Grade One pupils to read. Instruments in the form of observation schedules, questionnaires, miscue analysis schedules and a schedule of indicators were designed to collect information on both the teachers' practice and pupil outcomes. A Vygotskian theory of teaching and learning is used to interrogate the data. The study shows that there are differences in the ways that these teachers demonstrate an understanding of print to their pupils as well as in the ways in which the teachers mediate a concept of print. The study further shows that the teachers' understanding of the task of teaching children to read and their understanding of teaching and learning has significant pedagogical implications for the ways in which they develop pupils' concept of print. The study concludes that the teachers' demonstrations of the way in which print works have a greater impact on their pupils developing a concept of print than their own inability to speak and understand the home languages of all of the pupils in their classes.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is set at a school where the population of a formerly Afrikaans medium school has radically changed as a result of new education policies in South Africa. An immediate consequence is that English is now used as a parallel LoLT. This research sets out to recount and interpret the lived experience of five teachers in responding to the challenges of teaching in a multilingual classroom. First selected literature on multilingualism and multiculturalism, both pre-set and inset teacher preparation for such contexts, and language policy in education in South Africa are reviewed. The case study uses structured interviews and classroom observation to generate data. A broadly narrative mode is used in exploring and analysing the data. The experiences of the five teachers varied greatly. Important factors in colouring their experience are the degree of facility (or otherwise) in using languages other than their mother tongue to mediate learning, their beliefs on teaching, and their openness or bias towards particular cultural groups. All of them felt that they would have benefited from specific training or development in teaching in a multilingual/multicultural environment. In the final chapter the argument is presented that teachers need support to develop and enhance their teaching strategies. Ideally pre-service teacher education courses should reflect the demographics of South Africa. At the very least all pre-service courses should include a module on multilingualism and offer the knowledge and skills necessary for successful teaching in the new South Africa. In-service courses should also create opportunities for teachers to develop dynamic ways of meeting the challenges they face in the multilingual classroom. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vir hierdie studie is ‘n voormalige Afrikaansmediumskool gebruik waarvan die skoolbevolking radikaal verander het as gevolg van die nuwe onderwysbeleid in Suid-Afrika. ‘n Onmiddellike gevolg was dat Engels nou as ‘n parallelle taal vir onderrig en leer gebruik word. Die navorsing handel oor en interpreteer die werklike ervarings van vyf onderwysers in reaksie op die uitdagings om in ‘n multitalige klas onderwys te gee. Eerstens word geselekteerde literatuur oor multitaligheid en multikuturaliteit, die voorbereiding van sowel voordiens- as indiensopleiding van onderwysers vir sodanige kontekste en taalbeleid in die onderwys in Suid-Afrika bespreek. Vir die gevallestudie is gestruktureerde onderhoude en klaskamerwaarneming gebruik om data te genereer. ‘n Breë narratiewe modus is gebruik on die data te ondersoek en ontleed. Die ondervindings van die vyf onderwysers het baie verskil. Belangrike faktore wat ‘n invloed gehad het op hulle ervarings is die mate van bekwaamheid ten opsigte van hulle gebruik van tale wat nie hulle moedertaal is nie om leer te medieer, hulle seining oor die onderwys, en hulle openhartigheid of vooroordeel teenoor bepaalde kulturele groepe. Almal het gevoel dat hulle sou gebaat het by spesifieke opleiding of ontwikkeling ten opsigte van onderrig in ‘n multitalige of multikulturele omgewing. In die laaste hoofstuk word dit gestel dat onderwysers ondersteuning benodig om hulle onderrigstrategieë te ontwikkel en te versterk. Ideaalgesproke behoort onderwyseropleidingsprogramme die demografie van Suid-Afrika te reflekteer. Alle onderwyseropleidingsprogramme behoort ten minste ‘n module oor multitaligheid in te sluit en die kennis en vaardighede aan te bied wat benodig word om ‘n suksesvolle onderwyser in die nuwe Suid-Afrika te wees. Indiensopleiding behoort ook geleenthede te skep vir onderwysers om dinamiese werkswyses te ontwikkel om die uitdagings wat hulle in die multitalige klas gaan teëkom te hanteer.

<p>The purpose of this essay is to examine how public libraries work with children's books, in other languages thanSwedish, regarding acquisitions. The purpose is also to describe what the libraries assignments are in regard tochildren with non-Swedish backgrounds. This is then put in a relation to the libraries democratic assignment.The main questions are: What are the libraries' assignments, as described in the libraries regulations? How do thelibraries work to fulfil their assignments?</p><p>To answer these questions a survey in two parts has been carried out. The first is a study of the libraries'regulations, and various handbooks that serve as an inspiration for librarians. The other is a qualitative interviewsurvey which took place at three libraries in Uppsala and one in Märsta.</p><p>The survey of the documents shows that the libraries are expected to give special attention to the needs ofchildren with non-Swedish backgrounds. Among other things, this means keeping a varied book stock of goodquality, on all the different languages represented in the area. In Sweden, the leading supplier of media servicesserving libraries, are BTJ. The libraries in the survey turn to BTJ's selection when acquiring books. The librarians however find BTJ's selection of books limited and non-satisfactory when it comes to children's booksin other languages than Swedish. On account of this, the librarians are forced to turn to alternative solutions. The alternative channels for acquisitions they mention are the children's bookshop <em>Bokspindeln</em> in Stockholm,retailers who visit the libraries, and acquisitions during their own travels abroad. The International Library in Stockholm is a valuable resource, in administering book deposits to the local libraries and aiding them withadvice regarding acqusitions.</p><p>The essay's theoretical frames are built upon three main concepts: identity, ethnicity and language. The theories discussed, suggest that a person's language and ethnicity is of great importance when it comes to theperson's process of forming an identity. The identity is continuously constructed in the interaction and dialoguewith others. The libraries can play an important role for this process, as a source of language and culture.</p><p>Furthermore, the survey notices the libraries' role as a democratic force in society. The libraries areexpected to act in order to maintain the human rights. The libraries can serve as an open room for democraticdiscussions. The libraries should offer everyone free and unlimited access to knowledge, thoughts, culture andinformation. They can also contribute to increasing the status of minority languages and stress the value ofmultilingualism. The libraries are also seen as a place where cultural exchange is possible, which is meant tohelp create a base for greater understanding and openness towards different cultures in the minds of the people.</p><p>The main conclusion in this essay regards whether the libraries can or cannot do enough to fulfill theirassignments. The main source for acquisitions mentioned, BTJ, being the leading supplier of media services tolibraries, does not seem to have enough resources to serve the libraries in a satisfying way, when it comes tochildren's books on other languages than Swedish. Whether the libraries can meet the special needs ofmultilingual children, is therefore a question of the librarians own resourcefulness and networking.</p>

The purpose of this essay is to examine how public libraries work with children's books, in other languages thanSwedish, regarding acquisitions. The purpose is also to describe what the libraries assignments are in regard tochildren with non-Swedish backgrounds. This is then put in a relation to the libraries democratic assignment.The main questions are: What are the libraries' assignments, as described in the libraries regulations? How do thelibraries work to fulfil their assignments? To answer these questions a survey in two parts has been carried out. The first is a study of the libraries'regulations, and various handbooks that serve as an inspiration for librarians. The other is a qualitative interviewsurvey which took place at three libraries in Uppsala and one in Märsta. The survey of the documents shows that the libraries are expected to give special attention to the needs ofchildren with non-Swedish backgrounds. Among other things, this means keeping a varied book stock of goodquality, on all the different languages represented in the area. In Sweden, the leading supplier of media servicesserving libraries, are BTJ. The libraries in the survey turn to BTJ's selection when acquiring books. The librarians however find BTJ's selection of books limited and non-satisfactory when it comes to children's booksin other languages than Swedish. On account of this, the librarians are forced to turn to alternative solutions. The alternative channels for acquisitions they mention are the children's bookshop Bokspindeln in Stockholm,retailers who visit the libraries, and acquisitions during their own travels abroad. The International Library in Stockholm is a valuable resource, in administering book deposits to the local libraries and aiding them withadvice regarding acqusitions. The essay's theoretical frames are built upon three main concepts: identity, ethnicity and language. The theories discussed, suggest that a person's language and ethnicity is of great importance when it comes to theperson's process of forming an identity. The identity is continuously constructed in the interaction and dialoguewith others. The libraries can play an important role for this process, as a source of language and culture. Furthermore, the survey notices the libraries' role as a democratic force in society. The libraries areexpected to act in order to maintain the human rights. The libraries can serve as an open room for democraticdiscussions. The libraries should offer everyone free and unlimited access to knowledge, thoughts, culture andinformation. They can also contribute to increasing the status of minority languages and stress the value ofmultilingualism. The libraries are also seen as a place where cultural exchange is possible, which is meant tohelp create a base for greater understanding and openness towards different cultures in the minds of the people. The main conclusion in this essay regards whether the libraries can or cannot do enough to fulfill theirassignments. The main source for acquisitions mentioned, BTJ, being the leading supplier of media services tolibraries, does not seem to have enough resources to serve the libraries in a satisfying way, when it comes tochildren's books on other languages than Swedish. Whether the libraries can meet the special needs ofmultilingual children, is therefore a question of the librarians own resourcefulness and networking.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Bochum, 2004.

Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))—University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The aim of the present study is to identify the functions of codeswitching in intercultural communication occurring in multilingual high school classrooms. The definition of “codeswitching” adopted here is that of Myers-Scotton (1993: 1), who states that the term is used to refer to alternations of linguistic varieties within the same conversation. The present study considers the use of codeswitching between Afrikaans and English by learners and teachers in the classroom. The study was conducted in a multicultural and multilingual high school in the Western Cape in five classrooms of three different subjects. The nature of the multilingual context of the classrooms is diverse and includes learners form various sociolinguistic backgrounds. Being a predominantly English school meant that most learners have English as an L1 and Afrikaans and/or isiXhosa as an L2. The data for the study were collected by the researcher by means of observations and audio recordings of the lessons and by a questionnaire completed by learners and teachers. The data collection was carried out over a period of three weeks and data were analyzed within the framework of Myers-Scotton (1993) Markedness model for codeswitching. According to Myers-Scotton’s (1998: 4) Markedness Model, markedness relates to the choice of one linguistic variety over other possible varieties. Myer-Scotton (1993) classifies codeswitching into four different types namely marked, unmarked, sequential, and exploratory codeswitching. Within these types a number of functions of codeswitching in the classrooms were identified, for example clarification, expansion, and translation. These functions are discussed in relation to the data from the questionnaire.

This study focused on multilingualism as the primary linguistic cognitive objective of investigation. An integrative approach focused on second language linguistics in order to acquire a background in the cognitive foundations of language and research methodology and theoretical models for the study of phenomena, such as language planning in multicultural societies and language and ethnic diversity. To design cognitive reading methods, a literature survey was conducted regarding the latest developments in the theories pertaining to cognitive formulas of the second language learner. A quantitative experimental study was conducted, data gathered was scrutinised and a cognitive reading programme was experimentally administered to twenty primary school learners. The responses were coded, the data captured and statistically computed. Conclusions indicated that cognitive reading materials were practical, valid and reliable. Cognitive formulas hold the potential of contributing to the understanding of cognitive reading development in second language proficiency in the Foundation Phase of schooling. / Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Didactics)