M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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Spelling and vocabulary performance as measured by pre-tests and post-intervention performance for the two strategies showed that average overall improvements resulted from the use of kinesthetic teaching methodologies when compared with visual (only) methods.

In 3 experiments, I investigated the role of verbal behavior development in reading and spelling sight words. I evaluated effects of different interventions for reading and spelling sight words and establishing the transformation of stimulus function across word reading and spelling. In Experiment 1, I evaluated the effects of 3 interventions on the acquisition and maintenance of sight words: single topography exemplar instruction (STEI), multiple topography exemplar instruction (MTEI), and MTEI with dictation (MTEI-D). The STEI intervention consisted of reading individual sight words. The MTEI intervention consisted of reading, pointing-to, and intraverbally responding to sight words. The MTEI-D intervention consisted of reading, pointing-to, and writing dictation responses for sight words. I measured the acquisition and maintenance of sight words through 5 response topographies: textual, intraverbal, point-to, sentence generalization, and dictation responses. The results indicated that participants acquired and maintained textual, intraverbal, point-to, and sentence generalization responses across all 3 conditions but only acquired dictation responses in the MTEI-D condition. The results from the MTEI-D condition suggest that the rotation of textual and dictation responses may have established transformation of stimulus function (TSF) across word reading and spelling. Experiment 2 evaluated the effects of multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) across word reading and spelling on establishing TSF across word reading and spelling. The results from Experiment 2 indicated that the MEI intervention was not effective in establishing TSF across word reading and spelling for all participants. However, the results highlighted the need to further evaluate the role of other cusps such as, incidental bidirectional naming (Inc-BiN) and conditioned seeing, in strengthening the stimulus control for establishing TSF across word reading and spelling. In Experiment 3, I evaluated the effects of a MEI intervention across delayed textual and delayed transcription responses on establishing TSF across word reading and spelling. The results demonstrated that MEI across delayed textual and transcription responses was effective in establishing TSF across word reading and spelling for all participants. The results also demonstrated that all participants increased in their correct responding for conditioned seeing probes. Keywords: sight words, transformation of stimulus function, incidental bidirectional naming, conditioned seeing, word reading, spelling

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

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ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study comprises an investigation into the restandardisation of Afrikaans. Since the 1980s, there have been various calls from the Afrikaans speech community for the democratisation of Afrikaans by making it representative of the whole Afrikaans speech community. Despite these calls for the restandardisation of Afrikaans, a matter which has been brought to the fore in recent years, there are still no real theoretically-based and practical suggestions for such a project. The practical approach to the restandardisation of Afrikaans suggested in this study, with a specific focus on the restandardisation of the orthography of Afrikaans, informs the suggestion of a model by which such a planned restandardisation programme for Afrikaans could be carried out. This is done based on existing theories of standardisation and restandardisation, as well as a thorough investigation into the history of the standardisation of Afrikaans in order to determine the reasons underlying this need for its restandardisation. Firstly, relevant theories of standardisation are considered in order to determine which aspects of language standardisation give rise to restandardisation and play the most important role in it. The history of the standardisation of Afrikaans is also considered, in order to indicate the factors which gave rise to the calls for the restandardisation of Afrikaans. The world-wide phenomenon of destandardisation – an increasing trend by which the validity of standardised languages is called into question – is subsequently considered. Following this, restandardisation is considered in greater detail. Although the term is used widely, there are not yet thorough theoretical descriptions of the nature of the process itself. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical consideration of what restandardisation comprises. An investigation into various examples of attempts at the restandardisation of languages in South Africa, Africa, and the rest of the world serves as a backdrop against which the need for the restandardisation of Afrikaans is discussed. The standardisation of the orthography of Afrikaans, as outlined in the ten issues of the Afrikaanse woordelys en spelreëls (“Afrikaans word list and spelling rules”) which have been published to date, is the next research focus. The purpose of this critical evaluation of the primary source for orthographic standardisation of Afrikaans is to point out the weaknesses in the current standardisation process which necessitate a new approach to the standardisation of Afrikaans (and by extension, its restandardisation). Finally, a model is presented for the restandardisation of the orthography of Afrikaans, but also Afrikaans as a whole, based on various theoretical and practical considerations contained in the study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans onder die loep geneem. Dit word gedoen teen die agtergrond van verskeie oproepe vanuit die Afrikaanse spraakgemeenskap sedert die 1980’s om Standaardafrikaans te demokratiseer deur dit verteenwoordigend te maak van die totale Afrikaanse spraakgemeenskap. Ten spyte van hierdie oproepe om die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans wat in die afgelope aantal jare op die spits gedryf is, ontbreek daar egter nog teoreties gefundeerde, praktiese voorstelle vir hoe so ’n herstandaardiseringsprojek daar sal uitsien. Hierdie studie verteenwoordig ’n praktiese benadering tot die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans, met ’n besondere fokus op die herstandaardisering van die Afrikaanse ortografie, deur ’n model daar te stel waarvolgens so ’n beoogde herstandaardiseringsprogram vir Afrikaans kan geskied. Dit word gedoen aan die hand van bestaande standaardiserings- en herstandaardiseringsteorie en ’n grondige ondersoek na die standaardiseringsgeskiedenis van Afrikaans ten einde te bepaal wat aanleiding gegee het tot hierdie herstandaardiseringstrewe in Afrikaans. Eerstens word daar gekyk na relevante standaardiseringsteorieë ten einde die belangrikste aspekte van taalstandaardisering te belig wat ’n rol speel in en aanleiding gee tot herstandaardisering. Die standaardiseringsgeskiedenis van Afrikaans word ook in oënskou geneem om te dui op die aspekte wat aanleiding gegee het tot die oproepe om die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans. Vervolgens word daar na die wêreldwye tendens van destandaardisering gekyk waardeur die geldigheid van standaardtale toenemend bevraagteken word. Hierna word herstandaardisering van nader beskou. Alhoewel die term reeds wyd gebruik word, bestaan daar nog nie diepgaande teoretiese beskrywings oor die aard van hierdie proses nie. Daar word dus vervolgens teoreties besin oor wat herstandaardisering behels. Verskeie voorbeelde van pogings tot die herstandaardisering van tale in Suid-Afrika, Afrika, en die res van die wêreld word ondersoek, waarna die redes vir ’n behoefte aan die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans uiteengesit word. Die standaardisering van die Afrikaanse ortografie, soos uiteengesit in die tien uitgawes van die Afrikaanse woordelys en spelreëls wat tot op hede verskyn het, kom volgende as navorsingsfokus aan bod. Die doel van hierdie kritiese evaluering van die primêre ortografiese standaardiseringsbron van Afrikaans is om te dui op die swakplekke in die huidige standaardiseringsproses wat ’n nuwe benadering tot die standaardisering van Afrikaans (dus die herstandaardisering van Afrikaans) noodsaak. Ten slotte word ’n model vir die herstandaardisering van die Afrikaanse ortografie, maar ook Afrikaans in geheel, voorgestel aan die hand van verskeie teoretiese en praktiese oorwegings soos in die loop van die studie uiteengesit.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of computer assisted instruction on the development of literacy skills. The effect of instructional methodologies designed to stimulate sensory processing (auditory, visual, and somatic sensory) through information processing activities was analyzed. A software program was designed to present instruction to stimulate learning in one sensory modality, visual processing. Also, the effect of delivery mechanisms on the acquisition of literacy skills was investigated. Three treatment groups and a control group were established to analyze differences: cognitive processing methodologies presented via computer technology, conventional methodologies presented via computer technology, cognitive processing methodologies presented through traditional classroom tools, and a control group. A portable keyboard computer with word processing capabilities was selected to deliver technology-enhanced instruction. Results from this study suggest that activities designed to specifically promote processing in one sensory modality, do not promote acquisition of skills in other regions. There was no change in scores when visual methodologies were applied to auditory and somatic sensory cognitive processing goals. When spelling tests that utilized all sensory modalities were analyzed, visual processing instruction had no effect on achievement. This result was duplicated when tests requiring auditory processing skills were examined. However, when visual processing skills were applied to words requiring sight word memorization techniques, the methodologies improved achievement scores. Therefore, it can be concluded that methodologies increase achievement only if activities are designed to stimulate the sensory cognitive modality that the skill requires. Results of analysis concerning the effect of delivery mechanisms on spelling achievement revealed that technology is a useful tool when used to promote information processing related to the learning goal. Visual cognitive processing activities delivered via computer technology were effective only when practice activities matched instructional objectives. When conventional methods of learning spelling skills were presented utilizing technology, student scores did not increase. It can be concluded that spelling achievement can be improved through the introduction of intelligent software applications if the instructional program is designed to stimulate appropriate cognitive processes and to meet targeted learning objectives. A theory for designing instructional software to meet these criteria, The Integrated Processes Method, was presented.

Teachers of beginning writers, who believe in a whole language philosophy for teaching language arts, are faced with the challenge of integrating spelling instruction into their writing programs. Traditional approaches that involve word lists and weekly spelling tests are not in accordance with whole language beliefs.

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