Second language (L2) reading fluency has not received sufficient attention in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) and applied linguistics, especially regarding the types of treatments that promote reading fluency (Grabe, 2009). Hence, this study was a longitudinal, quasi-experimental investigation of the effects of timed reading, repeated oral reading, and extensive reading on the development of reading fluency among Japanese university students. The eight purposes of this study were to: (a) better understand how timed reading, repeated oral reading, and extensive reading treatments contribute to reading fluency in terms of reading rate and comprehension over one academic year; (b) distinguish how extensive reading, timed reading, and repeated oral reading treatments differentially promote reading fluency; (c) elucidate on how timed reading, repeated oral reading, and extensive reading treatments affect the automatization of word recognition sub-processes over time; (d) investigate differences between the reading fluency treatment groups in terms of their word recognition sub-processes; (e) further understand how reading fluency treatments contribute to oral reading fluency; (f) examine differences in oral reading fluency between the reading fluency treatment groups; (g) determine how reading fluency training affects learners’ perception of their L2 reading self-efficacy; and (h) shed light on differences in L2 reading self-efficacy between reading fluency treatment groups. This study was conducted in a private university in western Japan. The participants (N = 101) were first- and second-year Japanese university students. These participants formed four quasi-experimental groups: (a) Group 1, labeled as the oral reading group, received a reading fluency treatment consisting of extensive reading, timed reading, and repeated oral reading; (b) Group 2, the timed reading group, participated in extensive reading and timed reading; (c) Group 3, the extensive reading group, did extensive reading only; and (d) Group 4, the comparison group, practiced speaking and communication activities. Data for this study were obtained using the following instruments: a vocabulary size test, timed reading tests, timed reading practice passages used throughout the treatment period, an extensive reading test, a lexical decision task, an antonym semantic decision task, a pseudoword homophone judgment task, an oral reading task, and an L2 reading self-efficacy questionnaire, a utility of the reading fluency treatments questionnaire, as well as individual interviews with 20 of the participants. Excluding the vocabulary size test, the timed reading treatment passages, the utility of the reading fluency treatments questionnaire, and the interviews, the other measures were administered three times over the course of one academic year—once prior, once in the middle, and once at the end of the reading fluency treatment period. Prior to conducting quantitative analyses on the data gathered with the instruments mentioned above, the L2 reading self-efficacy questionnaire data were analyzed using the Rasch rating-scale model in order to confirm the validity and reliability of the instrument as well as to transform the raw scores into equal interval measures. In addition, the Rasch model was used to check for interrater reliability and rater severity of the scores of the oral reading task. Data cleaning procedures were also applied to the reaction time and reading rate data. The data were then analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVAs and MAN(C)OVAs in order to ascertain differences in within-subjects and between-subjects measures. The results showed that the three reading fluency treatment groups made significant within-subjects increases in their reading fluency with the oral reading group making the most reading rate gains, followed by the timed reading group, and the extensive reading group. Moreover, the oral reading group generally outperformed the other groups on reading rate measures. However, the extensive reading group did not significantly outperform the comparison group. In addition, while the timed reading group had the fastest word recognition reaction times, the oral reading group made the most gains in orthographic, semantic, and phonological processing. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the groups on orthographic processing, but the oral reading group, timed reading group had significantly faster semantic and phonological processing reaction times compared to the comparison group. With regards to oral reading fluency, the oral reading group made the most gains and achieved the highest scores, but the timed reading group also made significant gains. Finally, the oral reading groups’ L2 reading self-efficacy increased the most. The results of the study underscore the importance of using a multifaceted approach of extensive reading, timed reading, and repeated oral reading in the development of L2 reading fluency. Through this reading fluency training, the learners not only became more proficient readers in both silent and oral modes, but they also became more self-efficacious in L2 reading tasks. Ultimately, these learners became more empowered to achieve success in their L2 learning endeavors. / Teaching & Learning

本研究旨在探討運用點讀筆是否具有提升國中生之英語學習動機、英語朗讀流暢度及學習滿意度效益。此外，本研究亦探討場地獨立型與場地依賴型不同認知風格學生應用點讀筆進行英語學習，在提升英語學習動機、英語朗讀流暢度上是否具有差異。 本研究以桃園縣某公立國中兩班共62位七年級學生為研究對象，分為實驗組與控制組，實驗組以教師搭配點讀筆進行英語教學，控制組則以教師施予傳統教學方式進行。量化資料分析來自一分鐘口語流暢度之前後測、學習動機與滿意度問卷。所得資料以描述性統計、t考驗、單因子共變數分析與Pearson積差相關進行資料分析與研究結果歸納，質化資料分析包含學生訪談問卷之開放問題與教師教學省思。 本研究之主要發現如下： 1.相較於施予傳統英語教學的控制組，教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學的實驗組，整體學習動機明顯優於控制組； 2.無論是施予傳統英語教學的控制組或是教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學的實驗組，兩組的英語朗讀流暢度表現無顯著差異，但在口語朗讀字數進步幅度上實驗組明顯優於控制組；3. 教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學能顯著提升不同認知風格的學生之英語學習動機； 4.教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學對不同認知風格的學生英語朗讀流暢度表現無顯著差異，但能顯著提升不同認知風格的學生的口語朗讀字數進步幅度，研究結果顯示實驗組場地獨立與場地依賴學生的英語朗讀字數進步幅度明顯優於控制組； 5.實驗組學生使用點讀筆的次數與口語流暢度具有顯著正相關；6.實驗組學生的學習滿意度顯著優於控制組，實驗組學生自覺應用點讀筆輔以英語教學使他們更勇於開口朗讀英文、會注意發音與語調，對英語學習更有自信、上課更專心，也更積極參與課堂活動。 總結而論，本研究結果顯示教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學，為一種有助於提升國中學生的英語學習動機、學習滿意度及英語朗讀能力的有效教學模式。國中英語教師可參考此結果，善加運用多元的數位資源融合於英語學習的教學活動之中，以觸發更有效的英語學習效果。最後，根據研究結果，本研究亦提出教師應用點讀筆輔助英語教學在教學、教材設計及教育行政單位配合之建議，希望能作為國中英語教學設計與實務教學上的參考。 / The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the intelligent pen on EFL junior high school students’ oral reading fluency, learning motivation and learning satisfaction. It also attempts to compare the performance among students of different congnitive style on learning motivation and oral reading fluency. The pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design was adopted. The subjects were two groups of the junior high school students, one as the experimental group instructed by the application of intelligent pen and the other, as the control group, instructed by the traditional lecture method. At first, a pretest was conducted to measure the students’ English oral reading fluency and learning motivation. At last, English oral reading fluency, English learning motivation and satisfaction were also measured as parts of posttests. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANCOVA,and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. As for the data collected from the students’ responses to the questionnaires, they are analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The following were the main findings of this study. 1. The experimental group’s posttest learning motivation score was higher than the control group’s. Compared the experimental group’s pretest and posttest learning motivation scores, the posttest levels were significantly higher than the pretest ones. For the control group, there was no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores. 2. The experimental group’s posttest English oral reading fluency score was not significantly higher than the control group’s. However, the experimental group made progress more significantly than the control group. For the experimental group and the control group, there were significant difference between their own pretest and posttest scores, because the control group was still offered more chances to read English aloud than before. 3.Not only field-independent (FI) students but also field-dependent (FD) ones were superior in the learning motivation. 4.Both the Field-independent (FI) and field-dependent (FD) students of the experimental group made progress in a gain of WCPM more significantly than the control group. 5. A student’s oral reading fluency score was positive correlation with the frequency of using the intelligent pen. 6. The experimental group’s posttest learning satisfaction scores were significantly higher than the control group’s.The findings suggest that the students of the experimental group’s learning satisfaction toward English had improved significantly after the proposed instruction. Most students reported that not only their pronunciation and intonation had become better but also they had become more concentrative in class and more active in participating in the classroom learning owing to the intelligent pen. In conclusion, compared with the traditional lecture method, applying intelligent pen to English teaching had significantly positive effect on promoting junior high school students’ English oral reading proficiency, learning motivation, and learning satisfaction. Furthermore, the students held positive attitudes towards the proposed instruction. Designing teaching curriculum, the English teachers in junior high schools may take the effects and differences into consideration.Meanwhile, the teachers can apply the digital resource in the English teaching activities to achieve more effective learning results. Hence, pedagogical implications and suggestions for future research are provided in the end.

Literacy education defined as the reading and writing of print text is undergoing a paradigmatic shift towards a pedagogy of multiliteracies (Cole & Pullen, 2010). At the same time, demands for rapid, efficient, and accurate reading skills escalate (Katzir et al., 2006) in a global society with increasingly instant and complex literacy requirements. Musical rhythm plays a role in multiliteracy and print literacy learning. Rhythm is essential for music making and reading, and may facilitate print literacy for all children, including those who struggle with traditional print-based teaching and learning. The purpose of this research was to investigate the potential for the semiotic resource of rhythm to engage early years children in print and non-print literacy learning. A twelve week mixed methods quasi-experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of a multimodal Orff-based learning design on elements of reading and rhythm for grades one to three children in four schools. Students (N = 169) from nine classrooms were non-randomly assigned to one of two groups. The researcher instructed both groups two to three times a week totaling twenty-five sessions in each homeroom classroom. The experimental groups participated in Orff-based learning experiences that focused on elements of rhythm and prosodic oral reading fluency. The control group listened to and sang song-storybooks. Beat performance and oral reading rate assessments were administered as pre- and post-tests to each group. Struggling readers in the experimental group significantly improved on measures of oral reading rate compared to struggling readers in the control group using matched pairs t-procedures and analyses of variance. Associations between beat performance and oral reading rate were explored using bivariate and multivariate regression and correlation analysis. A strong positive correlation was found between measures of beat competency and measures of oral reading rate. Qualitative methods using grounded theory, semiotic data analysis, multimodal analysis, action research, and design research methods placed within a bricolage framework (Kincheloe & Berry, 2004) and examined through the lens of complexity thinking (Davis & Sumara, 2006) added multiperspectival meaning-making of data. Findings pointed to the value of multimodal music and rhythm experiences for engaged, deep, meaningful print and non-print learning for diverse individual and classroom collective learners in both control and experimental classrooms. Beat competency was important to both print and music literacy learning in experimental classrooms. Beat experiences were compelling, equitable, and appeared to organize music, oral language, and print literacy into meaningful and accessible patterns and structures. Similar findings may be occasioned through an ontology of multimodal richness, a complex epistemology, embodied ways of knowing and communicating, and systemic shared beliefs and values.

Literacy education defined as the reading and writing of print text is undergoing a paradigmatic shift towards a pedagogy of multiliteracies (Cole & Pullen, 2010). At the same time, demands for rapid, efficient, and accurate reading skills escalate (Katzir et al., 2006) in a global society with increasingly instant and complex literacy requirements. Musical rhythm plays a role in multiliteracy and print literacy learning. Rhythm is essential for music making and reading, and may facilitate print literacy for all children, including those who struggle with traditional print-based teaching and learning. The purpose of this research was to investigate the potential for the semiotic resource of rhythm to engage early years children in print and non-print literacy learning. A twelve week mixed methods quasi-experimental study was conducted to examine the effects of a multimodal Orff-based learning design on elements of reading and rhythm for grades one to three children in four schools. Students (N = 169) from nine classrooms were non-randomly assigned to one of two groups. The researcher instructed both groups two to three times a week totaling twenty-five sessions in each homeroom classroom. The experimental groups participated in Orff-based learning experiences that focused on elements of rhythm and prosodic oral reading fluency. The control group listened to and sang song-storybooks. Beat performance and oral reading rate assessments were administered as pre- and post-tests to each group. Struggling readers in the experimental group significantly improved on measures of oral reading rate compared to struggling readers in the control group using matched pairs t-procedures and analyses of variance. Associations between beat performance and oral reading rate were explored using bivariate and multivariate regression and correlation analysis. A strong positive correlation was found between measures of beat competency and measures of oral reading rate. Qualitative methods using grounded theory, semiotic data analysis, multimodal analysis, action research, and design research methods placed within a bricolage framework (Kincheloe & Berry, 2004) and examined through the lens of complexity thinking (Davis & Sumara, 2006) added multiperspectival meaning-making of data. Findings pointed to the value of multimodal music and rhythm experiences for engaged, deep, meaningful print and non-print learning for diverse individual and classroom collective learners in both control and experimental classrooms. Beat competency was important to both print and music literacy learning in experimental classrooms. Beat experiences were compelling, equitable, and appeared to organize music, oral language, and print literacy into meaningful and accessible patterns and structures. Similar findings may be occasioned through an ontology of multimodal richness, a complex epistemology, embodied ways of knowing and communicating, and systemic shared beliefs and values.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur fyra lärare arbetar för att främja elevers läsförståelse inom skönlitteratur i ämnet svenska i årskurs 3. Vi har använt oss av semistrukturerade intervjuer och våra informanter består av fyra pedagoger som är verksamma i årskurs 3. I vår teoretiska ram har vi använt oss av Lev Vygotsky, Roger Säljö, Anders Jakobsson, Judith Langer och Barbro Westlund. Vårt resultat bygger på dessa teorier samt tidigare forskning, som omfattar läsförståelse i undervisningen. I resultatet framkom det att våra informanter aktivt arbetar med läsförståelse och främjar det på olika sätt. Det visade sig att högläsning är en metod som förekom ofta i klassrummen samt betydelsen av den. Även vikten av modellering hos lärarna av lässtrategier har visat sig ha en positiv inverkan på elevers utveckling av läsförståelse. Det visade sig även att inre och yttre motivation för läsningen förekom i alla klassrum men på olika sätt, vilket har en stor betydelse för läsförmågan. Genom att alla de intervjuade lärarna stöttar elever med hjälp av olika verktyg hjälper de eleverna vidare i sin läsutveckling.

Research into the effects of extensive reading (ER) in second language acquisition has surged over the past few decades. Many studies report several benefits that come from engaging in ER, including reading rate gains. However, these studies almost exclusively focus on English language learners and tend to be limited by their lack of control over how the ER treatment is conducted. Furthermore, experimental and quantitative studies that investigate the possible effects of ER on the reading skills of learners of Japanese have yet to be fully explored. The goal of this study was to investigate the possible effects of ER on the reading rate development of learners of Japanese as a foreign language. This study also aimed to examine the level of comprehension learners were able to maintain as their reading rates increased as well as the feasibility of a 12,000 character (7,200 standard word) per week reading goal. Finally, this study also surveyed learner perceptions of ER.<br><br>Using a quantitative single-case experiment design, eight intermediate-level learners of Japanese were monitored engaging in ER following strict adherence to ER principles over two and a half to four months. Longitudinal reading rate data as well as reading comprehension, ER, and survey data were collected over the course of the study. Results showed that participants’ reading rates increased significantly following the ER treatment. Furthermore, participants’ comprehension abilities were not hampered by an increase in their reading rates. Results also indicate that a weekly reading goal of 12,000 characters is likely feasible for intermediate-level learners. Finally, it was found that participants had overwhelmingly positive attitudes towards ER. This study provides evidence that ER has the potential to provide a highly enjoyable activity while substantially increasing learner reading rates without hindering comprehension.<p></p>

No description available.

<p>Predmet ove doktorske disertacije bio je da se<br />ispitaju te&scaron;koće u čitanju na engleskom kao stranom<br />jeziku kod učenika mlađeg uzrasta u osnovnim<br />&scaron;kolama u Srbiji. Od 2003. godine, kada je engleski<br />jezik uveden kao obavezni predmet od prvog razreda<br />osnovne &scaron;kole, nije bilo nacionalnih istraživanja u<br />vezi sa ranim razvojem ve&scaron;tine čitanja. Po&scaron;to<br />te&scaron;koće u čitanju mogu negativno uticati na<br />samopouzdanje učenika, njihovu motivaciju i<br />stavove, kao i na akademska i profesionalna<br />dostignuća, neophodno je efikasno delovanje u cilju<br />sprečavanja te&scaron;koća u čitanju. Prvi korak u tom<br />pravcu predstavlja ispitivanje faktora koji mogu<br />imati nepovoljan uticaj na razvoj ve&scaron;tine čitanja.<br />U istraživanju je učestvovalo 502 ispitanika<br />uzrasta od 11 godina, koji su pohađali &scaron;est osnovnih<br />&scaron;kola u pet geografski udaljenih gradova Srbije.<br />Primenjena je kombinovana metoda upotrebom<br />osam instrumenata za prikupljanje kvantitativnih i<br />kvalitativnih podataka. Kvantitativni podaci su<br />dobijeni kori&scaron;ćenjem testa čitanja, upitnika o<br />individualnim faktorima, upitnika o kontekstualnim<br />faktorima, upitnika o strategijama, upitnika o<br />te&scaron;koćama u čitanju, i intervjua, dok su kvalitativni<br />podaci dobijeni na osnovu pisanih refleksija učenika<br />i upotrebom intervjua. Rezultati su pokazali da<br />postoji statistički značajna razlika u rezultatima testa<br />čitanja u zavisnosti od individualnih i kontekstualnih<br />faktora, kao i da te&scaron;koće u ranom čitanju na<br />engleskom kao stranom jeziku mogu biti posledica<br />negativnog uticaja nekih individualnih i<br />kontekstualnih faktora, kao &scaron;to su nerazvijene<br />lingvističke i strate&scaron;ke kompetencije učenika,<br />negativan transfer ve&scaron;tine čitanja na maternjem<br />jeziku, neadekvatan pristup razvoju ve&scaron;tine čitanja u<br />nastavi, i nedovoljno čitanje na stranom jeziku van<br />časova. Na osnovu rezultata sastavljena je<br />taksonomija od 25 te&scaron;koća u čitanju na engleskom<br />kao stranom jeziku. Ovi rezultati imaju značajne<br />implikacije za dizajniranje programa ranog čitanja i<br />programa prevencije te&scaron;koća u čitanju, za nastavu<br />ranog čitanja, kao i za obrazovanje i stručno<br />usavr&scaron;avanje nastavnika engleskog jezika.</p> / <p>The primary focus of the present research study<br />was to investigate reading difficulties of young<br />6<br />learners learning English as a foreign language<br />(EFL) in formal school settings in Serbia. Since the<br />introduction of English as a compulsory school<br />subject from primary Grade One in 2003, there have<br />been no research studies in Serbia to verify what can<br />realistically be achieved in early reading skill<br />development. As reading difficulties can negatively<br />affect learners&rsquo; self-esteem, motivation, attitude,<br />confidence, and academic and career prospects, the<br />prevention of reading difficulties has emerged as an<br />issue requiring effective action. The first step<br />towards successful teaching of early reading is<br />exploration of factors that may have an adverse<br />effect on learners&rsquo; reading skill development.<br />The present research study involved 502<br />learners, aged 11, drawn from six state primary<br />schools located in five geographically distant regions<br />of the country. A mixed-method approach was<br />applied in the study, and eight instruments were used<br />to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.<br />Quantitative data was obtained with reading research<br />tool, individual factors questionnaire, contextual<br />factors questionnaire, reading strategies<br />questionnaire, reading difficulties questionnaire,<br />teacher questionnaire and prompted think-aloud<br />protocols, while qualitative data was collected with<br />post-reading reflection protocols and prompted<br />think-aloud protocols. The results showed that there<br />was a considerable difference in reading results in<br />relation to both individual and contextual factors,<br />and that reading difficulties in early EFL reading<br />may have been the result of adverse effects of some<br />individual and contextual factors, like poor linguistic<br />and strategic competences of young learners,<br />negative transfer of L1 literacy, inappropriate<br />teaching approach, and insufficient exposure to L2<br />texts. A taxonomy of reading difficulties was<br />complied, comprising 25 L2 reading difficulties.<br />These results have significant implications for<br />designing EFL reading and prevention programmes,<br />for teaching beginning reading, and for pre-service<br />and in-service EFL teacher education and training.</p>

Reading and mathematics are two essential subjects for academic success and cognitive development. Several studies show a correlation between the reading ability and mathematical ability of pupils (Korpershoek et al., 2015; Ní Ríordáin &amp; O’Donoghue, 2009; Reikerås, 2006; Walker et al., 2008). The didactical part of this thesis presents a study investigating a correlation between reading ability and mathematical ability among pupils in upper secondary schools in Sweden. This study collaborated with Lexplore AB to use machine learning and eye-tracking to measure reading ability. Mathematical ability was measured with Mathematics 1c grades and Stockholmsprovet, which is a diagnostic mathematics test. Although no correlation was found, there are several insights about selection and measures following the result that may improve future studies on the subject. This thesis finds that the result could have been affected by a biased selection of the participants. This thesis also suggests that the measure through machine learning and eye-tracking used in the study may not fully capture the concept of reading ability as defined in previous studies. The technological aspect of this thesis focuses on modifying and improving the model used to calculate users’ reading ability scores. As the model’s estimation tends to plateau after the fifth year of compulsory school, the study aims to maintain the same level of progression observed before this point. Previous research indicates that silent reading, being unconstrained by vocalization, is faster than reading aloud. To address this progression flattening, a grid search algorithm was employed to adjust hyperparameters and assign appropriate weight to silent and aloud reading. The findings emphasize that reading aloud should be prioritized in the weighted average and the corresponding hyperparameters adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, gathering more data for older pupils can improve the machine learning model by accounting for individual reading strategies. Introducing different word complexity factors can also enhance the model’s performance. / Läsning och matematik är två avgörande ämnen för akademisk framgång och kognitiv utveckling. Flera studier visar på ett samband mellan elevers läsförmåga och matematiska förmåga (Korpershoek et al., 2015; Ní Ríordáin &amp; O’Donoghue, 2009; Reikerås, 2006; Walker et al., 2008). Den didaktiska delen av denna rapport presenterar en studie som undersöker sambandet mellan läsförmåga och matematisk förmåga hos elever på gymnasiet i Sverige. Studien samarbetade med Lexplore AB för att använda maskininlärning och ögonspårning för att mäta läsförmåga. Matematisk förmåga mättes genom matematikbetyg och Stockholms provet, som är ett diagnostiskt matematiktest. Trotsatt inget samband hittades uppges insikter om urvalet och åtgärder som kan förbättra framtida studier i ämnet. Rapporten konstaterar att resultatet kan ha påverkats avett sned vridet urval av deltagare. Dessutom föreslår rapporten att mätningen genom maskininlärning och ögonspårning som användes i studien kanske inte helt fångar upp begreppet läsförmåga som används i tidigare studier. Teknikdelen av denna rapport fokuserar på att modifiera och förbättra modellen som används för att beräkna användarnas läsförmågepoäng. Eftersom modellens uppskattning tenderar att avplattas efter femte året i grundskola, syftar studien till att bibehålla samma nivå av progression som observerats före denna punkt. Tidigare forskning indikerar att tyst läsning, som inte begränsas av att uttala orden, är snabbare än högläsning. För att adressera denna avplattning av progression användes en rutnätssöknings-algoritm för att justera hyperparametrar och tilldela rätt viktning åt tyst läsning. Resultaten betonar att högläsning bör prioriteras i viktade medelvärdet och att motsvarande justeringar av hyperparametrar bör implementeras. Dessutom kan insamling av mer data för äldre elever förbättra maskininlärningsmodellen genom att ta hänsyn till individuella lässtrategier. Införandet av olika faktorer för textkomplexitet kan också förbättra modellens prestanda.

Summaries in English, Xitsonga and Afrikaans / Reading literacy for many black South African learners is a problem. In order to understand what happens in the South African foundation phase classrooms that affect learners’ reading performance, this study uses the adapted early grade reading assessment (EGRA) tool to assess Grade 1 learners’ reading abilities in the home language (four schools) and in the first additional language (one school). The EGRA is important for measuring foundational literacy skills. Its outcomes help teachers plan instruction that accommodates diverse learning capabilities. Data were collected through observing literacy practices and activities in the Grade 1 classrooms, evaluate classroom settings and interview Grade 1 teachers and curriculum advisors of the general education and training band to understand their perception of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The main findings revealed that the Grade 1 learners are acquiring foundational reading skills in Xitsonga very slowly during the first year of schooling and on all measures, performance was either low or very low. The teachers’ lack of deep understanding of how early reading develops and how each of the reading activities contributes to different aspects of this development may have contributed to the learners’ reading outcomes. Findings further revealed that the ability to read fluently and with comprehension is determined by hierarchical relationships between various reading skills. Thus, knowledge of letter-sounds facilitates word reading which impacts reading fluency and then reading comprehension – all these skills are important for reading development during early learning only if they are taught well in the classroom. / Ku hlaya ni ku tsala swi tikela vadyondzi vo tala laha Afrika Dzonga. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku va hi ta kota ku twisisa leswi swi humelelaka mayelana na matirhelo yo hlaya ya vadyondzi va ntangha R-3, hi kambela vuswikoti lebyi vadyondzi va ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1) va nga na byona byo hlaya hi ririmi ra manana (mune wa swikolo) na hi ririmi leri ri nga le eka xiyimo xa masungulo (xikolo xin’we) hi ku tirhisa xikambelwana lexi xi vuriwaka early grade reading assessment (EGRA). Xikambelwana lexi (EGRA) xi ni nkoka lowu kulu mayelana ni ku kambela vuswikoti bya n’wana byo hlaya. Mbuyelo wa xikambelo lexi wu pfuna ngopfu mayelana na leswaku vadyondzisi va kota ku kunguhata madyindziselo lama ya angarhelaka vadyondzi hinkwavo. Ndzavisiso lowu wu humelerisiwile hi ku kambela madyondziselo yo hlaya ni ku tsala eka ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1), ku kambela xivumbeko xa kamara ro dyondzela eka rona, ni ku kambela vutivi bya kharikhulamu bya vadyondzisi va ntlawa wo sungula na vaseketeri va vona (curriculum advisors). Mbuyelonkulu wu humesele erivaleni leswaku vadyondzi va kuma ntokoto wo hlaya hi Xitsonga hi ku nonoka va ha ri eka lembe ra vona ro sungula xikolo. Leswi swi thlela swi nyanyisa na hi leswaku mbuyelo wa vona wo hlaya eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa xikambelo lexi xi nga tirhisiwa ku va kambela a wu ri ehansi ngopfu. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku pfumala ka vadyondzisi vutivi hi vuenti bya ku dyondzisa vana eku hlaya swi nga va swi vile na xiave eka mbuyelo wa vadyondzi wo hlaya. Vulavisisi lebyi byi thlela byi humesela erivaleni leswaku vuswikoti byo hlaya hi ku twisisa swi koteka ntsena loko mudyonzi a ri ni ntokoto eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa ku hlaya hikuva swi na vuxaka. Hikokwalaho, vuswikoti byo hlaya mimpfumawulo ya maletere swi pfuneta ku hlaya marito lawa ya thlelaka ya pfuneta ku hlaya hi nkhuluko ni ku twisisa leswi swi hlayiwaka. Vuswikoti lebyi hinkwabyo byi ni nkoka mayelana ni ku dyondza ku hlaya ntsena loko madyondziselo yo hlaya ya landzelerisa leswi kunguhatiweke eka kharikhulamu. / Leesgeletterdheid vir baie swart Suid-Afrikaanse leerders is ‘n probleem. Om te verstaan wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse grondslagfase-klaskamers gebeur wat die leesprestasie van leerders beïnvloed, word in die studie die aangepaste instrument vir vroeë graad leesassessering (EGRA) gebruik om die leesvermoëns van Graad 1-leerders in die huistaal (vier skole) en in die eerste addisionele taal (een skool). Die EGRA is belangrik vir die meting van fundamentele geletterdheidsvaardighede. Die uitkomste daarvan help onderwysers om onderrig te beplan wat voldoen aan verskillende leervermoëns. Data is versamel deur die waarneming van geletterdheidspraktyke en aktiwiteite in die Graad 1-klaskamers, die klaskamerinstellings te evalueer en onderhoude met Graad 1-onderwysers en kurrikulumadviseurs van die algemene onderwys- en opleidingsband te onderneem om hul persepsie van Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) te verstaan. Die belangrikste bevindings het getoon dat die graad 1-leerders in die eerste jaar van skool baie stadig basiese leesvaardighede in Xitsonga verwerf, en dat prestasies op alle maatstawwe laag of baie laag was. Die onderwysers se gebrek aan diep begrip van hoe vroeë lees ontwikkel en hoe elkeen van die leesaktiwiteite bydra tot verskillende aspekte van hierdie ontwikkeling, het moontlik tot die leerders se leesuitkomste bygedra. Bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat die vermoë om vlot en met begrip te lees, bepaal word deur hiërargiese verwantskappe tussen verskillende leesvaardighede. Kennis van letterklanke vergemaklik dus die lees van woorde wat die vloeiendheid van lees en dan leesbegrip beïnvloed - al hierdie vaardighede is slegs belangrik vir leesontwikkeling tydens vroeë leer as dit goed in die klaskamer geleer word. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / Ph. D. (Languages, Linguistics and Literature)