Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent conditions among school children. Executive function deficits representing difficulties in maintaining an appropriate problem set for the attainment of future goals are reported to be the major deficit in ADHD populations. There is a high rate of co-morbidity of learning disabilities and ADHD, with empirical evidence indicating an association with math and reading difficulties, but there is little research on the written expression of this population. There is a body of emergent research indicating that written expression is mediated by executive function. Written expression is a complex task that is affected by motivation, working memory, cognitive processes and long term memory, factors which are reported to be compromised in ADHD populations. This study evaluated the working memory and fluid reasoning in children with (combined and predominantly inattentive types) and without ADHD. Second, it explored the relationship between working memory and fluid reasoning on written expression in children with and without ADHD. Finally, the possible link between the executive functions of working memory and fluid reasoning, with written expression of children with and without ADHD was examined. The findings of this study indicate that children with the combined type of ADHD had lower written expression and working memory scores compared to children with the inattentive type of ADHD. The results of this study also indicated an association between disinhibition and working memory deficits on written expression performance. This research will serve to contribute to an understanding of the functional impact of ADHD on academic performance. Findings from this study could potentially help with interventions for deficits in written expression among school children.

This study, situated in classroom practice and grounded in pedagogic wakefulness (Clandinin and Connelly, 2000), explores the nature of young children’s sense of voice as indicated through sustained interactions and representations of experiences with picturebook literature. The naturalistic research site was a grade one classroom setting in a large urban school. Student engagement and interactions with read-aloud events and responses to literature through multi-modal representations perpetuated meaning making and personal relevance. Coding procedures exemplified the nature of young children’s sense of voice as falling into two broad conceptual categories: (1) Situated Nature and (2) Experiential Nature. The Situated Nature of young children’s sense of voice revealed developmental, exploratory, and social sites of student engagement to literature. The Experiential Nature of young children’s sense of voice described three specificities of narrativity in their responses to picturebook literature: Young children’s multi-modal responses were interpreted as representative of Self- Narrativity, Interpretive-Narrativity, and Aesthetic-Narrativity. The findings contribute to a reconceptualized literacy curriculum which illuminates personal, social, and cultural identities, especially young children’s awareness of their individual sense of voice, developed through picturebook literature in primary classrooms. / xii, 151 leaves : col. ill. ; 29 cm.

This study investigates the effectiveness of an instructional strategy that uses students' prior understanding of informal evidence based reasoning (EBR) to build an understanding of scientific EBR. A pre and post instructional strategy survey revealed that students' understanding of EBR increased over the length of the study. Data collected from pre and post instructional discussions also showed increases in the amount of EBR students used.

Text in English / The literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in English / The literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Euclidean Geometry is a challenging topic for most of the learners in the secondary schools. A qualitative case study explores the reasoning skills of ninth graders in the proving of congruent triangles in their natural environment. A class of thirty-two learners was conveniently selected to participate in the classroom observations. Two groups of six learners each were purposefully selected from the same class of thirty-two learners to participate in focus group interviews. The teaching documents were analysed. The Van Hiele’s levels of geometric thinking were used to reflect on the reasoning skills of the learners. The findings show that the majority of the learners operated at level 2 of Van Hiele’s geometric thinking. The use of visual aids in the teaching of geometry is important. About 30% of the learners were still operating at level 1 of Van Hiele theory. The analysed books showed that investigation help learners to discover the intended knowledge on their own. Learners need quality experience in order to move from a lower to a higher level of Van Hiele’s geometry thinking levels. The study brings about unique findings which may not be generalised. The results can only provide an insight into the reasoning skills of ninth graders in proving of congruent triangles. I recommend that future researchers should focus on proving of congruent triangles with a bigger sample of learners from different environmental settings. / Mathematics Education / M. Ed. (Mathematics Education)

The purpose of the study was to investigate grade 11 learners’ problem solving skills and conceptual reasoning on concepts in stoichiometry. Two theoretical frameworks were used in this study namely, cognitive load theory (CLT) and typology of curriculum representation (levels of curriculum alignment). The explanatory sequential mixed method research design were applied where 410 physical sciences learners in their intact classes and eleven of their teachers participated in the study. The participants completed purposefully designed research instruments consisting of an achievement test (LAT), a teacher and a learner questionnaire (TSQ and LCQ), and a teacher lesson plan on stoichiometry-related concepts (TLP). Other instruments used include a semi-structured interview schedule (LIS), classroom observation schedule (COS) and learner work books (LWB). The study was underpinned by five research questions. Pearson correlations showed that the justifications given by learners for choosing right or wrong objective options were not due to chance and suggested a learner choosing the right objective option has the right conceptual reasoning. Findings indicate that there is a positive correlation between problem-solving skills and conceptual reasoning where conceptual reasoning statistically predicted learners’ problem-solving skills using Regression. Problem solving is an important cognitive activity in everyday and professional contexts. Therefore, it requires teachers to know where to focus their teaching and how to assess learners’ work to avoid unnecessary overloading of the working memory of learners which might affect their performance. Conceptual reasoning and problem-solving errors were made during the problem solving, for example, learners could not apply mole ratio, they were unable to do change of subject and they interchanged the meanings of chemical terms such as mole, molecule, atoms and mass. In terms of possible reasons for the errors, and how it linked to the way learners were taught, the curriculum levels were considered. Findings indicate that there is a mismatch between what is expected in stoichiometry from the CAPS curriculum termed intended curriculum and the implemented curriculum which includes teacher lesson plans, classroom observations and learner workbooks. The classroom observations schedule was designed in line with the teacher lesson plan. There were topics planned in the lessons that were not found in the learner workbooks. The analysis of the content of learners’ workbooks for topics treated under stoichiometry, revealed that 75.7% of concepts were being taught while 24.3% were not. The analysis showed that learners experienced difficulties with calculating the concept of limiting reactant. There is a mismatch between implemented and attained curriculum as well. In the TSQ, teachers indicated that the errors were due to misconceptions, misunderstanding, carelessness and misinterpretation. These were found during marking of the learner achievement test. In conclusion, this study did not find a direct link between the way the learners were taught and the errors they committed during problem solving based on the implemented (TLP, LWB and COS) and attained curriculum (LAT, LCQ, LIS and DoBE report) / Science and Technology Education / Ph. D. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education)