A synopsis of the importance and the nature of reading serve as the point of departure for this study. The pupils involved are learning restrained as well as A comprehensive reading problem analysis table, compiled for analysis of individual reading problems, facilitates identification of the remedial reading areas, as well as the underlying subskills causing the problems to be accommodated in remedial reading. A control chart, developed for recording the information concerning the pupil's reading problem area and underlying subskills, facilitates compilation of an integrated remedial reading programme. Existing exercises, selected from the works of various authors and adapted, provide guidelines and exercises for particular remedial reading areas. These guidelines serve as a point of departure for the compilation of a specific remedial reading programme for a particular pupil with reading problems. Two case studies elucidate how a remedial reading programme can be compiled according to the pupil's background, reading problems and inadequacies in the underlying subskills. Group A learning disabled pupils although learning disabled pupils in Group B and C can also be involved. The total reading process is illustrated by means of a reading model. The two main components, namely, word identification and comprehension, form the basis of this study. The different subcategories featuring in each component are highlighted. This model serves as a framework for the diagnosis and remediation of reading problems. A teaching model is used to illustrate the complexity of teaching. The factors ( within the teaching model are indicated, as well as the ways they may serve when reading is taught. The reduction and choice of reading content for a specific pupil are set out as important aspects to be taken into consideration in reading remediation. Determining each pupil's reading levels, namely, his/her independent level, instructional level and frustrational level, enables the teacher to choose the appropriate reading material. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The special needs community is in the midst of a philosophical and physical shift from a segregated system to an integrated system, not only in placement, but more importantly, in terms of learning and affording learners with special needs access to mainstream curricular materials. Mathematical modelling, or challenging mathematics problems solved in small groups, is part of the Australian mainstream curriculum. The purpose of the study was to investigate the way special needs learners learn mathematics from a modelling learning environment. To do this, it was necessary to identify the critical characteristics of the best practice in teaching and learning for learners with special needs, and the critical features of modelling. One theory of learning that has the capacity to promote special needs learners' interaction with mathematical modelling is Feuerstein’s theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability. A hypothetical learning trajectory was designed for special needs learners at middle school according to general design principles from theory, which was adapted to the learning characteristics of the class. The learning environment comprised of three challenging modelling tasks, together with recommended implementation and support conditions in the classroom. Specifically, the research sought to investigate the ways in which special needs educators can support the higher reasoning processes of special needs students during modelling through design in general, and through mediation specific to each learner. The research took the form of a qualitative study, combining the phases of design-based research with a multiple case study approach. Three cases were analysed in depth. Empirical data were collected through a range of qualitative methods, which included data from student files, field observations, video and audio recordings, focus group interviews with students, and the input of various collaborators across the different phases of planning, design, implementation, and revision. Data were coded and analysed inductively according to emerging patterns and themes. Findings suggest that the use of modelling was successful when implemented with certain characteristics defined in the literature, and that it enabled learners to learn mathematics and also to develop additional outcomes such as social skills and language. During this study, learners' higher-order reasoning was supported through dynamic assessment and subsequent mediation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwysgemeenskap vir leerders met spesiale behoeftes bevind hulle in die middel van filosofiese en fisiese verskuiwings van 'n geskeide sisteem na 'n geïntegreerde sisteem. Dit omvat die plasing van leerders, maar meer belangrik ook die bemoontliking van toegang van hierdie leerders tot hoofstroom kurrikulêre materiale. Wiskundige modellering, en uitdagende wiskundeprobleme wat deur leerders in klein groepies opgelos word, is deel van die Australiese hoofstroomkurrikulum. Die doel van die studie was om die wyse te ondersoek waarvolgens leerders met spesiale behoeftes wiskunde in 'n modelleringsomgewing leer. Dit is gedoen deur die belangrike kenmerke van beste praktyk vir onderrig en leer in spesiale onderwys, asook die kritiese kenmerke van modellering, te vind. Een leerteorie wat die interaksie van leerders met spesiale behoeftes met wiskunde bevorder, is Feuerstein se teorie van Strukturele Kognitiewe Modifieerbaarheid. 'n Hipotetiese leertrajek was ontwerp vir leerders met spesiale behoeftes op middelskoolvlak. Empiriese data is deur 'n reeks kwalitatiewe aksies: data van studentelêers, veldwaar-nemings, video en klankopnames, fokusgroeponderhoude met studente, asook die insette van verskeie medewerkers oor die verskillende fases van beplanning, ontwerp, implementering en hersiening gegenereer. Die spesifieke leerkenmerke van hierdie leerders volgens algemeen-teoretiese en lokaalgekontekstualiseerde ontwerpbeginsels is nagekom. Die leertrajek het bestaan uit drie uitdagende modelleringsprobleme met aanbevole implementering en ondersteuningsriglyne in die klaskamer. Die navorsing het spesifiek gesoek na wyses waarop hierdie leerders se hoër beredeneringsvaardighede deur hul onderwysers, volgens elkeen se eie behoefte gedurende modellering, deur ontwerp in die algemeen en mediasie in die besonder, ondersteun kan word. Die navorsing, 'n kwalitatiewe studie, was gekombineer met fases van ontwikkelingsgebaseerde ontwerp wat uitgespeel het in 'n veelvuldige gevallestudiebenadering. Drie gevalle is in diepte ondersoek. Data was induktief gekodeer en geanaliseer volgens ontluikende patrone en temas. Bevindinge wys uit dat die gebruik van modellering suksesvol was wanneer die implementering volgens spesifieke kenmerke in die literatuur was. Dit het leerders instaat gestel om wiskunde te leer asook om addisionele uitkomste soos sosiale vaardighede en taal te ontwikkel. In hierdie studie is hoër-orde denke ondersteun deur dinamiese assessering en voortspruitende mediasie.

This qualitative case study provided a narrative portrait of 12 students in the 11th grade in one north Texas district who failed the initial administration of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) exit-level test. It also presented an account of their perceptions of the test and their efforts to overcome this educational hurdle. The following conclusions were drawn from the study. Limited English proficiency (LEP) students had difficulty mastering the language arts section of the test. A majority of the students reported that TEAMS failure had no social impact. Most of the students declined district-offered remediation. Students tended to perceive the test as a personal challenge. Those students who attended remedial tutoring sessions performed better on the following retest than those who declined remediation. Hispanic and Asian students expressed additional study as being the key to passing the test. Black students felt that the key to passing was to spend sufficient time while taking the test. Those students who were more verbal during their interviews tended to be more successul in passing the language arts section of the TEAMS. The following recommendations were made from the study: (a) students who fail the TEAMS by minimal margins should be encouraged to take remediation; (b) an intensive remedial English course for LEP students should be offered; (c) "high interest" TEAMS mini-lessons should be presented daily for several weeks as a lead-up to the TEAMS; (d) a TEAMS ex it-level orientation program which stresses the importance of the test for the student's future should be implemented; and (e) additional research should be conducted on older students' verbal responses to see if a rich language approach in English classes including listening, reading, writing, and speaking will develop higher level language skills.

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Although reasons for avoiding help, goal orientation, and social efficacy have been examined in the context of social adaptive help seeking, researchers have not pursued how these constructs influence computer adaptive help seeking. The three studies in this dissertation addressed both social and computer adaptive help seeking. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if reasons for avoiding help seeking, personal goal orientation, or social efficacy predict social and computer adaptive help seeking for students enrolled in computer-based, developmental mathematics courses in community college settings. The purpose of the first study was to determine if students differentiate among three help-seeking sources: (a) formal, (b) informal, and (c) computer. Study 1 revealed that this population considered two different sources of help: social and computer help. These results were used to formulate the following questions for Study 2 and Study 3: 1. Do reasons for avoidance of help predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? 2. Does personal goal orientation predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? 3. Does social efficacy predict social or computer adaptive help seeking? Study 2 revealed that ability concerns negatively predict social adaptive help seeking and that mastery goal orientations positively predict both social and computer adaptive help seeking. Study 3 revealed that ability concerns negatively predict social adaptive help seeking and that mastery goal orientations and social efficacy for peers positively predict social adaptive help seeking. Additionally, ability concerns negatively predict computer adaptive help seeking, and mastery goal orientations positively predict computer adaptive help seeking. The finding that students who adopt a mastery-goal orientation use both social and computer means to adaptive help seek was not surprising. The finding that students who have ability concerns do not tend to social adaptive help seek is also consistent with previous research. However, the most important conclusion from Study 3 is that students who have ability concerns do not computer adaptive help seek, regardless of the anonymity provided by the computer. More research is needed in this field to examine why students with ability concerns tend to avoid help seeking altogether. / text

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The pass rate of first-year university mathematics students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus) has been low for many years. One cause may be weak algebra skills. At the time of this study, revision of high school algebra was not part of the major first year mathematics course. This study set out to investigate if it would be worthwhile to spend tutorial time on basic algebra when there is already an overcrowded calculus syllabus, or if students refresh their algebra skills sufficiently as they study first year mathematics. Since it was expected that remediation of algebra skills would be found to be worthwhile, two other questions were also investigated: Which remediation strategy is best? Which errors are the hardest to remediate? Five tutorial groups for Math 130 were randomly assigned one of four remediation strategies, or no remediation. Three variations of using cognitive conflict to change students’ misconceptions were used, as well as the strategy of practice. Pre- and post-tests in the form of multiple choice questionnaires with spaces for free responses were analysed. Comparisons between the remediated and non-remediated groups were made based on pre- and post-test results and Math 130 results. The most persistent errors were determined using an 8-category error classification developed for this purpose. The best improvement from pre- to post-test was 12.1% for the group remediated with cognitive conflict over 5 weeks with explanations from the tutor. Drill and practice gave the next-best improvement of 8.1%, followed by self-guided cognitive conflict over 5 weeks (7.8% improvement). A once-off intervention using cognitive conflict gave a 5.9% improvement. The group with no remediation improved by 2.3%. The results showed that the use of tutorintensive interventions more than doubled the improvement between pre-and post-tests but even after remediation, the highest group average was 80%, an unsatisfactory level for basic skills. The three most persistent errors were those involving technical or careless errors, errors from over-generalising and errors from applying a distorted algorithm, definition or theorem. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.

Reading is considered to be a vital skill for academic success, yet it is seldom taught to or practised with students. Students begin to `read to learn' during primary and secondary schooling. However, at tertiary level the academic demands are much greater than before and involve more extensive reading of conceptually more complex texts. This study investigates the implementation of an intensive reading programme for post-matric English Second Language Science students, based on the assumption that reading improves reading. In addition, this study investigates the effect that reading ability has on academic performance in Science, which relies inter alia, on the ability to read, comprehend and interpret word problems. An intervention group and a control group were used to ascertain the effects of an intensive reading programme and the findings suggest that any reading (intensive or extensive) improves reading and language skills. This in turn impacts on academic performance in Science, if students have an ability in Science to begin with. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / MA - SP APPLIED LINGUISTICS

A synopsis of the importance and the nature of reading serve as the point of departure for this study. The pupils involved are learning restrained as well as A comprehensive reading problem analysis table, compiled for analysis of individual reading problems, facilitates identification of the remedial reading areas, as well as the underlying subskills causing the problems to be accommodated in remedial reading. A control chart, developed for recording the information concerning the pupil's reading problem area and underlying subskills, facilitates compilation of an integrated remedial reading programme. Existing exercises, selected from the works of various authors and adapted, provide guidelines and exercises for particular remedial reading areas. These guidelines serve as a point of departure for the compilation of a specific remedial reading programme for a particular pupil with reading problems. Two case studies elucidate how a remedial reading programme can be compiled according to the pupil's background, reading problems and inadequacies in the underlying subskills. Group A learning disabled pupils although learning disabled pupils in Group B and C can also be involved. The total reading process is illustrated by means of a reading model. The two main components, namely, word identification and comprehension, form the basis of this study. The different subcategories featuring in each component are highlighted. This model serves as a framework for the diagnosis and remediation of reading problems. A teaching model is used to illustrate the complexity of teaching. The factors ( within the teaching model are indicated, as well as the ways they may serve when reading is taught. The reduction and choice of reading content for a specific pupil are set out as important aspects to be taken into consideration in reading remediation. Determining each pupil's reading levels, namely, his/her independent level, instructional level and frustrational level, enables the teacher to choose the appropriate reading material. / Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Orthopedagogics)

Dyslexia is one of the most common learning disabilities and learners affected by it are found in both mainstream and specialist schools. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the school experiences of learners who had been diagnosed with dyslexia and attended a long-term remedial school. A phenomenological research design was followed. Six learners in grades 6 to 9, who were attending a long term remedial school, were the participants. Semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews were held to collect data, posing questions that focused on the learners’ experiences with their educators, peers, written and verbal school work, as well as homework. From the data collected themes were formed. The findings showed that participants believed most of their teachers were aware of and knowledgeable about suitable methods to use when teaching dyslexic learners. The results also indicated that the school understood the challenges faced by the dyslexic learners and it was doing well in attempting to provide them with an educational environment suitable for their academic and personal needs. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)