Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the feasibility of translating the Arabic Qur’an into isiXhosa. The Qur’an has not yet been translated into isiXhosa and Xhosa-speaking Muslims who are unable to read and understand Arabic are facing a void in practising their faith. Xhosa-speaking Muslims also pray in a language that they do not understand and this robs them of close contact with the Almighty and as a result, the number of Muslims who speak isiXhosa does not increase. Through literature reviews and interviews it has been found that there is a great need for Muslims, who are target language speakers, to be able to communicate with Allah in their mother tongue, isiXhosa. Furthermore the study indicated that isiXhosa-speaking Muslims who, years ago, have converted to Islam are still struggling with the Arabic language. This study also investigates the view that the Arabic Qur’an cannot be translated into other languages because the Qur’an is the word of God delivered in Arabic to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This view is not based upon the assumption that an Arabic Qur’an is untranslatable, but rather on the views of some Arabic scholars. There are also fears that meaning will be lost when the Qur’an is translated. However, the study showed that when translating the Qur’an, one is not seeking to translate only the meaning but also the message of the Qur’an. A conclusion was reached that all human beings, thus all nations and languages, are created by Allah. Therefore, it is acceptable for human beings to communicate and listen to Allah’s message in their own language. This study suggests that culture and language are inseparable and that both must be taken into consideration when translating. The Qur’an has already been translated into other languages and the translations are used without any problems, for example into English and KiSwahili. The Qur’an is available in other African languages as well. Therefore, this study suggests that the Qur’an can be translated into isiXhosa. The linguistic challenges can be addressed in the target language by a body consisting of translators of laypersons, translation experts and linguists specialising in both Xhosa and Arabic. However, the study shows that the title of the Xhosa Qur’an should indicate that the Qur’an is a translated text. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ondersoek die vertaling van die Arabiese Koran na Xhosa. Die Koran is nie tans in Xhosa beskikbaar nie en Xhosa-sprekende Moslems wat nie Arabies magtig is nie, ervaar dit as ’n struikelblok in die beoefening van hul geloof. Xhosa-sprekende Moslems bid ook in Arabies, selfs al verstaan hulle nie die taal nie. Dit beroof hulle van noue kontak met die Almagtige en veroorsaak dat die Moslem-geloof nie by Xhosa-sprekers in townships inslag vind nie. Aan die hand van ’n literatuurstudie en onderhoude is bevind dat daar ’n groot behoefte onder Xhosa-sprekende Moslems is om in hul moedertaal met Allah te kommunikeer. Die studie het ook getoon dat Xhosa-sprekende Moslems wat hulle reeds jare gelede tot die Islam bekeer het, steeds met die Arabiese taal worstel. Die studie ondersoek ook die siening dat die Koran nie vertaal mag word nie, omdat die Woord van God in Arabies aan die profeet Mohammed (mag vrede oor hom heers) geopenbaar is. Dié siening berus nie op die aanname dat die Koran onvertaalbaar is nie, maar eerder op die uitsprake van Arabiese geleerdes. Daar word ook gevrees dat die Koran se betekenis verlore sal gaan tydens die vertaalproses. Die studie toon egter dat die vertaling van die Koran sal fokus op die oordrag van die boodskap en nie net die betekenis van woorde nie. Die gevolgtrekking van die ondersoek is dat alle mense, en dus alle volke en tale, deur Allah geskep is. Dit is dus aanvaarbaar vir mense om Allah se boodskap in hul eie taal te kommunikeer en aan te hoor. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat taal en kultuur onskeidbaar is en dat albei in ag geneem moet word tydens die vertaalproses. Die Koran is reeds in ander tale vertaal en word sonder enige probleme gebruik, byvoorbeeld in Engels en Swahili. Die Koran is ook in ander Afrika-tale beskikbaar. Die studie bevind dus dat die Koran ook in Xhosa vertaal kan word. Die taalkundige uitdagings kan in die doeltaal hanteer word deur ’n vertaalspan wat bestaan uit leke, opgeleide vertalers en taalkundiges wat spesialiseer in Xhosa en Arabies. Die studie toon egter dat die titel van die Xhosa Koran moet aandui dat dit ’n vertaalde teks is. / I-ABSTRAKTHI: Olu phando luphande ukuba nako kokuguqulelwa esiXhoseni kweKurani yesi-Arabhu. Uphando lubangelwe kukuba kungekho Kurani iguqulelwe esiXhoseni okwangoku kwaye kuqwalaseleke ukuba aMaslamsi athetha isiXhosa, angayiqondiyo nangaluvayo ulwimi lwesi-Arabhu, nokuba afundile okanye awafundanga, ajongene nomngeni wokuba nokungoneliseki kwinkolo yabo. Inyaniso yokuba kufuneka athandaze ngolwimi angaluqondiyo, ibenza bangakwazi ukufikelela kuQamata kwaye ngenxa yoko, inani laMaslamsi alandi kwiilokishi apho aMaslamsi athetha isiXhosa. Uphando, ngokuphonononga iincwadi nangokubamba udliwano-ndlebe, lufumanise ukuba kukhona isikhalo esikhulu esisuka kuMaslamsi athetha ulwimi okujoliswe kulo ukuze akwazi ukunxibelelana noQamata ngolwimi aluqonda ngcono, olusisiXhosa. Uphando lubonise ukuba aMaslamsi athetha isiXhosa awaguqukelanga kwinkolo ye-Islamu kutsha nje kwaye umzabalazo wolwimi kudala uqhubeka. Uphando luxoxe ngoluvo lokuba iKurani yolwimi lwesi-Arabhu ayinakuze iguqulelwe kwezinye iilwimi njengoko iKurani ililizwi likaQamata eladluliswa ngolwimi lwesi-Arabhu kuMprofeti uMuhammada (uxolo malube naye). Uphando lungqine ukuba uluvo lokuba iKurani yolwimi lwesi-Arabhu ayinakuguqulelwa kwezinye iilwimi alusekelwanga ekungaguqulweni kombhalo kodwa kwizimvo zezifundiswa zama-Arabhu. Uphando kananjalo luxoxe ngomba wokuba uloyiko lokuguqulela iKurani yolwimi lwesi-Arabhu kwezinye iilwimi lubangelwa yinyaniso yokuba xa kuguqulelwa, kuye kubekho ukulahleka nokulahlekwa kwentsingiselo pha naphaya. Uphando slubonise ukuba xa kuguqulelwa iKurani, ubani akasobe efuna ukuguqulela intsingiselo kodwa umyalezo weKurani. Uphando lufikelele kwisigqibo sokuba abantu bazizidalwa zikaQamata kwaye badalwe bazizizwe ngezizwe nokuba bathethe iilwimi ngeelwimi. Ngoko ke, kwamkelekile ukuba abantu banxibelelane ze bamamele umyalelo kaQamata kulwimi olulolwabo. Uphando lufikelela esigqibeni sokuba inkcubeko nolwimi azohlukani kwaye ngexesha lokuguqulela, zombini (inkcubeko nolwimi) kufuneka zibe ziyaqwalaselwa. Uphando lubonise ukuba iKurani yaguqulelwa kwezinye iilwimi kwaye iinguqulelo zisetyenziswa ngaphandle kwengxaki. Imizekelo yeenguqulelo ziiKurani kwisiNgesi nakwisiSwahili. Uphando lubonise kananjalo ukuba zikhona ezinye iinguqulelo zeKurani kwiilwimi zase-Afrika. Ngoko ke, uphando lufikelele kwisigqibo sokuba iKurani ingaguqulelwa kulwmi lwesiXhosa kwaye nayiphina imingeni yenzululwazi yolwimi engathi ivele ingasonjululwa kulwimi ekujoliswe kulo luphando, ukuba kunokuthi umntu ongathi aguqulele ingabi nguye nawuphi na umntu ontetho isisiXhosa owazi ulwimi lwesi-Arabhu kwaye eliSlamsi, koko ibe yibhodi yokuguqulela eya kuthi ibe nabantu abohlukeneyo ngokwamanqanaba abo, ukusuka kulowo ungafundanga, iincutshe zokuguqulela, iingcali zolwimi kwiilwimi zombini. Nangona kunjalo, kuphando kuye kwaqwalaselwa ukuba iKurani eguqulelweyo ayinakubizwa ngokuba yiKurani kodwa mayibizwe ngegama elibonisa nelicebisa ukuba umbhalo lowo yinguqulelo.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is motivated by existing information on the discontinuity between home literacy practices and school literacy expectations of learners who typically speak a local variety of their mothertongue which is in various ways different from the standardised language of learning and teaching (LoLT). In this particular case the study refers to Afrikaans as a home language and language in education. The main concern is that these learners typically perform below par in standardised South African literacy tests such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA) and the Systemic Evaluation Test. They show slower achievement of literacy milestones, higher school drop-out rates and less achievement of access to higher learning opportunities (Lahire, 1995; Siegel, 2007). A Narrative Enrichment Programme was developed as a means of investigating questions concerning learners’ levels of language awareness, their understanding and use of different spoken and written genres, registers and varieties of Afrikaans (including their own), and their general appreciation for spoken and written forms of language in narrative and in other everyday uses. The purpose of such an investigation is to better understand the apparent discontinuity between home language practices and school language expectations, and to suggest new ways of addressing difficulties that arise in literacy development as a result of such discontinuity. The first part of the Narrative Enrichment Programme provided learners with an enriched reading, listening and writing environment in which they could engage with novel stories and work towards producing their own little books. The second part of the programme consisted of supporting exercises that addressed narrative structure issues that arose in the course of the first part. Specifically, exercises of picture-sequencing, picture-sentence matching and an exercise called Beginning, Middle and End were used to assess how learners recount the various components and the chronology of a story that was presented to them in the form of a set of topically connected pictures, and in a longer narrative that was read to them. Findings show that learners have a keen appreciation of the spoken form of language in that they loved listening to the stories. One group showed special enthusiasm for retelling stories that they had heard at home. Another aspect of the programme to which learners responded enthusiastically, was the activity of illustrating little books; this they appeared to enjoy more than writing them. Enthusiastic responses of learners are attended to because learning is much more likely to proceed successfully if learners enjoy the developmental activities. Levels of linguistic awareness with regards to genre, register and grammatical aspects such as spelling differed from learner to learner. Learners showed varying degrees of dependence on the already familiar genres of fables and fairy tales. Regarding writing conventions they also showed varying degrees of awareness of (e.g.) appropriate punctuation. Interesting examples of regional language use which included phonological awareness of the spoken form are discussed in considerable detail. There were unexpected findings regarding the influence that learners’ life experiences have on their narrative products. The picture sequencing activities reflected learners’ use of familiar everyday events and artefacts rather than reference to ones unfamiliar to them, which were apparently intended in the set of pictures. The rich and varied data that was collected, illustrates theoretical positions regarding the different kinds of habitus learners encounter, the ways in which educational systems privilege some linguistic resources above others, the connections between language and identity, and the ways in which new forms of literacy may assist in better facilitating learners’ emerging literacy and the learning that such literacy should facilitate. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is gemotiveer deur inligting oor die diskontinuïteit tussen tuisgebaseerde geletterdheidspraktyke en skoolgeletterdheidsverwagtinge van leerders wat tipies ’n plaaslike variant van hulle moedertaal praat, wat op verskeie maniere verskil van die gestandardiseerde taal wat as medium van onderrig gebruik word. In hierdie geval verwys die studie na Afrikaans as huistaal en taal-in-onderrig. Die kwessies wat hier ter sake is, is dat hierdie leerders tipies benede die verwagtinge presteer in gestandaardiseerde Suid Afrikaanse geletterdheidstoetse soos die Jaarlikse Nasionale Assessering (ANA) en die Sistemiese Evalueringstoets. Hulle bereik geletterdheidsmylpale stadiger as die norm, vertoon hoër skooluitsaksyfers en minder van hulle behaal toegang tot hoër onderwysgeleenthede (Lahire, 1995; Siegel, 2007). ʼn Narratiewe Verrykingsprogram is ontwikkel as ʼn instrument om vrae te ondersoek wat verband hou met leerders se vlakke van taalbewustheid, hulle begrip en gebruik van verskillende gesproke en geskrewe genres, registers en variante van Afrikaans (insluitend hulle eie), en hul algemene waardering vir gesproke en geskrewe vorme van taal in narratief en in ander alledaagse gebruike. Die doel van so 'n ondersoek is om die ooglopende diskontinuïteit tussen huistaalpraktyke en skooltaalverwagtinge beter te verstaan, en om voorstelle te ontwikkel vir die aanspreek van probleme wat in geletterdheisontwikkeling ontstaan as gevolg van so ʼn diskontinuïteit. Die eerste deel van die Narratiewe Verrykingsprogram het leerders voorsien van 'n verrykte omgewing waarin hulle aktief betrokke kon raak by nuwe verhale en kon werk aan die produksie van hul eie klein boekies. Die tweede deel van die program het bestaan uit ondersteuningsoefeninge wat spesifiek kwessies van narratiefstruktuur wat in die eerste deel na vore gekom het, aangespreek het. Meer spesifiek, prentorganiseringsoefeninge, die verbind van sinne aan illustrasies, en 'n oefening genaamd “Begin, Middel en Einde” is gebruik om na te gaan hoe leerders rekenskap gee van die verskillende komponente en die chronologie van ’n verhaal wat aan hulle voorgehou is in die vorm van ʼn stel tematies verwante illustrasies, en in ʼn langer narratief wat aan hulle voorgelees is. Bevindinge toon dat leerders waardering vir die gesproke vorm van taal het, soos geïllustreer in hulle luistergereedheid as stories voorgelees word. Een groep het entoesiasme getoon vir die oorvertel van stories wat hulle by die huis gehoor het. ’n Ander aspek van die program waarop leerders met entoesiasme gereageer het, was die aktiwiteit van illustrasie van hulle boekies; hulle het kennelik die aanbied van visuele illustrasies meer geniet as die skryfproses. Entoesiasme van leerders is as belangrik beskou omdat leerprosesse baie meer waarskynlik geslaagd sal wees as leerders die ontwikkelingsaktiwiteit geniet. Vlakke van taalbewustheid ten opsigte van genre, register en grammatikale aspekte soos spelling, verskil van een leerder tot ’n volgende. Leerders het verskillende grade van afhanklikheid getoon van die fabel- en sprokiegenres. Betreffende skryfkonvensies het hulle wisselende grade van bewustheid getoon van (bv.) gepaste leestekengebruik. Interessante voorbeelde van die gebruik van streektaal, wat fonologiese bewussyn van die gesproke vorm insluit, word in besonderhede bespreek. Daar was onvoorsiene bevindinge betreffende die invloed wat leerders se lewenservaringe op hulle narratiewe produkte gehad het. Die prentordeningsaktiwiteite het leerders se gebruik van bekende alledaagse gebeure en artefakte gereflekteer; hulle het nie verwys na wat vir hulle onbekend was nie al het die stel prente oënskynlik iets anders beoog as wat die leerders daarvan gemaak het. Die ryk en gevarieerde data wat versamel is, illustreer teoretiese posisies rakende die verskillende soorte habitus waarmee leerders gekonfronteer word, die wyse waarop onderwyssisteme party soorte taalvaardighede bo ander reken, die verbande tussen taal en identiteit, en die maniere waarop nuwe vorme van geletterdheid ingespan kan word om leerders se ontluikende geletterdheid en die leergeleenthede wat sodanige geletterdheid fasiliteer, te bevorder.

The study developed from realisation that there is no information available about strategies or processes in the iBT speaking scoring rubrics, although ETS (Educational Testing Service) claims that the iBT speaking test is designed to measure strategic processes, which is one constructs of academic proficiency. Therefore, the study investigates which strategic processes are used to complete given speaking tasks. This would provide evidence to help in the evaluation of the validity claims proposed by the test designers. Six Korean participants, studying at English-medium universities, completed 2 independent tasks and 2 integrated tasks both in a test and in their class. Participants’ speech samples were collected during the performances and stimulated recall verbalisation was conducted after they had completed the tasks. Speech samples were coded into five categories: approach, compensation, cognitive, metacognitive strategies and feelings. Consequently, the study examined how strategies reported through stimulated recalls were present in actual speech. The findings showed that metacognitive strategies were used most frequently under both conditions. Fair-level speakers employed more strategies in the test, while good-level speakers used more strategies in the class. Moreover, integrated task types elicited more strategy use for both conditions. Speakers reported that they felt significantly more negative under test conditions than in the class. More importantly, two conditions shared 67.74% of the strategy types, and 84% of the strategy types used in the test were also used in the classroom, which may strengthen the validity of the iBT speaking test in terms of strategy use. Finally, evidences of strategy use were identified in actual speech, which can open the way to operationalised strategy use assessment in speaking test. However, the figure of evidenced strategy use was very low: 5.28% and 2.66% respectively in the test and in the class. It is recommended that future research be carried out with a large number of participants in order to generalise strategy use in speaking performance. Moreover, further studies might be conducted to examine the significance of observable strategic evidence in speech, to inform decisions to include strategies in the scoring rubrics.

The purpose of this paper is to examine in depth and to synthesize the literature on foreign language anxiety, with specific focus on speaking anxiety. This paper reviews the development of the foreign language anxiety construct and extensive research on its relationship with other domains of second language acquisition, including specific language skills and language learning processes. Review of the literature has confirmed that foreign language anxiety plays a significant role in learners’ performance and achievement. However, there are still many areas that need further research and clarification. Variables such as individual differences still cloud the relationship between anxiety and achievement, thus suggesting that further research should be conducted in order to clarify the effects of foreign language anxiety and should strive to alleviate learners’ anxiety in the language classroom. / text

Scholarly analysis of rhetorical speeches over the last century has been concentrated on the “traditional” ways of approaching this kind of texts, without paying much attention to their theatrical nature. The old critical analysis paid attention primarily (if not exclusively) to textual issues such as the recognition of grammatical points and the use of such texts as sources of information about historical and legal issues. The interest of scholars focuses, recently, on the study of rhetorical speeches as performances. Although some critical approaches of Demosthenes’ On the Crown appeared over the last few years, there is no systematic argument about the theatrical features of this masterpiece. By reading On the Crown, I emphasize the connection between law and theater and I suggest that rhetoric has its own “performativity”. The speech is a judicial performance: the speaker is like an actor, the court rostrum is like a theatrical scene and the audience that will vote for Demosthenes consists of the same people who take part in a theatrical performance, praising or booing the actors. The comic and tragic language and imagery, the use of emotional appeals (pathos) that is associated with the construction of characters (ēthopoiia), and finally, delivery (hypocrisis) are important theatrical devices, which Demosthenes uses in the speech. This report has a twofold structure: first, it offers a brief theoretical survey of the above-mentioned theatrical devices. Second, it provides a text-based analysis of the theatrical features of On the Crown, discussing how Demosthenes by using theatrical techniques in his speech succeeds in persuading the audience of the Crown trial and gaining an overwhelming victory over Aeschines. / text

This study examined the role service learning might play in increasing students’ public speaking self-efficacy in a required public speaking course. By increasing students’ public speaking mastery experiences with real world audiences and by providing them with additional feedback from community professionals in the audience, a service learning approach might potentially raise students’ perceptions of public speaking selfefficacy beyond what is gained from a public speaking course taught in a traditional way. A repeated measures, quasi-experimental study design with a comparison group was utilized in this study. Participants included 274 students enrolled in service learning public speaking courses and 328 students enrolled in traditionally taught public speaking courses at the University of Kentucky during the fall 2010 semester. Students enrolled in the service learning sections participated in at least 10 hours of service at a local nonprofit agency in lieu of classroom “seat time” over the course of the semester and developed their speech assignments around the experiences they had at the agency. First, this study attempted to provide support for a new measure of public speaking selfefficacy. In addition, it examined the relationship between students’ public speaking selfefficacy and their public speaking skill, as well as whether students enrolled in the service learning sections experienced different levels of public speaking self-efficacy than their non-service learning counterparts. This study also aimed to discover which sources of self-efficacy are most influential for students in developing their public speaking self-efficacy. Finally, this study compared speech performance ratings (including overall speech performance generally and delivery, structure, and content specifically) of students enrolled in service learning sections and students enrolled in traditional sections. Overall, results provided support for a new public speaking selfefficacy scale. In addition, public speaking self-efficacy and skill were weakly correlated. Next, service-learning and non-service learning students did not differ significantly on measures of public speaking self-efficacy or skill. Finally, mastery experiences seemed to have a larger impact on public speaking self-efficacy for servicelearning students than for non-service learning students.

Šiandieninėje ugdymo teorijoje ir praktikoje pabrėžiama asmens kompetencijų ugdymo svarba. Viena iš mokykloje ugdytinų kompetencijų yra komunikavimo kompetencija. Darbe analizuojama specialiosios mokyklos 7 klasės mokinių kalbėjimo gebėjimų ugdymas skaitomo negrožinio teksto pagrindu, taikant mokymosi bendradarbiaujant metodus. Remiantis edukologijos mokslo atstovų įžvalgomis kalbėjimo gebėjimai šiame darbe apibrėžiami kaip atsakingas verbalinės kalbos vartojimas, teksto supratimui, informacijos radimui ir tinkamam jos pateikimui kitiems. Aptariamas bendraamžių mokymas(is) atsižvelgiant į tikslą, situaciją, naujos veiklos apmąstymą, socioemocinę aplinką. Siekiant kokybinio tyrimo tikslo – įvertinti mokymosi bendradarbiaujant poveikį ugdant sutrikusio intelekto mokinių kalbėjimo gebėjimus, skaitomo negrožinio teksto pagrindu, buvo keliami uždaviniai: 1. Teoriniu aspektu išanalizuoti intelekto sutrikimą turinčių vaikų kalbinių gebėjimų ypatumus; atskleisti mokymosi bendradarbiaujant sampratą. 2. Ugdomuoju eksperimentu įvertinti mokymosi bendradarbiaujant poveikį nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių kalbėjimo gebėjimų ugdymuisi skaitomo negrožinio teksto pagrindu. 3. Pusiau struktūruoto interviu metodu atskleisti nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių požiūrį į savo kalbinius gebėjimus ir mokymosi bendradarbiaujant poveikį. 4. Apklausos metodu išsiaiškinti nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių požiūrį į mokymąsi bendradarbiaujant. 5. Parengti rekomendacijas ugdymo proceso... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The thesis analyses the problem of development of speaking skills of school-aged children with slight mental decline. The subject of the research: Development of speaking skills of pupils with slight mental decline on the basis of the non-fiction reading text. Hypothesis: Pupils with slight mental decline will develop their speaking skills more actively if the methods of learning while communicating are combined with the playing methods. The goal of the research: to show the impact of learning while communicating on the development of speaking skills of pupils with slight mental decline. The methods of the research: The impact of learning while communicating on the development of speaking skills of pupils with slight mental decline is assessed using the development experiment method. By using the interview method, the viewpoints of pupils with slight mental decline to their speaking skills and the impact of learning while communicating are shown. Based on the method of questionnaire survey, the viewpoints of pupils with slight mental decline on learning while communicating are found out. Respondents and scope of the research: 8 (4 girls and 4 boys) pupils of 13 to14 years old of special school Form 7 were selected for the qualitative research. The research was carried out in the period of February – May, 2010. Important conclusions of the research: 1. Learning while communicating has a positive impact on the development of speaking skills of pupils with slight mental decline... [to full text]

In an ever-changing world, work and personal life are the main areas in which most employed adults spend their time. Today the essence of the relationship between work- and personal life is that these two domains overlap and interact. Consequently, an increasing number of employed adults are confronted with bigger demands in both their work and personal lives, and many of their daily hassles stem from job responsibilities that are incompatible with responsibilities in their personal lives. Educators' work has also become more intricate and demanding and may be one of the professions in which individuals find it difficult to combine their work and personal lives. The objective of this study was to determine how Setswana-speaking educators experienced their work-personal life interaction (WPLI), and more specifically to determine the significant domains, antecedents, consequences and strategies associated with WPLI for the participants. A non-probability purposive voluntary sample (N = 10) was taken of Setswana-speaking secondary school educators from the Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp areas in the North West Province. Data collection was done through a phenomenological method of semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data was analysed by the use of content analysis The results indicated that educators experienced factors in both their work and personal lives to be demanding. In addition, work demands led to various time constraints and strain. However, factors were identified that made the demands less overwhelming and it was also found that educators valued certain things (family, friends, leisure time, church and personal time) in their personal lives. Educators nevertheless employed certain strategies to cope with this interaction, which in turn led to numerous positive outcomes. Lastly, an interesting finding relating to this study was that educators felt a responsibility towards the children. Recommendations were made for the organisation and for future practice. / Thesis (M.Com. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

This study explored the relationship between the personality construct of hardiness and public speaking anxiety. Although hardiness has been widely explored in a variety of anxiety-arousing life events, its relationship with communication anxiety had not been previously studied. Therefore, hardiness, public speaking trait anxiety, and public speaking state anxiety were measured in a course requiring an oral presentation assignment. One hundred fifty students enrolled in a basic speech communication course participated in the study. A statistically significant correlation was revealed between hardiness and trait communication anxiety. Students higher in hardiness reported lower trait communication apprehension in three contexts: 1) meeting, 2) interpersonal, and 3) group. Overall, students did not differ on measures of hardiness and a fourth communication context: public speaking anxiety. Likewise, on measures of hardiness and state public speaking anxiety, students did not differ.

This study used an interdisciplinary approach to examine an intervention for reducing public speaking state anxiety. A quasi-experiment was conducted to determine if a multiple-exposure treatment technique (TRIPLESPEAK) would help to attenuate public speaking anxiety. The treatment group reported experiencing significantly less state anxiety during their post-test presentation than did the control group. This lead to the conclusion that exposure therapy can be used to help students enrolled in basic communication classes begin to overcome their fear of speaking in front of an audience. Follow-up analysis of the treatment group's reported anxiety levels during all five presentations (pre-test, Treatment Presentation 1, Treatment Presentation 2, Treatment Presentation 3, and post-test) revealed an increase in anxiety from the last treatment presentation to the post-test presentation. In order to explore this issue, Shannon's entropy was utilized to calculate the amount of information in each speaking environment. Anderson's functional ontology construction approach served as a model to explain the role of the environment in shaping speakers' current and future behaviors and reports of anxiety. The exploratory analysis revealed a functional relationship between information and anxiety. In addition, a qualitative study was conducted to determine which environmental stimuli speakers perceived contributed to their anxiety levels. Students reported experiencing anxiety based on four categories, which included speaker concerns, audience characteristics, contextual factors and assignment criteria. Students' reports of anxiety were dependent upon their previous speaking experiences, and students suggested differences existed between the traditional presentations and the treatment presentations. Pedagogical and theoretical implications are discussed.