This study focuses on listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners. The researcher wanted to establish the state of these skills, and whether they influence the scholastic achievement of learners. Literature study was done, and literature indicates that listening skills are a prerequisite for language proficiency. Listening is a skill that has to be mastered before a child can learn to speak. Listening is essential for all learning, and also determines the success of learning in the formal school system. Cognitive development of the Grade R learner, which is a complex interaction among psychological, environmental and genetic factors, is also considered. Factors which influence auditory perception are emphasized and supported by the literature, as is the importance of good auditory skills. A literature study on brain development is also executed. The brain is the most complex organ in the human body and that cognitive development is seated in the brain. The study indicates the importance of correct stimulation and the acquisition of skills during the first eight years of a child’s life. School readiness, auditory perception and listening skills of the school entrant are considered. Listening skills as well as perceptual skills are skills needed for school readiness and will be discussed. The researcher utilised the mixed method for the empirical investigation, and data were interpreted from the Interpretivistic paradigm. Questionnaires to practising Grade R educators (n=20) determined the state of listening and auditory skills of current Grade R learners in the Kenneth Kaunda district in the Potchefstroom area. This was the qualitative part of the data collection. For quantitative data collection, school readiness tests (n=500) used during the past ten years from a specific pre-primary school in above mentioned district, were utilised. The test used in this study is the “Standardised School Readiness Test” of dr. S le Roux. By the statistical processing of the tests the researcher wanted to determine the state of listening and auditory skills of Grade R learners during the past ten years; whether a decrease is indicated by the statistics, and whether listening and auditory skills only make a difference according to year groups. This could, however, not be proven statistically. The educators who completed the questionnaires indicated significantly that listening and auditory skills of learners have decreased during the past few years. The researcher interprets the phenomenon as a result of the amount of learners in a class. Class ratio may have an influence, since only four to six learners are tested at a time with the school readiness test as opposed to 24 – 30 learners in a Grade R class. The researcher wanted to establish whether listening and auditory skills play a determining role in school readiness and scholastic achievement. According to literature and empirical research, listening and auditory skills do in fact play a determining role in scholastic achievement. If learners are unable to listen, they cannot learn to read and their reading comprehension is poor. All above factors contribute to learners not being ready for school when commencing Grade 1. If attention is given to the development of auditory perceptual skills as well as good listening skills of learners in the Grade R phase, the future Annual National Assessment (ANA) results of Grade 3 learners may be influenced positively. / Thesis (MEd (Curriculum Development))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

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Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Ontluikende geletterdheid is waarskynlik die belangrik:ste tema wat in hierdie proefskrif behandel word. Die doelbewuste skepping van ouderdomsrelevante geleenthede vir die kleuter om op 'n informele wyse blootstelling en deelname aan luister- praat-, lees- en skryfvaardighede te ervaar, dien as vertrekpunt. Vroee ontwikkeling van geletterdheidsvaardigbede, as komponent van kognitiewe ontwikkeling by die kleuter, bet geblyk noodsaaklik te wees- nie net ten aansien van skoolgereedheid nie, maar ook ten opsigte van sy uiteindelike selfverwesenliking. Die oogmerk strek dus verder as die afiigting van die kleuter tot 'n toereikende vaardigbeidsvlak ten einde skoolgereed te kan wees. In teenstelling met die lank bestaande beleid in Suid-Afiika, wat bepaal bet dat voorskoolse onderwys byna uitsluitlik die onderrig van perseptuele vaardigbede moes bebels, word 'n alternatiewe benadering m hierdie proefskrif aangedui. Hulpverlening met geletterdheidsontwikkeling as doelwit behels waarskynlik 'n meer omvattende scenario ten einde die beboeftes van die affektief-, kognitief-, sosiaalwordende kind aan te spreek. Ontsluiting van 'n nuwe wereld van kennis waardeur nonne, boudings en vaardighede aangeleer word, bet 'n direkte invloed op die kwaliteit van sy totale lewe. By uitnemendbeid skep uitkomsgerigte onderwys die geleentbeid om reeds op voorskoolse vlak, geletterdbeidsvaardigbede op 'n informele wyse aan te leer. Die mite dat primere skole aileen die voorreg beskore is om leerders te leer lees en skryf, word krities in hierdie studie bevraagteken. Die klemverskuiwing is reeds sigbaar in die nuut-aangekondigde onderwysbeleid naamlik dat die leerprogram Geletterdheid minstens sowat 40% van die daaglikse onderrigprogram in die grondslagfase moet geniet. Die wyse waarop geletterdheidsvaardighede aangeleer kan word, word indiepte bespreek. Eweneens word belangrike prosesse waardeur die ontwikkeling van 'n fonologiese-, semantiese- en sintaktiese bewussyn, aan die orde gestel. Die aanleer van geletterdheidsvaardighede blyk nie alleen noodsaaklik te wees vir die ontwikkeling van lewensvaardighede nie dit bewerkstellig toegang tot en die begryping en belewing van die werklikheid wat die mens omring. / Emergent literacy is probably the most important theme addressed in this thesis. The purpose is to create age related opportunities for the pre-school child to experience exposure and participation in listening-, vocal-, reading- and writing abilities on an informal basis which serves as a point of departure. Early awareness of literacy abilities as a component of cognitive development of the pre-school child has proved to be essential - not only in respect of school readiness, but also with regard to ultimate selfactualisation. The aim therefore goes beyond the mere training of the pre-school child to an adequate level of competence to be well prepared for formal schooling. Contrary to the well established policy in South Africa which determined that pre-school education should be limited to the exclusive teaching of perceptual abilities, an alternative approach has been considered in this thesis. Assistance with a view to literacy development probably encompasses a more inclusive scenario in order to address the requirements of the emotional, cognitive and social developing pre-school child. Exposure to a new world of knowledge through which norms, attitudes and abilities are acquired, has a direct influence on the quality of his total life. Outcomes based education provides an excellent opportunity to acquire already at pre-school level, literacy skills on an informal basis. The myth that only primary schools have been allotted the privilege to teach learners to read and write, is being critically questioned in this study. The change in emphasis is already evident in the recently announced education policy, namely that the daily learning programme Literacy must include at least 400/o of the foundation programme phase. The manner in which literacy skills can be acquired are discussed in depth. Simultaneously Literacy must include at least 400/o of the foundation programme phase. The manner in which literacy skills can be acquired are discussed in depth. Simultaneously important processes affecting the development of a phonological, semantic and syntactic cognition are discussed. The acquisition of literacy skills appears not only to be important to the development of life skills - it accomplishes access to and the comprehension of as well as the perception of the reality surrounding man. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

The diploma thesis focuses on issues of the school admission to the 1st grade of the primary school. Nowadays this topic is more and more often discussed mainly from perspective of the different approach of many primary schools to checking out the school readiness during the school admission. This thesis is divided into two parts, the theoretical and the practical part. The first chapter of the theoretical part describes the terms school readiness and its particular issues. Next chapter describes the school admission to the 1st grade; there we can find recommended methods of checking the school readiness and organization of the school entry. Next chapter focuses on postponement of school attendance and preparatory classes, which are aimed at those children who got the postponement of school attendance. The last chapter deals with the school entrance and first months spent in the school class, because it relates to the school readiness and school admission and therefore it logically closes the theoretical part. The practical part of the thesis presents case study of the school admission on six primary schools. These schools were chosen to differ in the size, size of the city and socioeconomic status of families whose children attend the primary school. The aim is to find out how much the school...

This thesis examined the relationship between classroom quality, approaches-to-learning, and early academic skills among 384 Latino dual language learners (DLLs) enrolled in Florida Head Start programs. The children were living in low-income homes where Spanish was the primary language spoken by at least one parent. The study analyzed the extent to which approaches-to-learning behaviors moderate early literacy and numeracy skills in Head Start classrooms of varying quality. During the spring of their prek-4 year, the children were administered the English and Spanish Letter-Word Identification and Applied Problems subtests of the WJ-III (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001) and the Batería III (Muñoz-Sandoval, Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2005) Tests of Achievement. General features of classroom quality were measured using the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008). Multilevel models indicated that there is a negative association between a classroom's level of emotional support and early English Literacy Skills, a positive association between Attention/Persistence Learning Behaviors and early English Literacy Skills, and a positive association between Competence Motivation Learning Behaviors and early English Numeracy Skills. Approaches-to-learning behaviors did not moderate the relationship between classroom quality and early academic skills. Results are consistent with previous research that has found that general measures of classroom quality may not capture the cultural and linguistic factors that influence a DLL's early academic skills. The current findings are consistent with previous literature on the positive influence of approaches-to-learning behaviors on early academic skills. Implications for practice include using culturally responsive teaching practices, creating a positive classroom environment, and supporting the development of Attention/Persistence and Competence Motivation Learning Behaviors. Implications for research include strengths-based research examining the promotive role of approaches-to-learning in DLL development and using culturally sensitive measures of classroom quality.

In 2001 White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Development announced that a year-long Reception Year (Grade R) programme would gradually be phased in at primary schools. In addition, the Report on the Nationwide Audit of ECD Provisioning noted that the overwhelming majority of ECE teachers are inadequately trained. Despite the teachers’ lack of capacity, the national Department of Education introduced the official curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), into Grade R classes in 2004. Prior to 2004, there was no official curriculum for Grade R. Instead, teachers designed their own curricula. The NCS, by its very imposition, is an example of radical curriculum change. I undertook a qualitative study from Grade R teachers' perspectives in order to illuminate how nine ECE teachers in Gauteng, South Africa are responding to this curriculum change. My findings are consistent with the four main responses discussed in the literature, and on which I based my conceptual framework, namely ignore, resist, adopt and adapt. The Grade R teachers in my study viewed the NCS as developmentally inappropriate for their five-year-old learners. Although they manifested all four responses, they mainly resisted, adopted or adapted curriculum change. Their response could best be typified as "reluctant compliance". After six years of implementation, ignoring it completely is no longer a realistic option. In addition, they either reinterpreted their traditional practices as already compliant with the NCS or they implemented formal academic activities to develop school readiness skills The Grade R teachers in my study had one outstanding characteristic in common they are passionate about their work. Overall, the teachers reported that the NCS has detracted from their enjoyment of their work. In most cases, the Grade R teachers noted that they would pursue Foundation Phase posts because of the absence of a career path for Grade R teachers. Instructional leadership should be developed to support Grade R teachers to implement the NCS appropriately. Once this is in place, Grade R teachers need to be convinced of how the NCS could be implemented in developmentally and culturally appropriate ways and how this could benefit their learners. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

The aim of the diploma thesis Problems of the school immaturity through the eyes of the primary school teachers is to summarize in the theoretical part the existing knowledge of the literature on school maturity and school readiness and their controversy and then in the empirical part to find out what problems primary school teachers feel in this area and how they solves them. The work is divided into theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part summarizes the key findings on the chosen topic, the practical part presents its own qualitative research. The research was conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews with primary school teachers. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed through grounded theory. The analysis of the interviews revealed that the experience of teachers with the school immaturity of primary school pupils is very diverse. Most often addressing teachers met with the inability to separate the child from the parents and deficiencies in communication skills. Most educators most often mentioned an individual approach to supporting children not sufficiently mature for school. It can be considered a negative phenomenon that most of the addressed schools do not have a preparatory program for future first-graders. As a suggestion for practice, I stated that...

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A major challenge that faces most families is effectively anticipating how ready to start school a given child is. Traditional tests are not very effective as they depend on the skills of the expert conducting the test. It is argued that automated tools are more attractive especially when they are extended with games capabilities that would be the most attractive for the children to be seriously involved in the test. The first part of this thesis reviews the school readiness approaches applied in various countries. This motivated the development of the sophisticated system described in the thesis. Extensive research was conducted to enrich the system with features that consider machine learning and social network aspects. A modified genetic algorithm was integrated into a web-based stealth assessment tool for school readiness. The research goal is to create a web-based stealth assessment tool that can learn the user's skills and adjust the assessment tests accordingly. The user plays various sessions from various games, while the Genetic Algorithm (GA) selects the upcoming session or group of sessions to be presented to the user according to his/her skills and status. The modified GA and the learning procedure were described. A penalizing system and a fitness heuristic for best choice selection were integrated into the GA. Two methods for learning were presented, namely a memory system and a no-memory system. Several methods were presented for the improvement of the speed of learning. In addition, learning mechanisms were introduced in the social network aspect to address further usage of stealth assessment automation. The effect of the relatives and friends on the readiness of the child was studied by investigating the social communities to which the child belongs and how the trend in these communities will reflect on to the child under investigation. The plan is to develop this framework further by incorporating more information related to social network construction and analysis. Also, it is planned to turn the framework into a self adaptive one by utilizing the feedback from the usage patterns to learn and adjust the evaluation process accordingly.

Play can be seen as a very important component in the learning programme of pre-school children. The question arises whether the Gr R teacher has adequate play incorporated into the daily schedule? The research question was answered as follows. Although it was revealed in the study that the teachers who had pre-primary and Bed qualifications, possessed more (play) knowledge of all the teachers, the rest of the Gr R teachers indicated that they did have a need to gather more knowledge in childrens’ play, as well as implementing it into the day programme. The third part of the research question was also answered namely; that too much formal education were taking place in the Gr R classes in primary schools. The answer to the question; whether there is enough play in the Gr R class in a primary school is; “no”, 10 and whether there is enough play in the Gr R class in the pre-primary school is; “yes”. It was concluded that the Gr R education methods in the primary school is far more formal than that of the pre-primary school. The research question is thus fully answered and the study was completed successfully. / Spel kan gesien word as ’n baie belangrike komponent van die leerprogram vir voorskoolse kinders. Die vraag ontstaan of Gr R onderwyseresse genoegsame spel in die dagprogram implementeer? Die navorsingsvraag is as volg beantwoord. Alhoewel dit in die studie na vore gekom het, dat die onderwyseresse wat preprimêr en BEd gekwalifiseer is oor die meeste speelkennis beskik, het die meeste Gr R onderwyseresse aangedui dat hul wel ’n behoefte het om meer kennis rakende kinderspel en die implementering daarvan in die dagprogram te bekom. Die laaste vraag voortvloeiend uit die navorsing of daar genoegsame spel in die Gr R klasse plaasvind was die gevolgtrekking “nee” by primêre skole en “ja” by preprimêre skole. Daar is tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Gr R onderwys by primêre skole se onderrigmetodes baie meer formeel is as Gr R by preprimêre skole. Die navorsings-vraag is dus in geheel beantwoord en die studie is suksesvol voltooi. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)