Lam Wai Yung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-133). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / Table of contents --- p.v / Chapter Chapter 1 --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1 .1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Purposes of The Study --- p.7 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Phonological Awareness and Reading --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Word recognition and reading --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Relationship between phonological awareness and reading performance --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- Two Views About Levels of Phonological Awareness --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Linear view of levels of phonological awareness --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Hierarchical view of levels of phonological awareness --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3 --- Measurement of Phonological Awareness --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Various task types --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Various levels of difficulty of phonological tasks --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Task analysis studies --- p.23 / Chapter 2.4 --- Development of Levels of Phonological Awareness --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Developmental sequence of phonological awareness --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Underlying reasons for the sequential development --- p.29 / Chapter 2.5 --- Levels of Phonological Awareness and Reading --- p.30 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Syllable awareness and English reading --- p.31 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Phoneme awareness and English reading --- p.32 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Onset-rime awareness and English reading --- p.34 / Chapter 2.6 --- Chinese Reading English as A Second Language --- p.39 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Orthographic and phonological differences between Chinese and English --- p.39 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Influence of learning Chinese on phonological awareness - --- p.41 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Phonological awareness development in Chinese children - --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- Effects of first language learning on reading English --- p.49 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- METHOD --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1 --- Subjects --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2 --- Tasks --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Syllable level tasks --- p.57 / Chapter 3.2.1.1 --- Syllable detection --- p.57 / Chapter 3.2.1.2 --- Syllable deletion --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Onset-rime level tasks --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.2.1 --- Onset-rime detection --- p.58 / Chapter 3.2.2.2 --- Onset-rime deletion - --- p.59 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Phoneme level tasks --- p.60 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Phoneme detection --- p.60 / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Phoneme deletion - --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Word recognition test --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- The Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices --- p.62 / Chapter 3.3 --- Procedure --- p.63 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- RESULTS --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1 --- Descriptive Data --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2 --- Patterns of Phonological Awareness --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- The performance of three graders in the tasks of three levels of phonological awareness --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Patterns of phonological development --- p.76 / Chapter 4.3 --- Measuring Phonological Awareness: Detection Vs. Deletion --- p.82 / Chapter 4.4 --- Predicting English Word Reading Performance --- p.92 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary of Results --- p.95 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- DISCUSSION --- p.98 / Chapter 5.1 --- Patterns of Phonological Awareness --- p.98 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Progressive development in phonological awareness over grade --- p.98 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- The characteristics of phonological development in Hong Kong children --- p.103 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Developmental progression from large via medium to small units --- p.107 / Chapter 5.2 --- Measurement of Phonological Awareness --- p.110 / Chapter 5.3 --- Phonological Awareness and Word Reading --- p.114 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS --- p.120 / Chapter 6.1 --- Major Findings --- p.120 / Chapter 6.1.1 --- Patterns of phonological awareness --- p.120 / Chapter 6.1.2 --- Measurement of phonological awareness --- p.120 / Chapter 6.1.3 --- Phonological awareness in predicting English reading --- p.121 / Chapter 6.2 --- Limitations --- p.122 / Chapter 6.3 --- Implications and Recommendations --- p.123 / Chapter 5.6.1 --- Pedagogical implications --- p.123 / Chapter 5.6.2 --- Future research recommendations --- p.124 / References --- p.126 / Appendixes --- p.134

This thesis examines the readability of two grade 4 Natural Sciences textbooks currently used in South African schools. Being important sources of classroom input, particularly in grade 4 where learners are reading to learn, textbooks should be readable. That the Natural Sciences subject is only introduced in grade 4 makes the assessment of Natural Sciences textbooks at this level significant. The goal of this research therefore, is to assess the readability of two grade 4 Natural Sciences textbooks and their understandability by learners who speak English as an additional language. The goal of assessing the Natural Sciences textbooks is achieved by the use of cloze and traditional comprehension tests, classic readability formulae, textual analysis and teacher interviews. Cloze and traditional comprehension tests are used to test learners’ understanding of the textbooks and classic readability formulae are meant to assess the grade levels of the textbooks. The tests gauge learner understandability while readability formulae establish text readability. Textual analysis allows the assessment of text readability on the basis of more factors than those accommodated by readability formulae. The textual analysis also helps to identify the readability factors supporting or impeding readability. Teacher interviews are conducted to better understand the teachers’ perceptions on the readability of the Natural Sciences textbooks. The major findings of the study are that the two Natural Sciences textbooks used in the study are generally above the reading level of the intended readers, grade 4 learners and that the participating learners do not understand these textbooks. The challenges with the readability of the textbooks stem mainly from the vocabulary and concepts used in the textbooks which are not well explained.

This thesis reports on research into micro-interactions within the reading literacy event Reading on the Mat in three Grade One classrooms. This event is the core of literacy learning in Foundation Phase classrooms in formerly ‘white’, government-funded primary schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, and takes place daily for every child. It is literacy practice resembling Group Guided Reading. The research focused on teachers’ identity-forming decisions, actions and discourses as a way of examining micro-interactions within the literacy event. Hymes’s work on the ethnography of communication provided categories for the investigation. Using an ethnographic approach, I entered the sites of the study as a participant observer. There I focused on the central literacy event, in which a group of children and the teacher sit in close proximity. I made field notes, video recordings and audio recordings in three sets of visits spanning the full school year. These were supplemented by teacher interviews, consideration of reports and assessments, and an analysis of the text types used on the Mat, for example, graded readers, flash cards and phonics primers. Beginning with Hymes’ S.P.E.A.K.I.N.G. mnemonic, cycles of analysis using multiple instruments foregrounded the data. The central finding of this research is that in Reading on the Mat children are offered identities through strong normative work and embedded practices. Teachers promote positive identities for children as successful readers and create positive affect for reading activities. This positive positioning work is however undercut by three factors: first, the fact that activities on the Mat focus on decoding text fragments rather than interrogating whole texts. The resultant identity offered to children is one of code breakers alone. A finding subsidiary to this, but important for pedagogic practice, is that teachers’ choice of text types is the most powerful determinant of children’s code breaker identity. A second factor that undercuts children’s identity as successful readers is that, although they are active, they have little agency. This derives from the strong assessment focus of teachers on the Mat and their questioning practices. A third factor which undercuts the positive identity children are offered in this literacy event is that, by focusing primarily on decoding fragmented text and on assessment opportunities, teachers avoid engaging with issues of differentiation and disregard cultural and linguistic differences. Teachers’ choices, therefore, while creating a positive climate in the classroom and developing emergent readers who are effective decoders, construct children as limited literate subjects. The same choices enable teachers to ignore learner diversity. / Adobe Acrobat 9.54 Paper Capture Plug-in

The purpose of this project is to provide educators with substantial background information on the unjust history of the Mexican migrant farm worker in the United States and the life of César Chávez. The final goal is to include multiple websites and resources teachers can independently access in order to gain valuable information on migrant farm workers, César Chávez, and social action.

The aim of this thesis is to examine computer technology as an educative tool in primary education and to discover how it's affecting instruction and learning. The writer of this thesis believes that the integration of literacy and computer technology can be successful, provide that government, administration, faculty, parents and students work together.

In defining Inclusive Education, the Education White Paper 6 (South African Department of Education 2001:6) highlights a crucial factor: acknowledging and respecting, amongst other things, language differences in learners. In a developing country like South Africa, a myriad of languages exist. Despite the creation of language awareness by adopting a number of official languages, English appears to be the most common lingua franca – a language that is very often learnt as a second language and as a medium of instruction at schools. On the other hand, IsiZulu is a prominent first language for many South Africans. Emanating from the above, this study focused on IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners’ experiences of English as a second language in English medium schools. Additionally, this study examined the reasons for the parents of IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners choosing to enroll their children in English medium schools. A literature study on second language acquisition and the factors that impact on the English second language learner in the English medium schools was undertaken. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to obtain data from foundation phase educators, IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners, and the parents of IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners in four English medium primary schools in the Port Shepstone region. Individual interviews were conducted with learners and educators and a questionnaire was used as the main instrument for gathering data from parents. Qualitative data was subjected to analysis by means of an eclectic approach. Quantitative data analysis was done by means of tables, frequencies and graphs. This study found that IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners were happy to be enrolled in English medium schools. They interacted well with their peers and they coped well with conversational skills in the English language. However, educators emphasised that reading, writing, and comprehension appeared to be cognitively challenging to learners. Pronouns, pronunciation of words in English, grammar, and figurative language were seen to be problematic areas. This also contributed to speaking anxiety that was espoused by learners and educators. Reading anxiety was also seen to be prevalent. Educators believed that learners exhibited predominantly positive attitudes which indicated that they were motivated to learn. Although integrative motivation and instrumental motivation were seen to play a dual role in learners’ experiences, the parents’ views were strongly influenced by instrumental motivation. Despite the fact that integration as an acculturation process was seen to be dominant in the learners’ responses, educators believed that assimilation and separation were also apparent. Learners were adapting to the cultural contexts of the schools. However, maintaining of eye contact during conversations and lessons was seen to be preventing learners from being able to optimally benefit from the lessons. There were various reasons for the parents choosing to enroll their children in English medium schools. One of the prominent reasons advanced by parents was the fact that most of them (94,4%) enrolled their children in English medium schools because they wanted their children to speak English fluently. Evidently, the English language has impacted on all aspects of IsiZulu-speaking foundation phase learners’ lives. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Inclusive Education))

Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Presently(2002) South Africa finds itself in the centre of a transformation process as far as the provision of education is concerned. Curriculum restructuring is an ongoing process. An exciting development which is coupled herewith is the dissemination of curriculum information, in order to implement outcomes directed curriculum development successfully. This implies that educators must be able to handle these challenges; it demands that they have to be empowered in respect of appropriate curriculum knowledge and skills. In the concept document "Revised National Curriculum Statement for gr. R-9" specific mention is made of the fact that pupils should in future become familiar with the process of writing, which includes prewriting, concept writing, revision, editing and publishing. Indeed a great challenge for educators, acting as facilitators. When learners write, they must follow the aforesaid process. The fact that language, oral as well as written, assists pupils in brightening their thoughts and conveying their observations while they are forming and testing ideas, researcher is of the opinion that more time should be spent on the purposeful teaching of writing in the intermediate phase (gr. 4-6). In the light of the aforesaid the aim of this thesis was to establish, by means of a questionnaire, whether primary schools, and more specific the intermediate phase (gr. 4- 6), are implementing a writing development programme in which the process approach to writing forms an integral part of the teaching. The gathered information was used to suggest strategies for the implementation of a process approach to writing development. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Tans (2002) IS Suid-Afrika midde-in 'n transformasieproses In soverre dit onderwysvoorsiening betref. Kurrikulumherstrukturering vind voortdurend plaas. 'n Opwindende ontwikkeling wat met hierdie herstrukturering gepaard gaan, is die disseminering van kurrikulurninligting om uitkomsgerigte kurrikulumontwikkeling suksesvol te implementeer. Dit impliseer dat onderwysers in staat moet wees om hierdie uitdagings te kan hanteer; dit vereis dat hulle ten opsigte van toepaslike kurrikulumkennis en vaardighede bemagtig moet word. In die konsepdokument "Revised National Curriculum Statement for gr. R-9" word spesifiek daarna verwys dat leerders moet leer dat skryfwerk 'n proses is wat die volgende insluit: preskryf, konsepskryf, hersiening, redigering en publisering. Wanneer leerders dus skryf, moet hulle dié skryfproses volg. Omdat die gebruik van taal, mondeling sowel as skriftelik, leerders help om hulle denke te verhelder en hul waarnemings oor te dra terwyl hul idees vorm en toets, is navorser van mening dat meer tyd aan skryfonderrig in die intermediêre fase (gr.4-6) afgestaan moet word. Die probleem wat in hierdie tesis ondersoek is, is of 'n prosesbenadering tot skryfonderrig, waarin die onderwyser sy onderrig aan die hand van die kurrikulum en leerderkennis en - insette uitbou met doelbewuste onderrig van die skryfproses, en 'n daarmee gepaardgaande geleide komponent waaronder verstaan word die onderrig van skryfvaardighede, 'n bruikbare metode vir skryfonderrig in die intermediêre fase (gr.2-6) is. 'n Empiriese vraelysondersoek is by laerskole gedoen, en die verkreë inligting is gebruik om voorstelle aan die hand te doen waarvolgens 'n prosesgerigte skryfontwikkelingsprogram geïmplementeer kan word.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The purpose of this study was to examine first-graders' construction of knowledge of graphophonemic and orthographic relationships. Three levels of treatment were assigned randomly to three groups of first-graders in their first semester of first grade. Treatment varied in student engagement with reading and writing texts based on student interests and in the amount of interaction students had with one another and the researcher as they read, wrote, and examined words, word patterns, and graphophonemic relationships. The study was based on a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design (Campbell & Stanley, 1963) with an added within-subjects factor of 12 weekly test occasions. These weekly tests involved students writing a researcher-dictated continuous text selected by students in the full-treatment group from the larger portion of text read each week. Additional elements of qualitative research were included in the design and analyses. Quantitative analyses revealed statistically significant results. Qualitative data analyses confirmed that students who interacted daily with each other and the researcher in reading and writing activities constructed more knowledge about graphophonemic and orthographic relationships than peers from the partial-treatment group and the control group. Results led to conclusions and implications involving a reexamination of current and traditional methods of spelling instruction and assessment for young children.

Chan Ho-leung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-120). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.i / English version --- p.ii / Chinese version --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF ACRONYMS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES --- p.x / Chapter CHAPTER ONE: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background of the Study --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Syllabus --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Syllabus and Curriculum --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- Infrastructure of English Language Curriculum in Hong Kong --- p.4 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Focus --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research Questions --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- Significance --- p.6 / Chapter 1.6 --- Thesis Outline --- p.8 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- REVIEW OF LITERATURE --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- Historical Development of English Language Education in Hong Kong --- p.11 / Chapter 2.3 --- Oral-Structural Approach in the 1960s and 1970s --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Primary English Syllabus in 1967 --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Primary English Syllabus in 1976 --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Relationships between the Two Syllabuses --- p.17 / Chapter 2.4 --- Communicative Language Teaching from the 1980s to the Early 1990s --- p.19 / Chapter 2.5 --- Target Oriented Curriculum (TOC) Initiatives --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- First Phase: TTRA and Genesis of the TOC --- p.23 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Second Phase: The TOC in Shape --- p.25 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Third Phase: The TOC beyond 1997 --- p.26 / Chapter 2.6 --- Summary of Chapter Two --- p.29 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY --- p.31 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2 --- Focus of the Study --- p.33 / Chapter 3.3 --- Nature of the Research --- p.34 / Chapter 3.4 --- Procedures of Data Collection --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Syllabuses --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Interviews --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Triangulation of Data --- p.37 / Chapter 3.5 --- Analytical Framework --- p.38 / Chapter 3.6 --- Methods of Data Analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 3.7 --- Data Reliability --- p.41 / Chapter 3.8 --- Limitation --- p.41 / Chapter 3.9 --- Summary of Chapter Three --- p.41 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR: --- ORAL-STRUCTURAL APPROACH --- p.43 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction...................................................................... --- p.43 / Chapter 4.2 --- Rationale for Introducing the Oral-Structural Approach --- p.43 / Chapter 4.3 --- Theoretical Basis of the Oral-Structural Approach --- p.45 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Genesis of the Oral-Structural Approach --- p.45 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Theory of Language --- p.46 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Theory of Language Learning --- p.47 / Chapter 4.4 --- Oral-Structural Approach Manifested in Hong Kong --- p.47 / Chapter 4.5 --- Analysis of Pedagogical Features --- p.51 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Goal Setting --- p.51 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Curriculum Selection --- p.52 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Curriculum Structuring --- p.53 / Chapter 4.5.4 --- Instructional Planning --- p.54 / Chapter 4.5.5 --- Technical Evaluation --- p.55 / Chapter 4.6 --- Discussion of the Hong Kong Adaptation of the OSA --- p.56 / Chapter 4.7 --- Syllabus and the Oral-Structural Approach --- p.57 / Chapter 4.8 --- Limitations of the OSA --- p.58 / Chapter 4.9 --- Summary of Chapter Four --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE: --- COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING --- p.61 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.61 / Chapter 5.2 --- Rationale for Introducing CLT in the 1981 Syllabus --- p.61 / Chapter 5.3 --- Theoretical Basis of Communicative Language Teaching --- p.64 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Genesis of Communicative Language Teaching --- p.64 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Theory of Language --- p.66 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Theory of Language Learning --- p.67 / Chapter 5.4 --- Communicative Language Teaching Manifested in the 1981 Syllabus --- p.68 / Chapter 5.5 --- Analysis of Pedagogical Features --- p.71 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Goal Setting --- p.71 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Curriculum Selection --- p.73 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Curriculum Structuring --- p.74 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- Instructional Planning --- p.75 / Chapter 5.5.5 --- Technical Evaluation --- p.77 / Chapter 5.6 --- Discussion of the Hong Kong Adaptation of CLT --- p.78 / Chapter 5.6.1 --- Merits --- p.78 / Chapter 5.6.2 --- Demerits --- p.80 / Chapter 5.7 --- Syllabus and Communicative Language Teaching --- p.81 / Chapter 5 .8 --- Summary of Chapter Five --- p.82 / Chapter CHAPTER SIX: --- TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING --- p.83 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.83 / Chapter 6.2 --- Rationale for introducing the TOC in the 1997 syllabus --- p.84 / Chapter 6.3 --- Theoretical Basis of TBLT --- p.86 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Genesis of TBLT --- p.86 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Theory of Language --- p.87 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Theory of Language Learning --- p.88 / Chapter 6.4 --- TBLT Manifested in the 1997 syllabus --- p.89 / Chapter 6.5 --- Analysis of Pedagogical Features --- p.90 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Goal Setting --- p.91 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Curriculum Selection --- p.93 / Chapter 6.5.3 --- Curriculum Structuring --- p.94 / Chapter 6.5.4 --- Instructional Planning --- p.94 / Chapter 6.5.5 --- Technical Evaluation --- p.97 / Chapter 6.6 --- Syllabus and the TOC --- p.98 / Chapter 6.7 --- Summary of Chapter Six --- p.101 / Chapter CHAPTER SEVEN: --- CONCLUSION --- p.103 / Chapter 7.1 --- Introduction --- p.103 / Chapter 7.2 --- Research Question 1 --- p.104 / Chapter 7.3 --- Research Question 2 --- p.106 / Chapter 7.4 --- Research Question 3 --- p.107 / Chapter 7.5 --- Limitations of the Study --- p.109 / Chapter 7.6 --- Implications and Recommendations --- p.110 / REFERENCES --- p.113 / APPENDICES --- p.121 / Appendix I Newspaper Clipping --- p.121 / Appendix II Semi-Structured Interview Questions --- p.123 / Appendix III Profile of Interviewees --- p.124 / Appendix IV Sample Transcript of Interview A --- p.125 / Appendix V Sample Transcript of Interview B --- p.135 / Appendix VI Sample Transcript of Interview F --- p.144 / Appendix VII Interview Data Recorded in CDs