Under favourable conditions, the child in the senior primary phase (from Grade 5 to Grade 7) should lead a happy and carefree life with few real problems for himlherself or his parents. At this time the child is at his/her most receptive stage, therefore it is very important that the child should acquire good study habits, study attitudes and study methods. Attitude plays a very important role in learning. If the child has a negative attitude towards study, his academic achievement will not be as desired. The child who has a negative attitude also has a negative or poor self esteem. It is important to lead the child in the senior primary phase to develop and adopt a positive attitude and self esteem. The aim for this study is to determine whether the pupils (learners) in the senior primary phase will develop a positive disposition towards learning if they are given guidance. The characteristics of the senior primary child in relation with his physical, social, emotional, moral and personal development is closely scrutenised. The focus is on study attitude and the factors that would influence it such as language, stress, self esteem, hereditary, abilities and environment. Thus the study guidance program for the child in the senior primary phase with a negative study attitude has been set out comprehensively. The focus fell upon study guidelines for study guidance in the form of group guidance and the ten sessions into which the study guidance program was set out. The study guidance program consisted of orientation of the group, aims or objectives, study attitude, self esteem, study habits, study methods, facors which influence learning, facets of the memory, attention and concentration, compiling a works program and study roster, motivation, listening, effective reading, memory aids, memorising, summarising, underlining and preparation and writing of the examination. During the empirical investigation the following steps were followed: • The school guidance teacher selected fifteen pupils (learners) from the senior primary phase (grade 6) who showed a negative study attitude. • Questionnaires about study habits, study attitudes and study methods were completed by the group before and after the study guidance program. The pupils also had to write a General Science test before and after the study guidance. The results of the General Science Tests before and after the study guidance, were compared with each other. The presentation and interpretation of the response of the questionnaire about study methods, study attitudes and study habits regarding the General Science test marks were recorded. The test marks before and after were compared. Furthermore, from the examination it came to light that the questions in the questionnaire showed a marked changed namely a great effect (0,8) except in questions 41, 46 and 49 which showed a medium effect. This improvement or change in the Science Test marks are thus educationally viable. As a result of the positive change in the questionnaire's response and the General Science test marks, it appears that the program was successful. It also shows that a study guidance program can play an important role in cases where the Senior Primary pupil (learner) has a negative study attitude. There is a definite yearning by the child in the senor primary phase to be guided during learning and thus being influenced positively. Guidance implies assistance, Le. during learning/study the child must be assisted so that learning can be effective and the potential of the child be optimally unfolded or developed. If the child's potential is optimally developed, the child will become a happy adult who will be an asset to him/herself and to the community. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1998

Under favourable conditions, the child in the senior primary phase (from Grade 5 to Grade 7) should lead a happy and carefree life with few real problems for himlherself or his parents. At this time the child is at his/her most receptive stage, therefore it is very important that the child should acquire good study habits, study attitudes and study methods. Attitude plays a very important role in learning. If the child has a negative attitude towards study, his academic achievement will not be as desired. The child who has a negative attitude also has a negative or poor self esteem. It is important to lead the child in the senior primary phase to develop and adopt a positive attitude and self esteem. The aim for this study is to determine whether the pupils (learners) in the senior primary phase will develop a positive disposition towards learning if they are given guidance. The characteristics of the senior primary child in relation with his physical, social, emotional, moral and personal development is closely scrutenised. The focus is on study attitude and the factors that would influence it such as language, stress, self esteem, hereditary, abilities and environment. Thus the study guidance program for the child in the senior primary phase with a negative study attitude has been set out comprehensively. The focus fell upon study guidelines for study guidance in the form of group guidance and the ten sessions into which the study guidance program was set out. The study guidance program consisted of orientation of the group, aims or objectives, study attitude, self esteem, study habits, study methods, facors which influence learning, facets of the memory, attention and concentration, compiling a works program and study roster, motivation, listening, effective reading, memory aids, memorising, summarising, underlining and preparation and writing of the examination. During the empirical investigation the following steps were followed: • The school guidance teacher selected fifteen pupils (learners) from the senior primary phase (grade 6) who showed a negative study attitude. • Questionnaires about study habits, study attitudes and study methods were completed by the group before and after the study guidance program. The pupils also had to write a General Science test before and after the study guidance. The results of the General Science Tests before and after the study guidance, were compared with each other. The presentation and interpretation of the response of the questionnaire about study methods, study attitudes and study habits regarding the General Science test marks were recorded. The test marks before and after were compared. Furthermore, from the examination it came to light that the questions in the questionnaire showed a marked changed namely a great effect (0,8) except in questions 41, 46 and 49 which showed a medium effect. This improvement or change in the Science Test marks are thus educationally viable. As a result of the positive change in the questionnaire's response and the General Science test marks, it appears that the program was successful. It also shows that a study guidance program can play an important role in cases where the Senior Primary pupil (learner) has a negative study attitude. There is a definite yearning by the child in the senor primary phase to be guided during learning and thus being influenced positively. Guidance implies assistance, Le. during learning/study the child must be assisted so that learning can be effective and the potential of the child be optimally unfolded or developed. If the child's potential is optimally developed, the child will become a happy adult who will be an asset to him/herself and to the community. / Thesis (MEd)--PU for CHE, 1998

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008

Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008

The poor mathematics achievement of South African learners is a great shock and reason for concern in our country. The question is asked why the learners achieve so poorly and whether something can be done to improve learners’ mathematics achievement. Research has shown that the field of study orientation is a primary factor for learners’ mathematics achievement. A positive study orientation towards Mathematics has a great influence on the positive achievement of learners in Mathematics. The use of metacognition has also been found to improve learners’ mathematics achievement and their ability to solve problems. It has been decided to find the relationship between learners’ study orientation and metacognition and to determine what the influence of the relationship is on learner's mathematics achievement. Learners’ study orientation is identified as six fields that have an influence on learner's mathematics achievement. The fields are learners’ study attitude in Mathematics, Mathematics anxiety, study habits in Mathematics, problem solving behaviour in Mathematics, study milieu (social, physical well-being and classroom atmosphere) in Mathematics and information processing in Mathematics. Metacognition is described as the learners’ thoughts concerning their own thinking and is divided in two separate components: • Metacognitive knowledge: it addresses the questions of what you know, how you think, when and where to use certain strategies. Metacognitive knowledge consists of strategic knowledge, knowledge of cognitive tasks and self-knowledge. • Self-management: self-management is 'metacognition in action' and learners use it to effectively apply the metacognitive knowledge. Self-management consists of prediction, planning, monitoring and evaluation. The study population comprise of Grade 7-learners in the Potchefstroom district. The schools that participated in the study serve learners from different socioeconomic backgrounds (ex-Model C, multicultural, township, farm and learners living in the township but their school is in an affluent environment. The sample was chosen from an expedient sample. The study consists of a quantitative research as well as a qualitative research. The quantitative research was conducted by making use of the study orientation questionnaire in Mathematics, a metacognitive questionnaire and a mathematics achievement questionnaire for Grade 7. The average of the high achievement learners as well the low achievement learners were determine, intercorrelations between the variables and a regression analysis has been done to find out which fields is a good predictor for mathematics achievement. The qualitative research was conducted, using interviews. The Mathematics teachers (involved in the learner's teaching and learning), high achievement learners and low achievement learners where interviewed. The interviews were interpreted and combined with the qualitative research findings. The study found that both a positive study orientation and use of metacognition in Mathematics can enhance learners’ mathematics achievement. High achieving learners are better orientated towards Mathematics and make use of metacognition in a greater extent than learners that achieve poorly in mathematics. In general learners have a positive attitude towards Mathematics and their study milieu is positive. It has been found that learner's orientation toward study habits is weak and their problem solving behaviour is weak also, especially with solving non routine problems. Out of the correlations it was found that learners which experience a high level of mathematics anxiety and a negative study milieu make less use of metacognition than learners that experience less mathematics anxiety and have a positive study milieu. There is a relationship between metacognition and study-orientation and this relationship has an influence on learners’ mathematics achievement. Recommendations were made concerning metacognition and study orientation. In order to enhance learners’ mathematics achievement, it is necessary to improve their use of metacognition and study orientation towards mathematics / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

The poor mathematics achievement of South African learners is a great shock and reason for concern in our country. The question is asked why the learners achieve so poorly and whether something can be done to improve learners’ mathematics achievement. Research has shown that the field of study orientation is a primary factor for learners’ mathematics achievement. A positive study orientation towards Mathematics has a great influence on the positive achievement of learners in Mathematics. The use of metacognition has also been found to improve learners’ mathematics achievement and their ability to solve problems. It has been decided to find the relationship between learners’ study orientation and metacognition and to determine what the influence of the relationship is on learner's mathematics achievement. Learners’ study orientation is identified as six fields that have an influence on learner's mathematics achievement. The fields are learners’ study attitude in Mathematics, Mathematics anxiety, study habits in Mathematics, problem solving behaviour in Mathematics, study milieu (social, physical well-being and classroom atmosphere) in Mathematics and information processing in Mathematics. Metacognition is described as the learners’ thoughts concerning their own thinking and is divided in two separate components: • Metacognitive knowledge: it addresses the questions of what you know, how you think, when and where to use certain strategies. Metacognitive knowledge consists of strategic knowledge, knowledge of cognitive tasks and self-knowledge. • Self-management: self-management is 'metacognition in action' and learners use it to effectively apply the metacognitive knowledge. Self-management consists of prediction, planning, monitoring and evaluation. The study population comprise of Grade 7-learners in the Potchefstroom district. The schools that participated in the study serve learners from different socioeconomic backgrounds (ex-Model C, multicultural, township, farm and learners living in the township but their school is in an affluent environment. The sample was chosen from an expedient sample. The study consists of a quantitative research as well as a qualitative research. The quantitative research was conducted by making use of the study orientation questionnaire in Mathematics, a metacognitive questionnaire and a mathematics achievement questionnaire for Grade 7. The average of the high achievement learners as well the low achievement learners were determine, intercorrelations between the variables and a regression analysis has been done to find out which fields is a good predictor for mathematics achievement. The qualitative research was conducted, using interviews. The Mathematics teachers (involved in the learner's teaching and learning), high achievement learners and low achievement learners where interviewed. The interviews were interpreted and combined with the qualitative research findings. The study found that both a positive study orientation and use of metacognition in Mathematics can enhance learners’ mathematics achievement. High achieving learners are better orientated towards Mathematics and make use of metacognition in a greater extent than learners that achieve poorly in mathematics. In general learners have a positive attitude towards Mathematics and their study milieu is positive. It has been found that learner's orientation toward study habits is weak and their problem solving behaviour is weak also, especially with solving non routine problems. Out of the correlations it was found that learners which experience a high level of mathematics anxiety and a negative study milieu make less use of metacognition than learners that experience less mathematics anxiety and have a positive study milieu. There is a relationship between metacognition and study-orientation and this relationship has an influence on learners’ mathematics achievement. Recommendations were made concerning metacognition and study orientation. In order to enhance learners’ mathematics achievement, it is necessary to improve their use of metacognition and study orientation towards mathematics / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.