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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, Rehabilitation and Special Education. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-104).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves [54]-56.

Most research on the consumer decision-making process has been conducted on literate adults. More that 20% of the adult population in South Africa is classified as being functionally illiterate, lacking the numeric and language skills required to perform basic retail tasks. Research examining the challenges faced by functionally illiterate consumers is practically nonexistent. With the lack of research on the shopping behaviour of such consumers in grocery stores, retail marketing decisions are likely to be based on implicit assumptions about literate consumers. Furthermore, this leads to a lack of understanding of how functionally illiterate consumers can be empowered in the grocery store environment. The main purpose of this study was to examine how functionally illiterate consumers in South Africa make decisions to accomplish marketplace activities and also to investigate the coping mechanisms they used in the marketplace. The study specifically examined these issues in the context of grocery shopping. This study therefore aims to assist consumer behaviour researchers to compare the traditional consumer decision-making process with that of functionally illiterate consumers. At the same time, this study attempts to enlighten marketers about the characteristics of a significant proportion of the South African consumer market. A qualitative inquiry, specifically semi-structured interviews, was used to gather data amongst twelve adult literacy learners. The study reveals that functionally illiterate consumers are faced with difficulties in grocery stores. These difficulties are either related to the actual store environment or product choice. Functionally illiterate consumers make purchase decisions differently from commonly held perspectives. The major difference is the fact that functionally illiterate consumers make purchase decisions based on a single product attribute, disregarding other attributes. Functionally illiterate consumers employ coping mechanisms to complement their deficient literacy skills. In this study, a total of 18 coping mechanisms were identified. A number of these mechanisms are behavioural strategies that aid these consumers to solve the problems of satisfying their needs in the marketplace. The coping mechanisms reveal that these consumers have varying levels of literacy. In other words, functionally illiterate consumers are not a single homogeneous group of individuals. This further substantiates the notion that literacy is not static whereby an individual is either literate or not. Literacy implies a range of skills that demand competency in specific contexts. Some of these participants are ready to fight the shame of illiteracy by empowering themselves; this includes asking for help which improves their subsequent shopping experience. The participants that are free to talk to other people seem to have reasonably gained confidence. However, there are still some participants who prefer to hide their limited literacy skills and who tend to experience the same recurring problems. An implication for consumer behaviour research is that existing consumer decision models do not adequately reflect the decisions of functionally illiterate consumers. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Marketing Management / MCom / Unrestricted

This report describes a comparative study about reading- and writing development in “A-towns school” in The Gambia and in “Villaskolan” in Sweden. The purpose of this study is to compare two teachers in Sweden with two teachers and two volunteers from the school in Gambia, with focus on their thoughts and methods on teaching reading and writing at each school and in their social context. The aim is also to observe and describe how classroom environment at both schools can encourage students to read and write. The theoretical base of this study is rooted in a sociocultural perspective but I have also chosen to illuminate behaviorism and cognitivism. The study is qualitative and the main research methods are interviews and observations of the classrooms. My conclusions are, even though considerable differences in approach and conditions, teachers in both schools work hard and show dedication towards their students. Another finding is that teachers use different techniques and working methods to achieve the same goal -to teach their students to read and write based on what is required of them in their cultural and social context. The different ways of teaching have been caused by the existence of different perceived needs based on culture and tradition. One conclusion is also that read and write requirements for students in the Gambia and Sweden are different from each other. In Sweden there is clearly a higher demand for more advanced reading - and writing skills while one person in the Gambia is perceived to be able to read and write if he/she can handle basic administrative tasks.

This study evaluates the purpose and role of the public library in national development in Botswana. Particular attention is focused on the public library as a community resource as well as its sensitivity in meeting the needs of community members and of organizations operating in the community. Chapter 1 introduces the nature of the problem, and brief historical and current developments of the public library in Botswana. Research objectives of the study are also outlined. Chapter 2 attempts to locate the public library in developing countries within development strategies such as the modernization and basic needs approach. Discussions further illustrate how policies emanating from these development strategies have influenced public library policies in these countries, and in Botswana. Attempts are made to show how the public library in Botswana is trying to adjust to shifts in emphasis of government development plans, especially the rural development emphasis. Chapter 3 outlines methods of research used to collect and process data obtained from the village Molepolole in Botswana. There is a brief discussion of the nature of this village as well as that of the community public library. Chapter 4 and 5 present findings of the household survey, and of community organizations and public librarians interviewed. An analysis and interpretation of findings of the household survey based on a sample of 203 readers drawn from the village is also presented. Community organizations interviewed include both government and non-government. Patterns of reading and views on the library of both readers in the survey and public library users, are explored. Chapter 6 presents a brief review of developments of the national campaign to eradicate illiteracy in Botswana, which was launched by the Department of Non-formal Education (DNFE) in 1970. The study shows what role the public library has been, and what it should be, in the provision of effective support for the promotion of literacy and reading. The last chapter gives a summary of findings, and suggests a model that could be adopted to develop an effective rural public library service in Botswana. The model is based on principles of the basic needs approach to development, which emphasizes appropriateness, focus on target groups, accessibility, affordability, integrativeness, participation and assertiveness. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.

This case study examines the pedagogy of early reading in a South African Basic Education Centre. Existing literature shows that illiteracy among adults in South Africa is a great concern. The acquisition of reading competence in adults is under - researched in South Africa and previous research has tended to focus on literacy/reading in relation to health issues or the acquisition of reading in children. This study attempts to contribute to understanding poor reading conditions in adult classes by providing a description of beliefs and practices of three Adult Basic Education and Training teachers of reading. The study captures the beliefs and practices of the teachers of reading in ABET Level 1- 4 with respect to the teaching of reading in Zulu and English. Data is examined using constructivism and dialogic space as theoretical frameworks. Data was gathered from teacher interviews and classroom observations. The findings of this paper include that these teachers lack pedagogical knowledge to inform their practice and are often influenced by their own experience of being taught to read. The dominant instructional practice was a focus on pronunciation while reading aloud as opposed to text comprehension. Recommendations are made regarding the support that could be offered to the teachers of reading in this centre. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The subject of this two year Master's thesis in Library and Information Science is the information practices of illiterate immigrants in everyday life. The purpose is to examine how immigrants seek, identify, understand and value information sources and information, and how the practices have changed with their arrival in Sweden. It furthermore focuses on the barriers that illiterate immigrants meet in accessing and understanding information. It moreover investigates the strategies they use to overcome them. For this purpose twelve qualitative research interviews were carried out, with illiterate immigrants as well as with service providers. The theoretical concepts of the essay is information practices, which means that the information process is within a context, and information poverty, that people in different context do not have adequate and equal access to information and information sources. Using McKenzie's model of information practices, the essay concludes that illiterate immigrants are active in their information process, especially when they interact with information. The most commonly used information practice is to seek out and ask for help in their social network. They use service providers to explain written information. In addition to actively seeking out people to help them, they use a variety of information practices. They use Internet on their smartphones. Some of them use a translator app to translate letters and communicate with others. They use Facebook and watch TV. They also use other visual sources. Their information practices function as strategies to cope with barriers connected to illiteracy. They utilize their social network that possesses writing and reading skills to help them read and explain. Other strategies are to use numbers and to learn things by heart. Although the illiterate immigrants use a variety of practices and strategies, they still do not get adequate and equal access to information and therefore can be called information poor. Their social network is a resource, but it can also be a limitation. They risk lacking information about intangible things. But they do not, opposed to Chatman's theory, keep their needs concealed. One participant differed from the others in this aspect, since he expressed an unwillingness to ask. He was also troubled by his illiteracy. He perceived himself as being more limited because of it. The interpretation of this is that he lives in a more literate world than the other participants. Therefore is he able to realize what he lacks. It is important to give illiterate immigrants adequate and equal information. This essay thus suggests that institutions seek to adapt their information services to the practices and strategies that the group acquires and uses.

This study is concerned with how illiteracy impact consumers when navigating through the market place to have their needs met.These effects are researched in the Kumasi metropolis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The overall goal of the thesis is to investigate the problems that functionally illiterate consumers encounter when navigating through the Marketplace.The results show that functionally illiterate consumers at the Kumasi metropolis do face problems when navigating through the market place and that these problems are related to the retail marketing mix such as product, price, place, people, promotion and process.

Illiteracy continues to be a major problem in developing countries. Botswana as an emerging economy with consumers of different literacy levels has no escape for this problem. This study puts the spotlight on consumer illiteracy in Botswana focusing specificallyon purchasing behaviour of functionally illiterate consumers; the problems encountered in the market place and coping strategies used when purchasing food. To elicit relevant information a quantitative research design and survey techniques using a structured questionnaire was used to gather information. Potential respondents were conveniently sampled in Gaborone and surrounding areas in Botswana (N=200) and women aged between 25 and 65 years formed the sample group. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. From the discussion and the interpretation of the results of the sample of the survey it became clear that certain elements of retailers‟ marketing mix product, price, place, promotion and processes were the most important factors that influenced younger women‟s‟food purchases. Salespeople are apparently of lesser importance to influence consumers. The results indicated that functionally illiterate consumers mainly purchased food products from supermarkets and informal traders but also patronised other retail outlets occasionally. The study further revealed that consumers are vulnerable in the market place as they encountered problems during market place navigation, specifically in terms of too much information; difficulties in computing prices reduced by percentages; crowded places, and advertisements tempting them to buy. These problems seemed to negate the use of coping strategies. The study has contributed to the limited literature on the food purchasing behaviour of functionally illiterate consumers. Retailers will gain insight on how to deal with functionally illiterate consumers in the market place and find ways of making the market place more consumer friendly. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Consumer Science / unrestricted