• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 75
  • 63
  • 3
  • 1
  • 1
  • Tagged with
  • 147
  • 147
  • 102
  • 82
  • 53
  • 52
  • 36
  • 35
  • 25
  • 24
  • 24
  • 22
  • 22
  • 20
  • 17
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
101

Pragmatic assessment of schizophrenic bilinguals' L1 and L2 use : a comparison of three assessment tools

Theron, Janina 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The term "schizophrenia" refers to a psychiatric condition which affects an individual's thought and speech (Eaton and Chen 2006). The verbal expression of schizophrenics can therefore be used as a tool for insight into the nature of schizophrenia as well as the cognitive processes of schizophrenics (Wróbel 1990:1). This thesis reports on a comparative evaluation of three pragmatic assessment tools, namely the Pragmatic Protocol (Prutting and Kirchner 1987), the Profile of Communicative Appropriateness (Penn 1985), and the Framework for Assessing (Children's) Conversational Skills (Rumble 1988), in order to establish which of these tools is most suitable for assessing the first language (L1) and second language (L2) pragmatic abilities of late bilingual schizophrenics. Four late bilingual schizophrenic patients participated in this study. A thirty minute informal interview was conducted with each of the participants in both their L1 and L2 and the speech samples were transcribed and then analysed by means of each of the pragmatic assessment tools. A careful examination of the results yielded by the three assessment tools, showed, firstly, that when presenting the results of a pragmatic assessment of schizophrenic speech, it is crucial that both quantitative and qualitative information be included: if the latter is excluded, a significant amount of information is hidden from the clinicians and/or linguists doing the assessment, as well as the people to whom they report their findings. Secondly, with respect to the characteristics of schizophrenic speech, the three instruments used in this study show that whereas most of the aspects of schizophrenics' linguistic abilities seem intact, their pragmatic skills are definitely impaired. Thirdly, regarding differential symptomatology in bilingual schizophrenics, this study concludes that none of the three assessment tools contributes to a better understanding of this phenomenon, and that, in fact, it is highly unlikely that any pragmatic assessment tool would be able to capture this phenomenon. Finally, it is recommended that clinicians assess bilingual patients in both languages, whenever possible, in order to determine the full range of symptoms experienced by the patient, to gain a better indication of the severity of the illness and to track the progress of the illness. / AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die term "skisofrenie" verwys na 'n psigiatriese toestand wat 'n individu se denkprosesse en spraak beïnvloed (Eaton en Chen 2006). Die verbale uitinge van skisofrene kan dus gebruik word om insig oor die aard van skisofrenie, sowel as die kognitiewe prosesse van skisofrene, te verkry (Wróbel 1990:1). Hierdie tesis lewer verslag oor 'n vergelykende evaluering van drie pragmatiese assesseringsinstrumente, naamlik die "Pragmatic Protocol" (Prutting en Kirchner 1987), die "Profile of Communicative Appropriateness" (Penn 1985), en die "Framework for Assessing (Children's) Conversational Skills" (Rumble 1988), om sodoende vas te stel watter een van hierdie drie die mees gepaste instrument is vir die assessering van tweetalige skisofrene se pragmatiese vaardighede in hul eerstetaal (T1) en tweedetaal (T2), spesifiek in gevalle waar die T2 later (d.w.s. nie binne die eerste sewe lewensjare nie) verwerf is. Vier sulke tweetalige skisofrene het deelgeneem aan die studie. Daar is met elkeen van die deelnemers 'n informele onderhoud gevoer vir 30 minute in hul T1, gevolg deur 30 minute in hul T2. Die onderhoude is getranskribeer en daarna geanaliseer deur middel van elk van die drie assesseringsinstrumente. 'n Noukeurige ondersoek en vergelyking van die resultate van die drie instrumente het eerstens getoon dat dit belangrik is om die resultate van 'n pragmatiese analise van skisofreniese spraak op beide 'n kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe wyse aan te bied: wanneer kwalitatiewe inligting weggelaat word, bly 'n betekenisvolle hoeveelheid van die informasie verborge vir die klinici en/of taalwetenskaplikes wat die assessering doen, asook die mense aan wie hulle hulle bevindinge rapporteer. Tweedens, met betrekking tot die eienskappe van skisofreniese spraak, wys die drie instrumente wat in hierdie studie gebruik is dat alhoewel meeste aspekte van skisofrene se taalvaardighede ongeskonde is, hulle pragmatiese vaardighede ooglopend aangetas is. Derdens, rakende differensiële simptomatologie in tweetalige skisofrene kom hierdie studie tot die gevolgtrekking dat geen van die drie instrumente bydra tot 'n beter begrip van hierdie verskynsel nie, en dat dit selfs hoogs onwaarskynlik is dat enige pragmatiese assesseringsinstrument hierdie verskynsel sou kon vaslê. Uiteindelik word daar aanbeveel dat klinici, wanneer dit ookal moontlik is, tweetalige pasiënte in beide tale behoort te assesseer om sodoende die volledige reeks van simptome wat 'n pasiënt ervaar vas te stel, om 'n beter aanduiding te bekom oor die erns van die siekte, en om die progressie van die siekte te volg.
102

Cultural differences in using a telephone answering machine : views on conveying information or maintaining relationships

Mathoho, Evelinah 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
103

Cultural awareness in TESOL student and teacher material

Patel, Chirayush C. 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is a qualitative examination of TESOL material, specifically New Headway Advanced [NHA] -3rd Edition (Soars & Soars: 2002), and the degree to which Cultural Awareness [CA] is present in the material. CA is herein defined as the use of empathy to explicitly examine the contextual variations which give rise to different languages and cultures with the aim of avoiding stereotypes and promoting a mediated third linguistic and cultural place which incorporates the variations of context inherent in a student’s L1 and WEs. The thesis provides an overview of TESOL methodology together with issues arising from postmethod views of TESOL. Qualifications for ESOL teachers, namely the CELTA and Cert.TESOL, are also examined with specific attention to their inclusion of references to CA. The examination of NHA is carried out with the use of Hofstede & Bond’s (1980) Dimensions of Cultural Variability to provide a dimensional profile of NHA. Finally there is a discussion of the extent to which CA is present in NHA and recommendations for the future development of ESOL and TESOL material. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om ‘n waardebepaling van TESOL materiaal te doen, veral New Headway Advanced (NHA) – 3e weergawe (Soars & Soars:2002), en die mate waarin Kulturele Bewustheid (KB) in die materiaal teenwoordig is. KB word in hierdie konteks gedefinieer as die gebruik van empatie vir die deeglike ondersoek van kontekstuele variasies wat lei tot verskillende tale en kulture ten einde stereotipering te vermy en ‘n bemiddelde derde taalkundige en kulturele plek te bevorder wat die kontekstuele variasies inherent in ‘n student se L1 en WE insluit. Die tesis voorsien ‘n oorsig van die TESOL metodologie saam met kwessies voortspruitend uit sieninge na die aanbieding daarvan. Kwalifikasies van onderwysers, naamlik CELTA en die TESOL sertifikaat, word ook ondersoek met spesifieke verwysing na KB. Die ondersoek van NHA word gedoen met behulp van Hofstede & Bond se (1980) Dimensions of Cultural Variability om ‘n dimensionele profiel van NHA te verskaf. Laastens is daar ‘n bespreking van die mate waarin KB teenwoordig is in NHA en aanbevelings vir die toekomstige ontwikkeling van ESOL en TESOL materiaal.
104

Die interne struktuur van die komplementeerdersisteem in Afrikaans

Botha, Morne 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / This study focuses on the internal structure of the CP in Afrikaans. Rizzi’s (1997) Split-CP Hypothesis serves as the starting-point; however, careful consideration is also given to the more recent proposals of Beninca’ and Poletto (2004). The aim of the study is to determine whether the proposals of Rizzi (1997) and Beninca’ and Poletto (2004) provide an adequate framework for the description of the CP-domain in Afrikaans. The study is presented within the theoretical framework of Minimalist Syntax. Specific adaptations to the Split-CP Hypothesis are suggested throughout the course of the discussion in an attempt to make the Split-CP Hypothesis compatible with the facts of Afrikaans. Finally, attention is also given to three problematic issues in Afrikaans that require further investigation.
105

Pragmatic aspects of making and responding to complaints in an intercultural university context

Ndenguino-Mpira, Hermanno 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The broad topic of this study is the nature and the effects of making and interpreting complaints in intercultural interactions involving international students and South African administrative staff in two Stellenbosch University residences. It appears that during these interactions, the international students are often frustrated by the way their complaints are handled. As a speech act, the effectiveness of a complaint depends on the way it is expressed and understood and also on the social context in which it is performed. In this regard, the study examines the influence of cultural differences on the way complaints are made and responded to in the above-mentioned intercultural interactions. The study aims to analyse intercultural situations involving the making and understanding of complaints that may result in misunderstandings. The complaints data were collected through a discourse completion task, performed by 24 international students belonging to six cultural groups, namely American, Chinese, Dutch, Gabonese, German and Libyan. All the students were residents in one of two student residences of Stellenbosch University. The social acceptability judgments data were elicited from three Afrikaans-speaking South African staff members of these residences, and from an additional six Afrikaans-speaking South African students who served as informants. All the data were analyzed within the pragmatic framework of the CCSARP (Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Project), as developed by Blum-Kulka, House and Kasper (1989). The main findings of the analysis indicate that the six cultural groups differed in the way they made their complaints. Moreover, these differences influenced the manner in which some complaints were understood by the staff members. It was also found that the staff members’ responses to the complaints were influenced by their social acceptability judgments of the international students’ utterances. These findings lead to three main conclusions: (i) the way in which complaints are made and understood is influenced by factors that relate to cultural differences; (ii) such cultural differences may lead to misunderstandings; and (iii) conscious efforts to create greater awareness of cultural differences will lead to a better understanding of the way in which people of different cultural groups make and respond to complaints. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie handel breedweg oor die aard en effek van klagtes, soos uitgedruk en geïnterpreteer tydens interkulturele interaksies tussen internasionele studente en Suid-Afrikaanse administratiewe personeel in twee koshuise van die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Dit blyk dat die studente dikwels gefrustreerd voel oor die manier waarop hulle klagtes in sulke interaksies gehanteer word. Die effektiwiteit van ’n klagte, as ’n taalhandeling, word bepaal deur die manier waarop dit uitgedruk en verstaan word, asook deur die sosiale konteks waarbinne dit uitgevoer word. Die studie ondersoek in dié verband die invloed van kulturele verskille op die manier waarop klagtes uitgedruk en op gereageer word in die bogenoemde interaksies. Die doel van die studie is om ’n analise te maak van interkulturele situasies waar misverstande kan ontstaan by die uitdruk en interpretasie van klagtes. Die klagte-data is ingesamel deur die voltooiing van ’n diskoers-taak waarby 24 studente van ses verskillende kultuurgroepe betrek is: Amerikaans, Chinees, Duits, Gabonees, Libies en Nederlands. Al die studente was inwoners van een van twee koshuise van Stellenbosch Universiteit. Die data oor sosiale aanvaarbaarheidsoordele is verkry van drie Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaanse personeellede, en van ’n verdere ses Afrikaanssprekende Suid-Afrikaanse studente wat opgetree het as informante. Al die data is ontleed binne die pragmatiekraamwerk van die CCSARP (“Cross-Cultural Speech Act Realization Project”), soos ontwikkel deur Blum- Kulka, House en Kasper (1989). Die hoofbevindings van die analise dui daarop dat die ses kultuurgroepe van mekaar verskil wat betref die manier waarop hulle hul klagtes uitgedruk het, en dat hierdie verskille ’n invloed het op die manier waarop sommige klagtes geïnterpreteer is deur die personeellede. ’n Verdere bevinding is dat die personeellede se reaksies op die klagtes beïnvloed is deur hulle beoordeling van die sosiale aanvaarbaarheid van die internasionale studente se uitings. Drie hoofgevolgtrekkings kan op basis van dié bevindings gemaak word: (i) die manier waarop klagtes uitgedruk en geïnterpreteer word, word beïnvloed deur faktore wat verband hou met kulturele verskille; (ii) sulke kulturele verskille kan lei tot misverstande; en (iii) daadwerklike pogings om ’n groter bewussyn van kulturele verskille te skep, sal lei tot ’n beter begrip van die manier waarop klagtes uitgedruk en op gereageer word deur mense van verskillende kultuurgroepe.
106

A minimalist analysis of expletive daar (“there”) and dit (“it”) constructions in Afrikaans

De Bruin, Jeané 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study deals with syntactic aspects of expletive daar (“there”) and dit (“it”) constructions in Afrikaans. Previous analyses of these constructions have mostly been of a non-formalistic nature (e.g. Barnes 1984; Donaldson 1993; Du Plessis 1977; Ponelis 1979, 1993). The present study investigates the properties of Afrikaans expletive constructions within the broad theoretical framework of Minimalist Syntax. Four recent minimalist analyses of expletive constructions in English, Dutch and German are set out, namely those proposed by Bowers (2002), Felser and Rupp (2001), Richards and Biberauer (2005), and Radford (2009). Against this background, an analysis is proposed of transitive, non-passive unaccusative, passive unaccusative, and unergative expletive constructions in Afrikaans. Throughout, the focus is on whether the devices available within Minimalist Syntax, and specifically the Expletive Conditions proposed by Radford (2009), provide an adequate framework in which the relevant facts of Afrikaans can be described and explained. Where required, modifications to the devices in question are proposed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie handel oor sintaktiese aspekte van ekspletiewe daar- en dit-konstruksies in Afrikaans. Vorige analises van dié konstruksies was grootliks nie-formalisties van aard (bv. Barnes 1984; Donaldson 1993; Du Plessis 1977; Ponelis 1979, 1993). Die huidige studie ondersoek die eienskappe van Afrikaanse ekspletiewe konstruksies binne die breë teoretiese raamwerk van Minimalistiese Sintaksis. Vier onlangse minimalistiese analises van ekspletiewe konstruksies in Engels, Nederlands en Duits word uiteengesit, naamlik dié wat voorgestel is deur Bowers (2002), Felser en Rupp (2001), Richards en Biberauer (2005), en Radford (2009). Teen hierdie agtergrond word ’n analise voorgestel van transitiewe, nie-passiewe onakkusatiewe, passiewe onakkusatiewe, en onergatiewe ekspletiewe konstruksies in Afrikaans. Die fokus is deurgaans op die vraag of die meganismes wat beskikbaar is binne Minimalistiese Sintaksis, en spesifiek die drie Ekspletiewe Voorwaardes wat voorgestel word deur Radford (2009), ’n toereikende raamwerk bied waarbinne die tersaaklike feite van Afrikaans beskryf en verklaar kan word. Waar nodig, word aanpassings aan die betrokke meganismes voorgestel.
107

English as a Lingua Franca and English in South Africa : distinctions and overlap

Onraet, Lauren Alexandra 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the prevalent, typical linguistic and discursive features of English as it is used as a shared medium of communication by speakers who do not share a first language in the Western Cape (i.e. as a lingua franca). These features were compared to those found in certain second-language varieties in South Africa, namely Black South African English, Cape Flats English and Afrikaans English. Fourteen female students from the University of Stellenbosch between the ages of 18 and 27 from various first language backgrounds were recruited for the data collection. A closed corpus was created in which recordings were made of semi-structured conversations between the participants, paired in seven groups of two speakers each. These recordings were then transcribed. In order to identify and analyse the English as a lingua franca (ELF) phenomena that arose, reference was made to the various linguistic features and methods of analysis of ELF suggested in House (2002), Seidlhofer (2004) and Meierkord (2000), amongst others. These features were then analysed and compared with the features reported in the literature on second-language varieties of English in South Africa. The study reveals that the South African ELF spoken by the participants displays similar features to the ELF(s) spoken in Europe, although certain European ELF features that occur in South African ELF are used to fulfil different functions. The study disclosed three ELF phenomena which have not been reported as such in the European ELF literature and therefore seem to be unique to the South African ELF context. Specifically, these are auxiliary dropping (AUX-drop), explicit self-doubt of a speaker‟s own ELF proficiency, and thinking aloud. Finally, certain South African ELF features are also reported to be features of South African second-language varieties (e.g. AUX-drop). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek heersende, tipiese eienskappe van Engels wat beskryf word as linguisties en diskursief, spesifiek soos die eienskappe voorkom in Engels as ‟n gemeenskaplike vorm van kommunikasie tussen sprekers in die Wes-Kaap wat nie ‟n eerste taal gemeen het nie (m.a.w. waar Engels as ‟n lingua franca gebruik word). Dié eienskappe is vergelyk met ander wat gevind is in sekere tweedetaal-variëteite in SuidAfrika, naamlik Black South African English, Cape Flats English en sg. Afrikaans English. Veertien vroulike studente van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch tussen die ouderdomme van 18 en 27 en met ‟n verskeidenheid eerstetaal-agtergronde is gebruik vir die datainsameling. ‟n Geslote korpus is gevorm bestaande uit opnames van semi-gestruktureerde gesprekke tussen die deelnemers. Laasgenoemde is verdeel in sewe groepe van twee sprekers elk. Hierdie opnames is later getranskribeer. Ten einde die relevante Engels-aslingua-franca (ELF)-verskynsels te identifiseer en te analiseer, is daar eerstens gekyk na verskeie linguistiese eienskappe en metodes van analise van ELF soos voorgestel deur, onder andere, House (2002, 2009), Seidlhofer (2004) en Meierkord (2000). Hierna is die waargenome eienskappe geanaliseer en vergelyk met die eienskappe wat gerapporteer is in die literatuur oor tweedetaal-variëteite van Engels in Suid-Afrika. Die studie toon dat die Suid-Afrikaanse ELF wat deur die deelnemers gebruik word, soortgelyke eienskappe vertoon as ELF in die Europese konteks, met die uitsondering dat sekere Europese ELF-eienskappe wat in Suid-Afrikaanse ELF voorkom, plaaslik ander funksies vervul. Drie ELF-verskynsels wat nie as sodanig in die literatuur oor Europese ELF gerapporteer is nie, is gevind en is dus waarskynlik eiesoortig aan die Suid-Afrikaanse ELF-konteks. Dít sluit in hulpwerkwoord-weglating (sg. AUX-drop), eksplisiete uitspreek van onsekerheid oor ‟n spreker se eie ELF-bevoegdheid, en hardop dink. Ten slotte is daar ook gevind dat sekere Suid-Afrikaanse ELF-eienskappe tegelykertyd eienskappe van Suid Afrikaanse tweedetaal-variëteite is, soos bv. weglating van die hulpwerkwoord.
108

An investigation into the ability of South African students at Stellenbosch University to interpret implicatures in their second language English

Bester, Zaan 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to increasing concern about the low levels of throughput at university level, and with an ever-growing awareness of the important role that students’ academic literacy plays in academic success, Stellenbosch University implemented language support courses in various faculties across the campus. In addition, the massification of higher education means that the demographic profile of the student population in university classrooms has changed, and lecturers are increasingly faced with students from a variety of multicultural contexts. It is within this context that a study was done to determine to what extent linguistic and cultural background affects a speaker’s ability to derive meaning from conversational and, by extension, academic implicatures in English. Previous studies have found that native speakers (NSs) and nonnative speakers (NNSs) of English infer different meanings when confronted with particular types of implicature and that NNSs tend to interpret certain types of implicature correctly more often than others. First-year students at Stellenbosch University with a variety of mother tongues were asked to complete a questionnaire containing various types of implicatures. Their responses indicated significant differences in the accuracy with which NSs and NNSs interpreted certain types of implicatures, and in the meanings they arrived at. The thesis considers possible reasons for these differences, and discusses the implications of the study’s results for academic literacy/language support courses offered at South African universities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Te midde van toenemende kommer oor die lae deurvloeikoerse op universiteitsvlak, en ’n al groter bewustheid van die beduidende impak van studente se akademiese geletterdheid op akademiese sukses, het die Universiteit Stellenbosch taalondersteuningskursusse in verskeie fakulteite op kampus geïmplementeer. Daarbenewens het die massifikasie van tersiêre onderwys tot gevolg dat die demografiese profiel van die studentebevolking in universiteitsklaskamers verander het, en dosente kom toenemend in aanraking met studente vanuit diverse kulturele kontekste. Binne hierdie konteks is ’n studie onderneem om vas te stel in watter mate ’n spreker se vermoë om die betekenis van geïmpliseerde taalgebruik (in alledaagse gesprekke en by implikasie ook akademiese taal) te bepaal, deur taal en kulturele agtergrond beïnvloed word. Navorsing het getoon dat moedertaalsprekers en nie-moedertaalsprekers van Engels verskillende betekenisse toeken wanneer hulle met sekere tipes geïmpliseerde taalgebruik in aanraking kom, en dat nie-moedertaalsprekers sekere tipes geïmpliseerde taalgebruik meer dikwels korrek interpreteer as ander. Eerstejaarstudente aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch met ’n verskeidenheid moedertale is gevra om ’n vraelys met verskillende tipes geïmpliseerde taalgebruik te voltooi. Die response het getoon dat daar beduidende verskille is in die akkuraatheid waarmee moedertaalsprekers en nie-moedertaalsprekers sekere tipes geïmpliseerde taal interpreteer, en in die betekenisse wat hulle daaraan toeken. Die tesis bespreek moontlike redes vir hierdie verskille, sowel as die implikasies van die studie se resultate vir akademiese geletterdheids- /taalondersteuningskursusse wat by Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite aangebied word.
109

Investigating English home language and 12 learner's ability to access pragmatic and contextual aspects of literary text

Badal, Bernice 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates differences in L1 and L2 Grade 12 learners' interpretation of an English literary text. In particular, the research focuses on pragmatic features of the text, or features which require knowledge of the cultural and situational context in order to be understood. It is hypothesised from the outset that L1 learners will be more adept at interpreting the pragmatic features of the text since L2 learners may lack the necessary linguistic and cultural knowledge needed to derive meaning from an English literary text. The research takes the form of a qualitative study in which data was derived from ten participants in the form of a standardised test and semi-structured interviews. The test was based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and aimed to determine learners' textual and pragmatic competence through a series of questions. Semi-structured interviews then followed in order to investigate the students' own reasons for shortcomings in the test. In addition, the research draws on theories put forth by Brown and Levinson (1978) and Sperber and Wilson (2005) regarding “pragmatic competence”, Hymes‟ (1972) notion of "communicative competence‟, as well as research into how narratives are embedded into cultural mores, customs and norms. These concepts and ideas were incorporated into the research so far as they could assist in articulating the reasons for shortcomings in the literacy test. The two methods of data collection and subsequent analysis generated significant information which was then correlated. First, the L1 learners outperformed their L2 peers in the literary test, both in terms of understanding the literary elements and in terms of understanding the cultural and contextual elements of the text. Second, the semi-structured interviews revealed two contrasting methods of language socialisation pertaining to the learners: while the L1 learners acquired English through direct methods and were found to engage more with English literary texts in the home, the L2 learners generally revealed that English was not practised outside of the classroom and engagement with English or English texts was not explicitly encouraged in the home. The study reveals that inadequate exposure to a language not only affects text-comprehension on a grammatical level, but prevents the learner from engaging with and understanding critical pragmatic elements of the literary text such as idioms, metaphors and other cultural references.
110

English lingua franca as language of learning and teaching in northern Namibia : a report on Oshiwambo teachers’ experiences

Iipinge, Kristof 03 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: At independence, Namibia chose English as its official language and therefore its language of learning and teaching (LOLT). Since then, government documents and other literature have revealed the poor performance of learners and falling of standards of teaching (Benjamin 2004:25). It seems that teachers are facing several challenges when using English as an LOLT in the classroom. This study therefore investigates the challenges faced by teachers in northern Namibia when using ELF as a LOLT, as well as how teachers overcome these challenges. In this regard, structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with six Oshiwambo-speaking teachers at a specific homogenous secondary school in the Omusati region of northern Namibia. The findings of this study suggest that teachers believe that the learners’ sole advantage of using ELF as the LOLT is that it may benefit them if they further their studies abroad, as possessing knowledge of English would enable them to communicate with people from different countries. Another main finding, in terms of how teachers overcome the challenges posed by using ELF as the LOLT, is that teachers often resort to code-switching to ensure that their students understand the concepts they are being taught. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Met die onafhanklikheidswording het Namibië Engels as amptelike taal gekies en gevolglik ook as die taal van onderrig en leer (LOLT). Sedertdien het staatsdokumente en ander literatuur getoon hoe swak leerders presteer en dat daar ‘n daling in onderrigstandaarde is (Benjamin 2004: 25). Dit blyk dat onderwysers verskeie uitdagings met die gebruik van Engels as LOLT in die klaskamer in die gesig staar. Hierdie studie ondersoek dus hierdie uitdagings van onderwysers in die noorde van Namibië wanneer hulle Engels as ‘n lingua franca (ELF) as die LOLT moet gebruik, sowel as hoe onderwysers hierdie uitdagings oorkom. In hierdie opsig is gestrukureerde individuele onderhoude met ses Oshiwambosprekende onderwysers gevoer by ‘n spesifieke homogene sekondere skool in die Omusati omgewing in Noord-Namibië. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie dui aan dat onderwysers glo dat leerders wat ELF as LOLT gebruik net voordeel daaruit sal trek indien hulle hul studies in die buiteland sou voortsit omdat kennis van Engels hulle instaat sou stel om met mense van verskillende lande te kommunikeer. Nog ‘n belangrike bevinding is dat onderwysers heel dikwels van kodewisseling gebruikmaak om te verseker dat hulle studente die terme wat aangeleer word wel verstaan.

Page generated in 0.0698 seconds