In Suid-Afrika verskil onderwysers en leerders se moedertaal dikwels van die taal van leer en onderrig (Engels in dié studie). Aangesien hoërskoolonderwysers as vakspesialiste opgelei is, het hulle onvoldoende kundigheid om leerders by te staan om kerngeletterdheidsvaardighede in Engels te verwerf. Hierdie verkennende studie by ʼn plattelandse hoërskool het ten doel gehad om te bepaal wat die invloed van ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie op onderwysers in ʼn plattelandse skool se taal van onderrigpraktyke is. Die deelnemende aksienavorsingstudie het ʼn konstruktivistiese paradigma gevolg en is teoreties gerig deur die sosiale leerteorie. ʼn Geletterdheidsintervensie is ontwikkel vanuit die fonetiese beginsel en is geïmplementeer met ses doelgerig geselekteerde hoërskoolonderwysers (n=6, mans=1, vroue=5) in ʼn gerieflikheidsgeselekteerde plattelandse hoërskool wat al geruime tyd deel vorm van ʼn langtermyn studie oor veerkragtigheid in plattelandse skole. Data van onderwysers se taal van onderrigpraktyke is voor en na afloop van die geletterdheidsintervensie ingesamel aan die hand van twee fokusgroeponderhoude met die deelnemende onderwysers, asook observasies in twee klaskamers. Observasiedata is gedokumenteer as veldnotas, visuele data en oudio-opnames. Fokusgroeponderhoude is verbatim getranskribeer. Al hierdie databronne is tematies geanaliseer en die volgende temas is geїdentifiseer: onderwysers se persepsie van Engelse geletterdheid as kernvaardigheid vir leerders, die plek van hulpbronne in niemoedertaalonderrigpraktyke (in Engels) in plattelandse skole, die effek van ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie op onderwysers se tweede taal onderrigpraktyke (in Engels) en die profiel van deelnemende plattelandse onderwysers. Leer en onderrig in ʼn plattelandse hoërskool word bemoeilik deur hoërskoolleerders se onvermoë om te lees, die leerplanvereiste vir die gebruik van ʼn addisionele taal (soos Engels) as taal van leer en onderrig, gebrekkige opleiding van hoërskoolonderwysers rakende die aanleer van kerngeletterdheidvaardighede, beperkte hulpbronne en geografiese isolasie wat dit moeilik maak om indiensopleidingsgeleenthede te benut, Alhoewel die deelnemende plattelandse hoërskool se onderwysers nie opgelei was om leerders geletterdheidsvaardighede te leer nie, het dit geblyk dat hierdie onderwysers wel (i) weet welke kerngeletterdheidskernvaardighede deur leerders benodig word, (ii) gretig is om opgelei te word en positief is oor geletterdheidsintervensies, en (iii) naburige skole en onderwysers betrek in sulke kapasiteitsontwikkeling. Verder het dit geblyk dat die deelnemende plattelandse hoërskoolonderwysers hulle taal van onderrig en leerpraktyke kon aanpas nadat hulle aan ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie deelgeneem het. In dié verband het die onderwysers die volgende spesifieke strategieë gebruik, naamlik fisiese hulpbronne as ondersteuning vir die aanleer van nuwe klanke; taalvermenging; betrek leerders by die aanbieding van lesse, byvoorbeeld deur dramatisering; die implementering van ʼn leesperiode; en ook die benutting van die skool se mediasentrum. Hierdie gewysigde taal van onderrig en leerpraktyke het moontlik ʼn positiewe effek gehad op leerders se selfvertroue om in Engels betrokke te wees tydens leersituasies; hulle akademiese persentasies (in Engels) het ook verbeter. Onderwysers se ingesteldheid jeens leerders se motivering om te leer het ook verander. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study indicates that communication skills and communication apprehension of English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners are important aspects in teaching and learning, as well as for academic performance. A learner‘s major hurdle to overcome in communication in a second language classroom is a fear of failure. Communication skills and communication apprehension are challenges teachers have to face in language classrooms. Communication barriers that may lead to fear, distress and poor performance should be identified at an early stage. Therefore, it is critical for teachers to know about the communication process, communication skills, and communication apprehension to design positive solutions and teaching strategies to assist learners to overcome fear of communication, especially in the area of second and additional languages. A sample of 779 male and female learners in the secondary phase in Kannaland District, Western Cape participated in the study. For this non-experimental quantitative study, data were gathered using two questionnaires, Communication Skills Scale, and the Personal Report Communication Apprehension questionnaire. To explore the relationship between communication skills, communication apprehension and academic achievement, the first and second term EFAL marks of grades 7-9 learners were used. The data were presented as descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlations and comparisons. Results distinguished no differences between males, females, or grades. Findings were discussed with regard to communication skills and the academic achievement, as well as communication apprehension and academic achievement of the learners. Results indicate that there is no significant relationship between communication skills and academic achievement. Nevertheless, distinct relationships between communication skills and communication apprehension (group work, meetings and public speaking) were established and discussed. Communication apprehension (group work, conversations and in the classroom) and academic achievement presented clear relationships that were reported in detail. The factors identified may have a negative impact on learners‘ academic achievement in EFAL. Insight generated by the research in Kannaland District, Western Cape will help to develop an understanding of the situations that affect the degree of communication apprehension of secondary phase EFAL learners. It will allow for a better understanding of the influence of communication skills and could assist teachers to understand EFAL learners‘ fear, distress or ability to communicate. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study indicates that communication skills and communication apprehension of English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners are important aspects in teaching and learning, as well as for academic performance. A learner‘s major hurdle to overcome in communication in a second language classroom is a fear of failure. Communication skills and communication apprehension are challenges teachers have to face in language classrooms. Communication barriers that may lead to fear, distress and poor performance should be identified at an early stage. Therefore, it is critical for teachers to know about the communication process, communication skills, and communication apprehension to design positive solutions and teaching strategies to assist learners to overcome fear of communication, especially in the area of second and additional languages. A sample of 779 male and female learners in the secondary phase in Kannaland District, Western Cape participated in the study. For this non-experimental quantitative study, data were gathered using two questionnaires, Communication Skills Scale, and the Personal Report Communication Apprehension questionnaire. To explore the relationship between communication skills, communication apprehension and academic achievement, the first and second term EFAL marks of grades 7-9 learners were used. The data were presented as descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlations and comparisons. Results distinguished no differences between males, females, or grades. Findings were discussed with regard to communication skills and the academic achievement, as well as communication apprehension and academic achievement of the learners. Results indicate that there is no significant relationship between communication skills and academic achievement. Nevertheless, distinct relationships between communication skills and communication apprehension (group work, meetings and public speaking) were established and discussed. Communication apprehension (group work, conversations and in the classroom) and academic achievement presented clear relationships that were reported in detail. The factors identified may have a negative impact on learners‘ academic achievement in EFAL. Insight generated by the research in Kannaland District, Western Cape will help to develop an understanding of the situations that affect the degree of communication apprehension of secondary phase EFAL learners. It will allow for a better understanding of the influence of communication skills and could assist teachers to understand EFAL learners‘ fear, distress or ability to communicate. / MEd (Curriculum Development), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015