No abstract available / Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

The study explores the feasibility of using Shona as a medium of instruction in teaching Science in Zimbabwe. Although English has been the language of instruction since the advent of colonialism it has not been able to deliver for no tangible scientific and /or technological development has been seen in Zimbabwe. The research assumes that it is possible to achieve technical and scientific development in Zimbabwe using indigenous languages like Shona. It therefore seeks to find out if Shona can be effectively used to replace English as a language of instruction in the teaching of Science, achieving sound mastery of the subject in the process. In this research two grade four classes at Denzva School are studied. The classes are of the same size and academic potential. Their composition was systematical established after consulting the classes performance in the end of year grade three examinations. One group (the experimental class) is taught Science in Shona while the other group is taught Science in English. The two classes receive instruction in their usual classrooms and from one teacher, the researcher. In order to check mastery of content, the subjects write lessons and the researcher reviews tests in which individual pupil performance in the tests was recorded. The results of the two classes’ performance are compared and commented upon. It is then deduced if Shona is effective and better than English as a language of instruction. Further the prevailing language policy in schools and government departments as well as the attitudes of parents and teachers are investigated through the use of questionnaires and interviews. Views gathered are commented upon and general recommendations made. / African Languages / D.Litt.et. Phil. (African Languages)

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This research is premised on Armstrong's (1990:7) argument that „every interpretive approach reveals something only by disguising something else, which a competing method with a different assumption might disclose.‟ This statement indicates that preference or marginalisation of some literary theories impedes progress in African-language literary criticism because different literary theories tend to focus on one or a few selected aspects of a work art. This flows from the assumption that no literary theory can unearth all aspects and meanings of a literary text. This research comes against rigidity, conservatism and narrow-mindedness of those literary critics and scholars who refuse to open up and embrace literary theories which they are opposed to. The research is an attempt to demonstrate the benefit of flexibility and ability to accommodate even those opposing literary views that can make positive contribution in the field of African-language literary criticism. The research further calls for pragmatism, tolerance and co-existence of opposing literary views for the benefit of progress in the field of African-language literary criticism. This research is an acknowledgement of the fact that no literary theory is infallible because all literary theories have their own strong and weak points. In this research, a survey of literary approaches commonly applied in African-language criticism is conducted. This is followed by an analysis of a Tshivenḓa novel (i.e. A si ene) from different literary angles to prove that every literary theory can help to unmask a particular meaning of a literary text which no any other literary theory can do. For example, the intrinsic literary approaches will, most certainly, unlock the meaning of a literary text differently from the way the extrinsic literary theories do because diverse literary approaches focus on different aspects or elements of a work of art. This research is an endorsement of the argument that through multiple-reading of a literary text, readers‟ understanding of the same literary text is broadened and deepened. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil (African Languages)

This research is premised on Armstrong's (1990:7) argument that „every interpretive approach reveals something only by disguising something else, which a competing method with a different assumption might disclose.‟ This statement indicates that preference or marginalisation of some literary theories impedes progress in African-language literary criticism because different literary theories tend to focus on one or a few selected aspects of a work art. This flows from the assumption that no literary theory can unearth all aspects and meanings of a literary text. This research comes against rigidity, conservatism and narrow-mindedness of those literary critics and scholars who refuse to open up and embrace literary theories which they are opposed to. The research is an attempt to demonstrate the benefit of flexibility and ability to accommodate even those opposing literary views that can make positive contribution in the field of African-language literary criticism. The research further calls for pragmatism, tolerance and co-existence of opposing literary views for the benefit of progress in the field of African-language literary criticism. This research is an acknowledgement of the fact that no literary theory is infallible because all literary theories have their own strong and weak points. In this research, a survey of literary approaches commonly applied in African-language criticism is conducted. This is followed by an analysis of a Tshivenḓa novel (i.e. A si ene) from different literary angles to prove that every literary theory can help to unmask a particular meaning of a literary text which no any other literary theory can do. For example, the intrinsic literary approaches will, most certainly, unlock the meaning of a literary text differently from the way the extrinsic literary theories do because diverse literary approaches focus on different aspects or elements of a work of art. This research is an endorsement of the argument that through multiple-reading of a literary text, readers‟ understanding of the same literary text is broadened and deepened. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil (African Languages)

M.Ed. / The study examines the nature of English competence in both learners and teachers in black schools. It was conducted as a result of the investigator in this study being directly involved in teaching English as a second language in a black high school and being a beneficiary of English language teaching projects. As is shown in the study, these projects do not effectively serve their stated purpose, that is, to improve teacher and learner competency in English. The study was conducted by exploring existing literature on the topic and investigations already undertaken. An empirical component is included comprising an observation of an English lesson in progress. The conclusion reached in the study is that an unfortunate cycle still persists where learners taught by teachers who are incompetent in English go through the existing inadequate and inefficient milieu in education to become incompetent English language teachers themselves. The recommendations in this study are that there needs to be a re-evaluation of present English language teaching methods particularly in the light of the fact that the government is in the process of implementing a new educational system called Outcomes Based Education. Furthermore, this study draws attention to the inadequacies prevalent in teacher training and subsequent teacher practice in the classroom.

M.A. (Applied Linguistics) / In June 1991 Parliament passed the following amendment to paragraph (b) of Section 3 of Act 90 of 1979: that the language or languages to be used as the medium of instruction at a school and the extent and duration of such use shall be determined by the Minister after consultation with the parents of pupils enrolled at that school, which consultation shall take place in the manner as prescribed. Act 90 of 1979 is the Education and Training act which legislates for black education under the control of the Department of Education and Training. The education epartments in the self-governing states tend to align themselves with DET policy, but the TBVC states have acted independently even though there have been correspondences between their policies and the DET's which might suggest otherwise. The amendment replaces the following wording of paragraph (b): that the universally accepted principle of mother-tongue instruction be observed: Provided that this principle shall be applied at least up to and including Standard two: Provided further that the wishes of the parents shall be taken into consideration in the application of this principle after Standard two, and also in the choice of one of the official languages as the medium of instruction where the mother tongue cannot be used as the medium of instruction after Standard two. The essential difference between the two is that the original wording prohibited the use of any medium other than the mother tongue before Standard 3 whereas the amendment does not. Both versions make prov1s1on for the wishes of parents to influence but not actually to determine language policy: the Minister reserves the right to do that. The 1991 amendment legislates in favour of the options listed in section 7.11 of the White Paper on the Provision of Education in the Republic of South Africa of 1983 quoted below, which in turn quotes at length from the report of the Education Working Party of the HSRC De Lange Commission. Paragraphs (a) to (e) acknowledge the desirability of mother tongue instruction and of developing African languages accordingly, but paragraphs (f) and (g) imply that the then current language medium policy of mother tongue for at least the first four years was not necessarily the best one, and that "pragmatic approaches to the language medium problem include the use of English from Sub A".

M.Ed. / This study focuses on the problems of language and pedagogy in the teaching of English to second language learners. The aim of the study firstly, was to investigate the problems confronting teachers of English when teaching a heterogeneous classroom population which has both first language and second language learners and secondly, to investigate the problems facing Black pupils who were a minority group in the heterogeneous classroom. An extensive literature review was undertaken to examine core areas of the multicultural education and second language teaching and learning which were pertinent to the problem of this study to ascertain if the problems were peculiar to South African schools. The theory framework constructed from the review concluded with the theoretical premise that the problems confronting teachers and pupils were not peculiar to South African schools. The investigation included data collection from two sources or constituents, namely the teachers of heterogeneous classrooms in a rural independent school and their Black pupils. These data were consolidated, reduced and clustered, culminating in empirical findings which were confirmed using different methods and sources.The main emergent patterns indicated that the second language learners had not mastered reading skills, were not capable of expressing themselves in formal writing and encountered difficulty in translating from their vernacular to English. This confirmed that teachers of English in these heterogeneous classes were enountering enormous difficulty in harnessing the full potential of the second language learners.

M.Ed. (Education) / This study focuses on the teaching of linguistic rules and structures in rural informal Settlement Schools. The inquiry was undertaken with the aim of determining what the nature of instruction of grammar, specifically tense, is and what teachers' conceptions of the pedagogy of grammar are. The rationale for the study was that there is virtually no research on the language pedagogy knowledge of practice of unqualified teachers in community schools. Teachers in this type of setting needed to be exposed to contemporary theory of Second Language instruction with the view of improving their pedagogy. This also needed to be researched in order to contribute to the body of knowledge..The rural settlement schools where semi-qualified teachers are still found in increasing numbers, need competent teachers who can teach students to function socially as well as linguistically. For relevant teacher education curricula research is needed to inform policy. Literature review was done and field investigation was conducted to determine teachers' conceptions of grammar and tenses. Data were collected through interviews and observations. These data were consolidated and clustered across five sources of different methods. The categories of data indicated that teachers' knowledge of rules was limited. The research was concluded with suggestions pertaining to the researcher's experience of semi-qualified teachers. It was suggested that teachers should not only concentrate on grammar knowledge but also on the knowledge about pedagogy and linguistics. The involvement of INSET programmes in this respect was strongly recommended.

M.A. / Please refer to full text to view abstract