Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur lärare i årskurs 4–6 arbetar med läsning och läsmotivation i undervisningen och hur deras arbetssätt förhåller sig till det forskningen säger. Teorin som ligger till grund för arbetet är Gambrells sju regler för läsmotivation. För att uppnå syftet genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex verksamma lärare från olika skolor om deras arbete med skönlitteratur i skolan. Materialet har därefter bearbetats och analyserats utifrån teorin och aktuell forskning. Studien visar att lärarnas arbetssätt inom vissa områden har hög överensstämmelse med det forskningen visar är främjande för läsmotivation, men att det också finns brister inom vissa områden. Det som fungerar bra är områden där lärarna har kontroll och kan påverka själva, medan de områden som har brister snarare är sådant som ligger utanför lärarnas påverkan. För att stärka barns läsmotivation ännu mer behöver detta arbete även ske i större utsträckning på skolorna och i hemmen.

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According to a survey, the majority of fourth grade students in 2005 did not choose reading as a preferred activity for entertainment (Guthrie, McRae, & Klauda, 2007). Adolescents are increasingly resistant to reading and seldom list it as a pleasurable activity. Interestingly, research shows that students who enjoy reading more do better academically (Gambrell, 2011). Accordingly, as a teacher I seek to increase students' reading for pleasure. To give space in my curriculum for students to do this and for me to support them, I used Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), a practice where students are given time to read a text of their choosing during class time. Adhering to LaBoskey's (2004) criteria for self-studies, I conducted a self-study of teacher practices. There were two rounds of field notes with critical friend commentary that allowed me to identify types of readers and types of responses. To present my findings, I developed vignettes to capture my field notes about types of readers and I identified field notes that captured general and specific responses to readers for which I provided exemplar on my findings. I also attended to trustworthiness. This study explored what I as a teacher know and learned about increasing my students' engagement with reading for pleasure during SSR time. By categorizing my students' habits and charting my responses and interventions, I was able to understand what practices to use to encourage students to read for pleasure according to their characteristics.

The low literacy levels of the majority of first-year students at tertiary institutions in South Africa have been a major cause of concern. Various attempts have been made to assist students to develop their academic literacy levels – especially academic reading. However, most of these attempts are solely cognitive-oriented, even though there has been increasing acknowledgement of the relationship between socio-affective factors and students’ academic reading abilities. The purpose of this research was to explore a socio-affective approach to improving the reading abilities of first-year students at the University of Pretoria (UP). The following questions guided the research: (1) Is there a significant relationship between socio-affective factors and students’ academic reading abilities? (2) Which socio-affective factors best predict tertiary students’ academic reading abilities? (3) How can knowledge of socio-affective factors be used to design a more effective reading intervention? (4) How effective is a reading intervention programme that incorporates socio-affective factors? A mixed methods design was used for the study which was conducted in four phases. The first phase consisted of an exploratory study in the form of a questionnaire survey that elicited information on first-year UP students’ reading background, socio-affective reading levels and the use of reading strategies in relation to their reading proficiency levels, as determined by the Test for Academic Literacy Levels (TALL). ANOVA tests were used for the analysis of TALL results while a Cumulative Logit (regression) analysis was conducted to determine the socio-affective factors that best predict these students’ reading ability. ANOVA tests showed a robust relationship between students’ social and affective reading background on one hand, and their reading proficiency levels on the other. The regression analysis showed that self-efficacy was the best predictor of students’ reading ability, followed by intrinsic motivation. Based on the empirical results, and an adapted model of Guthrie and Wigfield (2000), an intervention programme that served as enrichment to the existing Academic Reading module, and aimed at improving the reading abilities of students by focussing on socio-affective issues in particular, was designed (as phase 2) and implemented (as phase 3) of the study. Two control groups and two intervention groups of At Risk and Low Risk students were used for the study. Questionnaires on affective reading levels and strategy use were administered before and after the intervention. In phase four, quantitative analysis using t-tests (independent and paired t-tests) with effect sizes were performed on the pre- and post-intervention questionnaire responses. Results showed significant improvements in affective levels for reading in the intervention groups compared to the control groups. In addition, qualitative data were collected via interviews on the socio-affective teaching techniques used for the intervention, and analysed qualitatively using content analysis. The results of the qualitative study were used to support the quantitative findings in terms of the measure in which the teaching approach contributed to the improvement in students’ socio-affective levels in reading, which according to research, correlates with students’ reading ability. Based on the findings, recommendations are made at the classroom and institutional levels. The significance of the study in terms of enriching theory and designing innovative support to improve students’ reading ability serve as a conclusion to the thesis. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Unit for Academic Literacy / Unrestricted

The current position proposed as a possible antidote to future human conflicts is to educate our students about the horrific consequences of past atrocities. To this end, this research paper will examine the possibilities of teaching the students to recognize and reject dehumanizing attitudes in society. The concept of dehumanization and our collective capacity to prevent or resist such attitudes in society will be introduced by reading Ursula K. Le Guin’s novella The Word for World is Forest [Forest] from 1972. The close reading of the novella will be examined in adherence to Suvin’s theory of cognitive estrangement, in which the novella’s ability to act as a mediator for past and current historical events will be explored. The goal is to raise awareness of the many factors that may precede genocide and broadening the students’ capabilities of recognizing historical patterns. The main concepts for this study will primarily be adopted from the academic field of psychology in order to study the social roles each character reflects in relation to the notion of Triangle of Genocide. Secondly, different historical perspectives will be considered to correlate events from the book with historical equivalents. Lastly, from Socratic pedagogy to address complex questions and address them in an educational framework titled Peace Education. This paper aims to contribute with a unique approach to the reading of Le Guin’s novella and suggests didactic methods for implementation focusing primarily on upper secondary students in a Swedish school setting.