A research report submitted to the Wits School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by combination of coursework and research. Johannesburg, 2015 / Achievement rates in higher education in South Africa for black students remain low after 20 years of democracy. Writing academic English according to existing conventions is a complex skill. One aspect of this skill is producing dense, cohesive text. The writing of a group of IsiZulu speakers at Wits is analyzed to find out how Hallidayan (1976) cohesion is operating therein: how does this language group use conjunctions, lexical cohesion, referencing, ellipsis and substitution when writing in English? In addition, it explores whether differences in how IsiZulu and English are structured create problems with cohesion for these undergraduates when writing in English. Furthermore, it aims to uncover if the rhetorical structure of IsiZulu influences the organization and the cohesion of their English texts. From this analysis, it is evident that there are elements of referencing, conjunction use and lexical cohesion which are well developed in their writing. At the same time, evidence of speech-type syntax in the data points to areas where further development is possible. This knowledge has led to suggestions on how academic literacy input could facilitate writing skills development for this language group. The investigation has also established the dominance of English rhetorical organisation in both the English and IsiZulu writing of this cohort. It has also shown that these students experience rhetorical conflict when instructed not to use repetition as a meaning-making strategy in their writing. Both a pragmatic and a critical response to these findings has been provided. The pragmatic response is a set of suggestions on how to develop language skills in the area of cohesion. The critical response is a proposal for an alternative style of academic textual organisation with stronger links to IsiZulu oral rhetoric practices. Key words: Cohesion in IsiZulu, cohesion in English, IsiZulu rhetoric, English rhetoric, academic literacy, transformation in tertiary education

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A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Arts University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in partial fulfilment for the Degree of Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology. / This dissertation explores the role of the speech-language therapist in second language acquisition. The motivation for the study arose out of recent political changes in South Africa, which led to desegregated education, and the need for young children to cope with English as the medium of instruction from the start of their schooling. The aim was to determine whether language intervention provided by a speech-language therapist significantly improved the English proficiency of a group of black pre-school children. A pre-test, post-test, centrol group experimental design was employed. The comprehension and expression of English vocabulary and syntax of thirty, three to six year old subjects was assessed using a modified version of the Test of Auditory Comprehension of Language-Revised (Carrow, 3.988), a newly devised vocabulary measure, as well as crystal's (1982) Profile in Lexical Semantics, and the Language Assessment Remediation and Screening Procedure (crystal et aL, 1989). The results showed that the English proficiency of the group of children who received language intervention from a speech-language therapist, improved significantly more than that of the first control group, who received only additional input in English, and the second control group, who received no input beyond that provided through the regular pre-school programme. The positive results of this research can now be applied to the teaching of languages other than English, and the training of teachers who would like to improve their skills at facilitating language acquisition. / Andrew Chakane 2018

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education / This study explores the factors which influence the design and implementation of EAP content-based courses for second language learners at tertiary level. It draws upon international experience in this area, information from a case study of an adjunct EAP, content-based engineering course at the University of the Witwatersrand and the experience of other EAP practitioners in Soutllern Africa. A set of key, comprehensive factors which affect the success and effectiveness of EAP content-based courses are identified. / Andrew Chakane 2019

This research was conducted in the particular context of the 2009 new language in education policy in Rwanda. The problem examined within this context, concerns the attitudes and motivation of teachers and students from different language backgrounds (both Anglophone and Francophone) as they have experienced the shift from French and/or English as MoI to the sole use of English as medium of instruction (MoI) in education, all the way from the Primary School stage up to and including tertiary institutes. In this unique context where English was being used as MoI whilst simultaneously learning the language, the aim of this study was to investigate an often overlooked psychological aspect of the language policy shift literature, viz., Teachers’ and Students’ Attitudes and Motivation toward learning English; and toward using it for teaching and learning. Through the lens of Gardner’s (1985) second language (L2) motivation construct as a theoretical framework; this study used quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiry in the context of Mixed Methods approach, to ascertain implementers’ reaction amid challenges of policy change. The study established that, in a quasi monolingual society with Kinyarwanda as the national language, Teacher Training College (TTC) teachers and students form a diverse community of language users; that they converge on knowledge and use of English despite this diversity; that they hold positive attitudes toward learning the language and using it as MoI; and that the main reason for these positive attitudes is that the use of English as MoI offers an opportunity to learn the language. This study thus recommends that all stakeholders in the education enterprise in Rwanda be sensitized on the necessity to distinguish between the tasks of learning English and using it for teaching and learning.

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

The primary purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between Haitian-Creole and Spanish-speaking English Language Learners students’ number of years in the ELL program and their academic achievement as indicated by performance on the third-grade Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test Reading. This study also sought to determine if elementary school size (total student population), ELL student count (total number of ELL students in a school), school socioeconomic status (percentage of free and reduced lunch), student gender, and student home language (Haitian-Creole and Spanish), individual SES, and individual Idea Proficiency Test moderate the relationship. The study included data analysis using quantitative methods for the 141 elementary schools in school district. A bivariate correlation of the Pearson Correlation value (r = -.021, p > .05) was used to test the relationship between the number of years in the ELL program and achievement results for third-grade student FCAT Reading proficiency and the moderator variables (elementary school size, ELL student count, school SES, student gender, student home language, individual SES, and IPT individual score). Later, a multiple regression was used to test the moderation hypotheses. The study found that the degree of relationship between the number of years students are in the ELL program and FCAT scores of Haitian-Creole- and Spanishspeaking English Language Learner students is higher as SES increases. As SES decreases, so does the relationship. Of the 1,204 records reviewed, 423 were classified as Haitian-Creole-speaking students versus 782 classified as Spanish-speaking students. Only 16% of the students scored a level 3-5 (passed as proficient) as opposed to 84% who scored a level 1-2 (non-proficient). The study reveals a need for further research to investigate the impact that ELLs’ SES as well as the school’s SES has on the school’s achievement. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection