Due to the detrimental effects of apartheid on the South African learning environment the implementation of language policies aimed at fostering multilingual and multicultural education to attain educational equity are rendered impractical (DoE, 1995; de Wet, 2002; Pretorius, 2002b). As a result many L2 learners in English medium school are struggling to reach their academic potential due to their lack of cognitive academic English language proficiency. This study aimed to analyse the effects of L1 and L2 reading ability for high school learners’ who were exposed to a reading intervention over a two year period, compared with those who did not experience the intervention. The results indicated that although learners’ improved in their performance on measures of comprehension and vocabulary over time, those who were exposed to the additional experience of a reading intervention did not improve to a significantly greater extent than those who did not take part in the reading intervention. Furthermore, the reading intervention did not serve to significantly narrow the gap in reading ability between L1 and L2 learners. Reasons for the results, limitations to the study, recommendations for future research, and implications for the South African learning context are discussed.

Since South Africa’s democratic government was elected to power in 1994, much attention has been given to restructuring the country’s education system. Peer-mentoring is one approach to meet current challenges in education given high teacher:learner ratios, greater diversity in student population and majority of learners being taught in English, their second and even third language. This research examined the impact of a peermentoring reading intervention with second language Grade 9 learners. The study utilized a sample of Grade 9 learners (N = 173) from a school in Gauteng. Biographical information was obtained and these learners were pre-tested in Grade 8 and post-tested in Grade 9 2007, using the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test (SDRT). The entire Grade 9 group received the reading intervention for three months and their results were compared to a comparison group from the previous year who received no intervention. Results of learners’ vocabulary, comprehension and academic achievement scores were compared. Although both the comparison and the experimental groups showed an improvement on their vocabulary and comprehension scores, the experimental group’s gains were significantly higher. Of the Grade 9 experimental group, 30 learners (mentees) received individual paired reading mentoring and their scores were examined to determine the extent of improvement. The mentees group showed similar significant gains in their vocabulary and comprehension scores, and showed an overall improvement in their academic marks. Challenges faced, limitations and recommendations for future study are discussed.

This inquiry focussed on a single unit of analysis: TeleTuks Schools, a community outreach initiative of the University of Pretoria, South Africa and is classified as a case study. It sought to explain why despite technology that permits bi-directional oral communication during televised instruction, learner participation was poor. The exploration of literature related to instructional television (ITV) and social communication, ensured a richer understanding of ITV as delivery mode as well as potential reasons for low responsivity during telelessons. It also raised awareness of the particular challenges of utilising ITV in a developing country context. This inquiry was informed by an interpretivist paradigm and the theoretical stance related to a synthesis of several communication models designed for mass media while the concept interaction as a key element of instructional communication was also dissected. Initially, a small-scale quantitative approach, established how prevalent poor participation was while rich experiential interview and video data identified why learners refrained from participating overtly. The use of Atlas.tiTM to systematically analyse the volume of unstructured data as a single unit, not only facilitated analysis but also enhanced the validity of the inquiry. An inductive analysis of the research data generated three significant and interrelated themes: Paradoxical perceptions, Presenter nescience, and Problematic practicalities and partnerships. These accounted for why learners did not respond as expected during televised instructional episodes. Key findings suggested that the rate of learner participation during telelessons was not influenced by an isolated factor as initially anticipated, but by a combination of variables. Technical and methodological design limitations were complicated by ineffective communication skills on the part of both presenters and viewers. Incongruence between the findings and initial suppositions added to an overarching sense of mismatch and led to the proposal of a theory linked to instructional dissonance i.e. the ignorance or denial of distortions that negatively affect communication between the instructor and student. Instructional communication is successful but not meaningful as a mismatch of sense or utility occurs. Recommendations for theory and practice are deemed applicable to mediated instructional contexts. Research avenues for further exploration relating to interaction in blended learning environments have been suggested. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This study was conducted to explore gender differences in language acquisition of adult male and female learners in Qatar. With globalization, English is no longer exclusively being used by the traditional English-speaking world only. It has become the international communicative language, used for commerce and trade, as well as the social media. For these reasons, many learners in Qatar attend an English language centre to acquire the necessary skills to become more fluent in the language. Both male and female learners enter the classroom with a wealth of life experiences, but just unable to communicate effectively in the target language. Therefore, teaching English to adult males and females from different nationalities, including the local Qatari population, should never been considered in isolation. The gender differences in language acquisition of these learners have to be acknowledged, taking their cognitive styles, motivation towards learning, strategies employed, anxieties experienced and the teaching practices into account. English language lecturers have a responsibility to be knowledgeable on the subject they teach, as well as possess the necessary skills to best educate these learners. In this situation, adult language learners do however, also have to accept responsibility for their own actions and seek out every opportunity to acquire English. / Educational Studies / D. Phil. (Adult Educatiion)

This study was conducted to explore gender differences in language acquisition of adult male and female learners in Qatar. With globalization, English is no longer exclusively being used by the traditional English-speaking world only. It has become the international communicative language, used for commerce and trade, as well as the social media. For these reasons, many learners in Qatar attend an English language centre to acquire the necessary skills to become more fluent in the language. Both male and female learners enter the classroom with a wealth of life experiences, but just unable to communicate effectively in the target language. Therefore, teaching English to adult males and females from different nationalities, including the local Qatari population, should never been considered in isolation. The gender differences in language acquisition of these learners have to be acknowledged, taking their cognitive styles, motivation towards learning, strategies employed, anxieties experienced and the teaching practices into account. English language lecturers have a responsibility to be knowledgeable on the subject they teach, as well as possess the necessary skills to best educate these learners. In this situation, adult language learners do however, also have to accept responsibility for their own actions and seek out every opportunity to acquire English. / Educational Studies / D. Phil. (Adult Educatiion)