<p><font face="TimesNewRomanPSMT"> <p align="left">This thesis tries to answer the question of how the reading half hour could be used effectively to address literacy problems and thereby improving reading comprehension. In this thesis dominant issues surrounding the teaching of reading and the development of reading comprehension are put under the magnifying glass. A skills based approach, where the focus is on the development of mechanical skills, is contrasted with a comprehension approach in the study. The study was undertaken within a psycholinguistic approach where the primary aim is to make meaning of language and text. This framework also created the space within which literacy problems could be addressed.</p> </font></p>

<p><font face="TimesNewRomanPSMT"> <p align="left">This thesis tries to answer the question of how the reading half hour could be used effectively to address literacy problems and thereby improving reading comprehension. In this thesis dominant issues surrounding the teaching of reading and the development of reading comprehension are put under the magnifying glass. A skills based approach, where the focus is on the development of mechanical skills, is contrasted with a comprehension approach in the study. The study was undertaken within a psycholinguistic approach where the primary aim is to make meaning of language and text. This framework also created the space within which literacy problems could be addressed.</p> </font></p>

Magister Educationis - MEd / This thesis tries to answer the question of how the reading half hour could be used effectively to address literacy problems and thereby improving reading comprehension. In this thesis dominant issues surrounding the teaching of reading and the development of reading comprehension are put under the magnifying glass. A skills based approach, where the focus is on the development of mechanical skills, is contrasted with a comprehension approach in the study. The study was undertaken within a psycholinguistic approach where the primary aim is to make meaning of language and text. This framework also created the space within which literacy problems could be addressed

Die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel maak in die primêre en sekondêre taalkurrikulums voorsiening vir die ontwikkeling en vaslegging van verskillende skryfvaardighede. Ten spyte hiervan blyk dit dat talle eerstejaarstudente met toetrede tot universiteit, nie oor die nodige vaardigheid beskik om tekste te skryf wat aan die gebruiklike konvensies en standaarde van ʼn akademiese diskoergemeenskap voldoen nie. Daarom gaan die navorser van hierdie studie uit van die standpunt dat universiteite ʼn voortgesette bydrae behoort te lewer in die verdere ontwikkeling van eerstejaarstudente se skryfvaardigheid ná hulle skoolopleiding, om hulle sodoende in staat te stel om effektief binne ʼn universiteitskonteks te kan kommunikeer. In hierdie studie is ondersoek ingestel na die wyse waarop Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente konjunksiemerkers in hulle argumentatiewe skryfwerk gebruik. Daar is spesifiek gefokus op die eksplisiete gebruik van dertien konjunksiemerkerkategorieё en hulle onderskeie merkers wat oor al drie die dele (die inleiding, inhoudelike gedeelte en slot) van ʼn argument gebruik kan word, ten einde koherensie tussen al die komponente daarvan (stelling/gevolgtrekking, data, waarborg, ondersteuning, weerlegging en kwalifisering) te bewerkstellig. Die tipe argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkers wat deur die studiepopulasie gebruik is, die funksionele gepastheid daarvan, en die frekwensie van gebruik het onder die soeklig gekom. Vir die doel hiervan, is ʼn lys van tweehonderd ses-en-negentig (296) Afrikaanse argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkers saamgestel. Dit is saamgestel op grond van inligting wat uit die literatuur bekom is, sowel as ʼn handanalise van ʼn honderd argumentatiewe skryfstukke (Fase 1 van die empiriese ondersoek). Hierna is die merkers onder dertien argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkerkategorieë ingedeel en in ʼn analiseraamwerk opgeneem. Die empiriese ondersoek het plaasgevind binne die bestek van korpuslinguistiek. ʼn Korpusgebaseerde navorsingsontwerp is gebruik, en daarom is die data eenmalig ingesamel. Die kwantitatiewe ontledingstegniek daarvan (met behulp van WordSmith Tools, weergawe 5) het as hooffokus van die ondersoek gedien (Fase 2 van die empiriese ondersoek). ʼn Leerderkorpus bestaande uit sewehonderd een-en-dertig argumentatiewe skryfstukke met ʼn woordtelling van 437 580 woorde is ontleed. Tydens die analise is die frekwensie van gebruik, asook die funksionele en niefunksionele gebruik van die konjunksiemerkers vasgestel. Bo en behalwe hierdie analise is die skryfstukke ook deur drie onafhanklike nasieners aan die hand van ʼn analitiese nasienskema geëvalueer (Fase 3 van die empiriese ondersoek). Die data wat hieruit bekom is, is gebruik om statistiese verbande (deur middel van ʼn korrelasie-analise) te trek tussen die punte wat die nasieners toegeken het, en die data wat uit die hoofanalise bekom is (Fase 4 van die ondersoek). Deur hierdie analises kon vasgestel word of eerstejaarstudente se vaardigheid in die skryf van koherente argumente verder ontwikkel behoort te word, en indien wel, watter merkers onderrig moet word. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat die studiepopulasie nie oor die nodige vaardigheid beskik het om al die argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkerkategorieё en hulle onderskeie merkers korrek te gebruik nie. Slegs een van die kategorieë (begronding/redegewend) en sy merkers het getoon dat verdere onderrig nie nodig is nie. Al die ander kategorieë behoort wel onderrig te word. Die studiepopulasie se gebruik van hierdie kategorieë kon nie koherensie oor al drie die dele van die argument, en tussen al die komponente daarvan bewerkstellig nie. Dit het verder ook geblyk dat slegs ʼn beperkte aantal van die konjunksiemerkers deur die studiepopulasie gebruik is. Die resultate van die korrelasie-analise (Fases 2 en 3) het getoon dat daar slegs matige verskille was in die gebruik van vier konjunksiemerkerkategorieё tussen die skrywers wat 65% en hoër, die wat tussen 50% en 64%, en diegene wat 49% en laer vir hulle skryfstukke ontvang het. Daar is dus bevind dat eerstejaarstudente se vaardigheid in die skryf van koherente argumentatiewe tekste ná hulle skoolopleiding steeds verder ontwikkel behoort te word. Daarom stel die navorser enkele voorbeelde van onderrigaktiwiteite voor wat vir hierdie doel gebruik kan word. / PhD (English), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel maak in die primêre en sekondêre taalkurrikulums voorsiening vir die ontwikkeling en vaslegging van verskillende skryfvaardighede. Ten spyte hiervan blyk dit dat talle eerstejaarstudente met toetrede tot universiteit, nie oor die nodige vaardigheid beskik om tekste te skryf wat aan die gebruiklike konvensies en standaarde van ʼn akademiese diskoergemeenskap voldoen nie. Daarom gaan die navorser van hierdie studie uit van die standpunt dat universiteite ʼn voortgesette bydrae behoort te lewer in die verdere ontwikkeling van eerstejaarstudente se skryfvaardigheid ná hulle skoolopleiding, om hulle sodoende in staat te stel om effektief binne ʼn universiteitskonteks te kan kommunikeer. In hierdie studie is ondersoek ingestel na die wyse waarop Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente konjunksiemerkers in hulle argumentatiewe skryfwerk gebruik. Daar is spesifiek gefokus op die eksplisiete gebruik van dertien konjunksiemerkerkategorieё en hulle onderskeie merkers wat oor al drie die dele (die inleiding, inhoudelike gedeelte en slot) van ʼn argument gebruik kan word, ten einde koherensie tussen al die komponente daarvan (stelling/gevolgtrekking, data, waarborg, ondersteuning, weerlegging en kwalifisering) te bewerkstellig. Die tipe argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkers wat deur die studiepopulasie gebruik is, die funksionele gepastheid daarvan, en die frekwensie van gebruik het onder die soeklig gekom. Vir die doel hiervan, is ʼn lys van tweehonderd ses-en-negentig (296) Afrikaanse argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkers saamgestel. Dit is saamgestel op grond van inligting wat uit die literatuur bekom is, sowel as ʼn handanalise van ʼn honderd argumentatiewe skryfstukke (Fase 1 van die empiriese ondersoek). Hierna is die merkers onder dertien argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkerkategorieë ingedeel en in ʼn analiseraamwerk opgeneem. Die empiriese ondersoek het plaasgevind binne die bestek van korpuslinguistiek. ʼn Korpusgebaseerde navorsingsontwerp is gebruik, en daarom is die data eenmalig ingesamel. Die kwantitatiewe ontledingstegniek daarvan (met behulp van WordSmith Tools, weergawe 5) het as hooffokus van die ondersoek gedien (Fase 2 van die empiriese ondersoek). ʼn Leerderkorpus bestaande uit sewehonderd een-en-dertig argumentatiewe skryfstukke met ʼn woordtelling van 437 580 woorde is ontleed. Tydens die analise is die frekwensie van gebruik, asook die funksionele en niefunksionele gebruik van die konjunksiemerkers vasgestel. Bo en behalwe hierdie analise is die skryfstukke ook deur drie onafhanklike nasieners aan die hand van ʼn analitiese nasienskema geëvalueer (Fase 3 van die empiriese ondersoek). Die data wat hieruit bekom is, is gebruik om statistiese verbande (deur middel van ʼn korrelasie-analise) te trek tussen die punte wat die nasieners toegeken het, en die data wat uit die hoofanalise bekom is (Fase 4 van die ondersoek). Deur hierdie analises kon vasgestel word of eerstejaarstudente se vaardigheid in die skryf van koherente argumente verder ontwikkel behoort te word, en indien wel, watter merkers onderrig moet word. Die resultate van die empiriese ondersoek het getoon dat die studiepopulasie nie oor die nodige vaardigheid beskik het om al die argumentatiewe konjunksiemerkerkategorieё en hulle onderskeie merkers korrek te gebruik nie. Slegs een van die kategorieë (begronding/redegewend) en sy merkers het getoon dat verdere onderrig nie nodig is nie. Al die ander kategorieë behoort wel onderrig te word. Die studiepopulasie se gebruik van hierdie kategorieë kon nie koherensie oor al drie die dele van die argument, en tussen al die komponente daarvan bewerkstellig nie. Dit het verder ook geblyk dat slegs ʼn beperkte aantal van die konjunksiemerkers deur die studiepopulasie gebruik is. Die resultate van die korrelasie-analise (Fases 2 en 3) het getoon dat daar slegs matige verskille was in die gebruik van vier konjunksiemerkerkategorieё tussen die skrywers wat 65% en hoër, die wat tussen 50% en 64%, en diegene wat 49% en laer vir hulle skryfstukke ontvang het. Daar is dus bevind dat eerstejaarstudente se vaardigheid in die skryf van koherente argumentatiewe tekste ná hulle skoolopleiding steeds verder ontwikkel behoort te word. Daarom stel die navorser enkele voorbeelde van onderrigaktiwiteite voor wat vir hierdie doel gebruik kan word. / PhD (English), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The Gender Equity Task Team’s (1997) report, Gender Equity in Education, recommends that further research be done to identify the practices perpetuating inequitable gender relations in classrooms and to provide guidelines for teachers and learners to understand the meaning of the gender issues presented in the curriculum (South Africa, 1997:14&16). This research study echoes some of the desires of The Gender Equity Task Team through an exploration that engages with the extent to which gender equity is enacted in Human Rights Education curricula. In particular, the aims of this research study were to; • contest and deconstruct the notion ‘gender equity’ from scholarly perspectives as well as from explicit curriculum, female teachers’ and schoolgirls’ narratives, so as to create an awareness of gender equity in society and curriculum; and • engage with Human Rights Education pedagogical approaches so as to consider the promotion of gender equity through Human Rights Education curricula. The aims of the study were explored through a theoretical framework that engaged with Human Rights Education -, curriculum -, feminist - and gender studies theories. The methodological framework was that of qualitative narrative inquiry. A purposeful sample consisting of South African national curriculum policy documents as well as secondary school female teachers and Grade 9 schoolgirls in semi-rural and inner-city environments was selected. Document research, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and narrative-photovoice were the data collection methods, and critical discourse analysis the analytical framework. These theoretical and methodological stances were purposefully selected juxtaposed to the interests of the international SANPAD (South Africa Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development) project in which this research study resides, entitled: ‘Human Rights Education in diversity: Empowering girls in rural and metropolitan school environments’ (Roux, 2009). The findings and interpretations derived from the empirical data reveal that the formal Human Rights Education curriculum portrays gender and gender equity nuances as health, social and wellbeing dilemmas that have detrimental and destructive consequences on individuals and on society as a whole. The female teachers and schoolgirls experience gender equity primarily in terms of sameness and ‘being equal’. The elusive, complex nature of gender equity was not prevalent. However, the lived experiences of some female teachers and schoolgirls demonstrated the situatedness of their gender identity through the hidden curriculum and reinforced the notion of gender equity as a social construct. The findings of this research study have refined my understanding of the nuances of gender and gender equity, creating in me a deeper awareness of these concepts. This awareness permeates my vision of the curriculum in particular and the education system and society in general, and makes me want to strive toward fostering transformative curriculum spaces. Another contribution of this research study emerged from the desire to elicit schoolgirls’ narratives with the aid of photographs. By disrupting the boundaries between narrative and photovoice as data collection methods, narrative-photovoice was coined as a methodological contribution to this research study. The value of narrative-photovoice for and within gender studies research is also revealed. The third contribution of this research study emerged in response to the need to enrich the concept of gender equity within Human Rights Education. In effect, critical human rights literacy (HRLit) was conceptualized as a developing normative theory to deconstruct the discursive spaces emerging in Human Rights Education and to critically engage with their meanings. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The Gender Equity Task Team’s (1997) report, Gender Equity in Education, recommends that further research be done to identify the practices perpetuating inequitable gender relations in classrooms and to provide guidelines for teachers and learners to understand the meaning of the gender issues presented in the curriculum (South Africa, 1997:14&16). This research study echoes some of the desires of The Gender Equity Task Team through an exploration that engages with the extent to which gender equity is enacted in Human Rights Education curricula. In particular, the aims of this research study were to; • contest and deconstruct the notion ‘gender equity’ from scholarly perspectives as well as from explicit curriculum, female teachers’ and schoolgirls’ narratives, so as to create an awareness of gender equity in society and curriculum; and • engage with Human Rights Education pedagogical approaches so as to consider the promotion of gender equity through Human Rights Education curricula. The aims of the study were explored through a theoretical framework that engaged with Human Rights Education -, curriculum -, feminist - and gender studies theories. The methodological framework was that of qualitative narrative inquiry. A purposeful sample consisting of South African national curriculum policy documents as well as secondary school female teachers and Grade 9 schoolgirls in semi-rural and inner-city environments was selected. Document research, semi-structured one-on-one interviews and narrative-photovoice were the data collection methods, and critical discourse analysis the analytical framework. These theoretical and methodological stances were purposefully selected juxtaposed to the interests of the international SANPAD (South Africa Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development) project in which this research study resides, entitled: ‘Human Rights Education in diversity: Empowering girls in rural and metropolitan school environments’ (Roux, 2009). The findings and interpretations derived from the empirical data reveal that the formal Human Rights Education curriculum portrays gender and gender equity nuances as health, social and wellbeing dilemmas that have detrimental and destructive consequences on individuals and on society as a whole. The female teachers and schoolgirls experience gender equity primarily in terms of sameness and ‘being equal’. The elusive, complex nature of gender equity was not prevalent. However, the lived experiences of some female teachers and schoolgirls demonstrated the situatedness of their gender identity through the hidden curriculum and reinforced the notion of gender equity as a social construct. The findings of this research study have refined my understanding of the nuances of gender and gender equity, creating in me a deeper awareness of these concepts. This awareness permeates my vision of the curriculum in particular and the education system and society in general, and makes me want to strive toward fostering transformative curriculum spaces. Another contribution of this research study emerged from the desire to elicit schoolgirls’ narratives with the aid of photographs. By disrupting the boundaries between narrative and photovoice as data collection methods, narrative-photovoice was coined as a methodological contribution to this research study. The value of narrative-photovoice for and within gender studies research is also revealed. The third contribution of this research study emerged in response to the need to enrich the concept of gender equity within Human Rights Education. In effect, critical human rights literacy (HRLit) was conceptualized as a developing normative theory to deconstruct the discursive spaces emerging in Human Rights Education and to critically engage with their meanings. / Thesis (PhD (Curriculum Development Innovation and Evaluation))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The reading skill is the most important skills for the 21st century. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that nearly 80% of South African students haven’t mastered the basic reading skills at Grade 5 level. If the learner hasn’t mastered the skill of reading, his/her progression at school will be severely inhibited and learning problems will result. Reading consists of certain basic skills, namely receiving messages, perceptual skills, decoding the message and learning. A reading programme that stimulates the learner visually, auditory and tactually promotes learning and memory, is the key to reading success. There are a variety of reading methods, but in the scope of this study the multisensory reading approach is regarded as the most suitable reading approach for the Foundation Phase. The literacy study found that the human being is a multisensory creature that uses all senses to explore his/her environment. Multisensory approaches to learning have been applied with success to learners for longer than a century and are supported by the latest neuro images scientific research. During a multisensory approach, the emphasis is on phonological awareness, decoding, spelling and comprehension. In this study, the Orton-Gillingham approach is used where sounds are linked with the written symbol through visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. A quantitative pre-experimental two group pre-test, post-test research design was followed. 42 Grade 2 Afrikaans-speaking students participated in the intervention programme. The degree to which the students reading improved in the five week period determined to which extent the intervention programme influenced the reading abilities of the learners. The data analysis of pre-and post-reading revealed that after application of the multisensory reading programme a significant improvement regarding reading speed, word recognition and reading comprehension occurred. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The reading skill is the most important skills for the 21st century. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) found that nearly 80% of South African students haven’t mastered the basic reading skills at Grade 5 level. If the learner hasn’t mastered the skill of reading, his/her progression at school will be severely inhibited and learning problems will result. Reading consists of certain basic skills, namely receiving messages, perceptual skills, decoding the message and learning. A reading programme that stimulates the learner visually, auditory and tactually promotes learning and memory, is the key to reading success. There are a variety of reading methods, but in the scope of this study the multisensory reading approach is regarded as the most suitable reading approach for the Foundation Phase. The literacy study found that the human being is a multisensory creature that uses all senses to explore his/her environment. Multisensory approaches to learning have been applied with success to learners for longer than a century and are supported by the latest neuro images scientific research. During a multisensory approach, the emphasis is on phonological awareness, decoding, spelling and comprehension. In this study, the Orton-Gillingham approach is used where sounds are linked with the written symbol through visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. A quantitative pre-experimental two group pre-test, post-test research design was followed. 42 Grade 2 Afrikaans-speaking students participated in the intervention programme. The degree to which the students reading improved in the five week period determined to which extent the intervention programme influenced the reading abilities of the learners. The data analysis of pre-and post-reading revealed that after application of the multisensory reading programme a significant improvement regarding reading speed, word recognition and reading comprehension occurred. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

Insufficiency in literacy is seen as a worldwide problem. The scope of the problem is confirmed by the fact that the United Nations declared the years 2003–2012 as International Literacy Decade. Literacy is seen as a necessary skill – the cornerstone of human capital development – and a fundamental competency on which the mastering of all other skills depends. Fundamental skills such as reading, writing and numeric skills and technological literacy influence the economic prosperity of any country in different ways. The language and numeric skills of learners are declining, and employers are of the opinion that candidates applying for work do not have sufficient basic skills for available jobs. The above has led to the decision to focus in this study on the development of a teaching framework for the improvement of job access skills for Grade 10 Computer Applications Technology (CAT) learners. The concepts of “literacy” and “job access” are discussed in the literature review. Job access skills are anchored in literacy. An analysis of the Grade 10 CAT learning programme and work schedule was done to determine to which degree literacy skills are addressed in the assessment standards. A framework and an accompanying workbook were developed in this study to address the gaps that were identified during the analysis of the Grade 10 teaching and learning programme and work schedule. Various requirements and determinants for the development of a teaching framework were studied. These requirements and determinants were considered for the development of the suggested teaching framework. A workbook containing literacy tasks was used to improve literacy skills of learners and was used as the instrument for the implementation of the teaching framework. The empirical study being reported here was aimed at determining to which degree the use of the workbook that had been developed as the instrument for the integration of the teaching framework, contributed to the improvement of the learners’ literacy skills. During the qualitative study, it was revealed that the teachers at the schools participating in this study were very positive about the workbook, and also that they were of the opinion that it could contribute to the improvement of the literacy skills of the learners. A practical significant influence with a large effect regarding general literacy and a small effect on general numeracy were reported. The analysis of the quantitative data showed that completion of the learning tasks in the workbook does indeed have an influence on improving the literacy level of the learners, and it is thus recommended that literacy skills be integrated into the existing CAT learning programme. / PhD (Teaching and Learning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012