Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1970. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Leland B. Jacobs. Dissertation Committee: Phil C. Lange. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1975. / Vita. Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

This study investigated, through survey methodology, the instructional practices of teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) with disabilities in Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD). These practices were compared to best-practice recommendations made by a group of evaluators in the field of bilingual special education. Results indicated that teacher practices differed considerably from recommendations made by expert evaluators in the field. Specifically, teachers preferred English as the exclusive language of instruction while expert evaluators strongly recommended bilingual instruction. Also, teachers reported strong administrator support while expert evaluators did not. Furthermore, most teachers reported satisfaction with the instruction of ELLs in their schools while most expert evaluators reported dissatisfaction. Results also showed that when administrators at Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings encouraged discussion about language of instruction, the likelihood of parent participation in these discussions increased. Language dominance and language proficiency testing of preschool aged ELLs, and representation of LPAC members at IEP meetings were major predictors of whether or not these children would receive referral to the bilingual or ESL programs in the future. Most of the results found in this study supported results found by Mueller, Singer, and Carranza in 2006. This study highlights research favoring the development of the primary language of ELLs in PPCD and Pre-K settings while underscoring the disconnect among teachers' beliefs, training, and instructional practices.

Thesis (D.A.)--Illinois State University, 1987. / Title from title page screen, viewed August 30, 2005. Dissertation Committee: Ron Fortune (chair), Mack Bowen, Irene Brosnahan, Elizabeth McMahan, Maurice Scharton. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-194) and abstract. Also available in print.

Education in South Africa has experienced many changes since the dawn of democracy in 1994. The demographic composition of schools has changed dramatically as urbanisation has increased and the movement of people is no longer regulated by Apartheid laws. Classrooms now are multi-lingual and multi-cultural with learners from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Many senior teachers at Ditlou Primary School started their teaching careers more than 20 years ago and were trained to work within an almost homogeneous school context, using their mother tongue - Afrikaans - exclusively as the medium of instruction. They are now required to teach in English. The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to describe the communicative dispositions of Afrikaans-speaking Foundation Phase teachers and to establish how the changing linguistic context of Ditlou Primary School may have influenced their communicative dispositions when teaching. This qualitative study is theoretically underpinned by McCroskey’s Model of Instructional Communication (2004) as a theoretical framework and used interpretivism as an epistemological paradigm. Data were collected through extensive field work. The instrumentation included a language-biography questionnaire, semi-structured and group interviews and a participant journal. The data collected were pooled categorised and coded (deductive and inductive). Although unique to each teacher-participant, key findings suggests that a generic communicative disposition could be sketched for Afrikaans-speaking Foundation Phase teachers at the research site. The teacher-participants agreed that they spoke at a much slower pace and that their voice pitch was higher than when they taught in their mother tongue. The volume of their speech also differed when using English for instructional purposes. Their oral proficiency in the language of teaching and learning could be considered sufficient. In terms of non-verbal communicative aspects, the layout of all classrooms was strictly traditional and authoritarian ensuring learner eye-contact constantly. Yet despite strict discipline, teachers prioritised the emotional well-being of their learners by displaying positive haptic and kinaesthetic behaviour. The influence of personality or temperament on their communicative disposition cannot be negated and is directly linked to their habitual behavioural patterns and unique traits exhibited in their classroom communication. The changed linguistic context primarily influenced the teacher-participants communicative dispositions by necessitating a switch to English as the medium of instruction - a language which is neither theirs nor the learners’ home language. Teaching multi-cultural and multi-lingual learners also had a direct bearing on how the teacher-participants communicative dispositions changed although this was self-reported and would need further investigation. Further recommendations emanating from this study include providing a framework to prepare pre-service teachers to teach in a non-native language and to help them develop effective communicative dispositions for the classroom. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Humanities Education / MEd / Unrestricted

This study compares the different primary school language of instruction models found in South Africa for performance on the higher-order reading comprehension processes tested in the international, large-scale assessment, prePIRLS 2011. The language of instruction groupings include the African languages, Afrikaans, English L1 and English L2 as an immersion model. The marked differences in performance observed on the higher-order prePIRLS 2011 items across the language models are not singular reasons for performance in themselves, but reflect embedded contextual factors that influence performance. It was, therefore, examined how language of instruction creates or restricts access to ‘social tools’ and ‘cultural capital’ which mediate the development of higher-order reading comprehension at home and at school. It was found that socio-economic status (SES) at the school level contributes 86.06 (SE=20.48) and 98.54 (SE=17.28) score points for English (N=2 205) and Afrikaans (N=1 463) respectively as a school level indicator. For the Afrikaans LoLT grouping access to text explained 44 score points (SE=11.09). Neither SES nor access to text explained significant variance in performance for the African languages schools when examined within the language grouping (N= 12 076). A linear regression (N=6 342) showed that low SES learners whose language of instruction is English, despite it not being their mother tongue, benefit by 20.35 score points (equivalent to half a year) from being in the English L2 group, in comparison to the African languages L1 group as a measure of achievement on the higher-order subscale. The hypothesis that SES and access to text significantly affect performance in higher-order reading comprehension was further supported by the findings of a two-level regression, showing that access to text at school contributed 32.91 score points (B=32.91, SE=13.96, p=.03) to performance for English L2 low SES learners (N=480). It is argued that better provision of text at school can mediate the development of the cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies required for higher-order reading comprehension across all language of instruction models and socio-economic strata. Print material is often more accessible to learners in English. This strengthens a pragmatic, contextually-based argument for focused prioritisation of English L2 instruction concomitant to raising the quality of home language instruction. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / Centre for Evaluation & Assessment (CEA) / PhD / Unrestricted

no abstract provided by author / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to understand the issue of the language of instruction to school literacy learning in rural Haiti. Using a narrative approach, 10 participants who live and work in a rural village in Northern Haiti were involved. I sought to examine their experience and perspectives on the issue as well as their level of awareness and the ways they navigate through the system to succeed in life. The dissertation also investigated their struggle to learn using a language over which they do not have much command and that they do not speak at home and in their community. This dissertation drew from critical pedagogy, as a conceptual framework that advocates for emancipation by providing quality and equitable education for all students as agents of change filled with intellectual potentiality and the ability to address oppressive patterns in society and challenge the status quo. Data from subjects were collected from focus groups, in-class observations, and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the data was done utilizing three coding cycles and three themes were identified: 1) Students’ production based on the language in use, 2) The importance of the setting for language mastery and literacy learning, and 3) The role of language mastery in students’ success in school and in the workplace. The study suggests implications for future research, parents, and school leaders. The findings identify gaps and purpose to add to the literature given the paucity of research on the issue of the language of instruction as applied to schools in rural Haiti.Keywords: literacy learning, language of instruction, mother tongue, bilingualism, code-switching

Language planning and policy formulation is a complex exercise. The purpose of this research was to explore and expose the challenges of language planning and policy formulation in Africa, with specific reference to Zimbabwe as the case study. To carry out the study, critical stages, approaches, theories and models of language planning were used. This analysis further established the attitudes of indigenous communities towards the use of indigenous languages in major domains of life. The study revealed the dilemma African Governments face in ‘officializing’ indigenous languages. The study proposes that in a multilingual nation like Zimbabwe, there is strong need to provide legal recognition to African languages as both official and national languages within Zimbabwe’s constitution. The research comprises six chapters. The conclusion restates the problem identified at the beginning and summarizes the findings. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

published_or_final_version / abstract / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics