Not all pupils of average intelligence can be said to make satisfactory progress at school. Frequently some of them, for some reason or other, fall behind in certain areas of the curriculum. Unless timely action is taken, serious learning problems may develop with ultimate detrimental effect upon the pupil's progress. This study is aimed at determining to what extent music therapy can be successfully applied in the case of Std. I pupils whose progress at school is not commensurate with their I.Q. First of all a study was undertaken of the available literature on learning problems and subsequently of that dealing with music therapy. Finally a programme was devised for using music therapy with groups. This programme is particularly concerned with the development of the following: motor skills, perceptual abilities, language, acquisition of mathematical concepts and social adaptability. Seven pupils from a primary school were then selected as experimental subjects and a six-month individual music therapy programme was presented to each after establishing their individual problems. This information was derived from class teachers' reports, pupils' scores in the various school subjects and from the results of standardized scholastic and perceptual tests. The progress of each subject was discussed per se and illustrated by means of tables explaining the various data. During the period of presentation due attention was paid to: Fine muscle co-ordination, eye-hand co-ordination, left-right co-ordination, exercises in reading, visual and auditory discrimination and memory, spacial awareness, succession of sounds, foreground-background differentiation, number skills, spelling, sustained attention and perseverance, musical development and improvement of pupils' self-image. When the programme had been fully presented, the battery of tests was repeated and the class teachers were once more consulted to determine the extent of the progress. These data were then also included in the tables previously mentioned. The following conclusions could be drawn from the results of the individual music therapy programme that had been presented to the seven pupils: All the pupils concerned had made progress; subjects in which there had been significant improvement were reading, mathematics, spelling and hand-writing, with notable increase in writing speed; the experimental subjects showed improved ability to concentrate and their self-image had also improved. One can therefore arrive at the conclusion that music therapy can be successfully used with groups or individuals to help them overcome their learning problems. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1983

Not all pupils of average intelligence can be said to make satisfactory progress at school. Frequently some of them, for some reason or other, fall behind in certain areas of the curriculum. Unless timely action is taken, serious learning problems may develop with ultimate detrimental effect upon the pupil's progress. This study is aimed at determining to what extent music therapy can be successfully applied in the case of Std. I pupils whose progress at school is not commensurate with their I.Q. First of all a study was undertaken of the available literature on learning problems and subsequently of that dealing with music therapy. Finally a programme was devised for using music therapy with groups. This programme is particularly concerned with the development of the following: motor skills, perceptual abilities, language, acquisition of mathematical concepts and social adaptability. Seven pupils from a primary school were then selected as experimental subjects and a six-month individual music therapy programme was presented to each after establishing their individual problems. This information was derived from class teachers' reports, pupils' scores in the various school subjects and from the results of standardized scholastic and perceptual tests. The progress of each subject was discussed per se and illustrated by means of tables explaining the various data. During the period of presentation due attention was paid to: Fine muscle co-ordination, eye-hand co-ordination, left-right co-ordination, exercises in reading, visual and auditory discrimination and memory, spacial awareness, succession of sounds, foreground-background differentiation, number skills, spelling, sustained attention and perseverance, musical development and improvement of pupils' self-image. When the programme had been fully presented, the battery of tests was repeated and the class teachers were once more consulted to determine the extent of the progress. These data were then also included in the tables previously mentioned. The following conclusions could be drawn from the results of the individual music therapy programme that had been presented to the seven pupils: All the pupils concerned had made progress; subjects in which there had been significant improvement were reading, mathematics, spelling and hand-writing, with notable increase in writing speed; the experimental subjects showed improved ability to concentrate and their self-image had also improved. One can therefore arrive at the conclusion that music therapy can be successfully used with groups or individuals to help them overcome their learning problems. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1983

In this investigation the emphasis has been placed on aggression and its effect on the academic performance of the child. A questionnaire was sent to 649 Afrikaans-speaking standard 8 pupils. The questions of the questionnaire were compiled in such a way so as to determine whether the child is aggressive or not. Only 137 pupils of the 649 were chosen for the experimental group by means of a proportional test sample. Besides the questionnaire that were completed by the pupils, the I.Q. and academic achievement of each participant were taken into consideration. concerned. This information was obtained from the schools Information on aggression was obtained from a wide range of references. Particular attention was given to the concept, origin and forms of aggression. From the literary studies it appears that, although aggression can be positive, it is principally negative and reprehensible. Attention was also given to under-achievement in general and in specific to problems in mathematics and reading. The latter two problems are the most general learning problems among pupils. The etiology and symptomatology of the mentioned problems are discussed in detail in chapter 4. In chapter 5 the method and programme of research are discussed in detail. In particular the experimental group, the questionnaire, intelligence test and academic achievement have been stressed. The treatment of the information is discussed in chapter 7. The five differing forms of aggression are brought into relation with the I.Q. and academic achievement of the participants in the experimental group and certain deductions were made. Although there are no statistical differences worthy of mentioning between the aggressive and non-aggressive participants in the experimental group with regard to academic achievement, it does appear that the average percentage of the non-aggressive pupils is higher than that of the aggressive pupils. With regard to verbal aggression, it was found that the average percentage of the nonaggressive pupils is 1% lower than that of the aggressive pupils. The I.Q. of the non-aggressive pupils is also lower than that of the aggressive pupils. (compare par. 6.3.5.) Only with covert aggression was there found to be a significant difference between the aggressive and non-aggressive pupils with regard to academic achievement. On the academic level the nonaggressive pupils performed better than the aggressive pupils. (compare par. 6.3.3). Although the results of the non-aggressive experimental group participants were slightly higher than that of the aggressive participants, it was found that there was no significant statistical differences between the two groups. The conclusion can thus not simply be made that aggression has a fundamental influence on the academic ability and that aggression is not the final and dominant factor which causes a child to underachieve or experience learning problems. In the final chapter of this investigation several principles are proposed and conclusions and recommendations are made. A resume of the preceding 6 chapters is also given. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1985

In this investigation the emphasis has been placed on aggression and its effect on the academic performance of the child. A questionnaire was sent to 649 Afrikaans-speaking standard 8 pupils. The questions of the questionnaire were compiled in such a way so as to determine whether the child is aggressive or not. Only 137 pupils of the 649 were chosen for the experimental group by means of a proportional test sample. Besides the questionnaire that were completed by the pupils, the I.Q. and academic achievement of each participant were taken into consideration. concerned. This information was obtained from the schools Information on aggression was obtained from a wide range of references. Particular attention was given to the concept, origin and forms of aggression. From the literary studies it appears that, although aggression can be positive, it is principally negative and reprehensible. Attention was also given to under-achievement in general and in specific to problems in mathematics and reading. The latter two problems are the most general learning problems among pupils. The etiology and symptomatology of the mentioned problems are discussed in detail in chapter 4. In chapter 5 the method and programme of research are discussed in detail. In particular the experimental group, the questionnaire, intelligence test and academic achievement have been stressed. The treatment of the information is discussed in chapter 7. The five differing forms of aggression are brought into relation with the I.Q. and academic achievement of the participants in the experimental group and certain deductions were made. Although there are no statistical differences worthy of mentioning between the aggressive and non-aggressive participants in the experimental group with regard to academic achievement, it does appear that the average percentage of the non-aggressive pupils is higher than that of the aggressive pupils. With regard to verbal aggression, it was found that the average percentage of the nonaggressive pupils is 1% lower than that of the aggressive pupils. The I.Q. of the non-aggressive pupils is also lower than that of the aggressive pupils. (compare par. 6.3.5.) Only with covert aggression was there found to be a significant difference between the aggressive and non-aggressive pupils with regard to academic achievement. On the academic level the nonaggressive pupils performed better than the aggressive pupils. (compare par. 6.3.3). Although the results of the non-aggressive experimental group participants were slightly higher than that of the aggressive participants, it was found that there was no significant statistical differences between the two groups. The conclusion can thus not simply be made that aggression has a fundamental influence on the academic ability and that aggression is not the final and dominant factor which causes a child to underachieve or experience learning problems. In the final chapter of this investigation several principles are proposed and conclusions and recommendations are made. A resume of the preceding 6 chapters is also given. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1985

The study is concerned with learning disabled children. A literature survey which deals with the definitions, causes and manifestations of learning disabilities was conducted. An aid programme, focussing specifically on the auditory modality, was developed. Through a careful study of relevant literature it is clear that although a learning disabled child possesses adequate or even above-average intellectual capabilities, deficiencies such as abnormal behaviour and inadequacies in learning which may be ascribed to malfunctions in the central nervous system, are manifested. The causes of learning disorders could be of an external or inherent nature and behavioural manifestations such as motor- or perceptual deficiencies, hyperactivity and inadequate academic performance frequently occur. The importance of the auditory perceptual skills in the acquisition of reading and spelling performances is emphasized. Research on auditory deficiencies and their subsequent detrimental effect on reading and spelling performance, indicate a significant relationship between these deficits and the impairment of analysis, synthesis, storing and recalling of auditory information. This survey was conducted in order to devise an auditory aid programme by means of which deficits in auditory perception could be overcome or improved and to decide whether the improvement of auditory deficits would contribute positively towards the reading and spelling results of the learning disabled child. From the literature a variety of exercises for the improvement of the various auditory perceptual skills were assembled. An integrated reading and spelling programme to stimulate the development of-auditory skills was subsequently devised and applied by means of the experimental method This aid programme was applied with great success in six cases who had previously been identified as learning disabled candidates. It resulted in a remarkable improvement in auditory skills of all six participants. All of them performed according to their mental age standard. Basic reading and spelling abilities improved accordingly. Those participants who best overcame their auditory perceptual deficiencies also gave the best performance in reading and spelling abilities. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1984

The study is concerned with learning disabled children. A literature survey which deals with the definitions, causes and manifestations of learning disabilities was conducted. An aid programme, focussing specifically on the auditory modality, was developed. Through a careful study of relevant literature it is clear that although a learning disabled child possesses adequate or even above-average intellectual capabilities, deficiencies such as abnormal behaviour and inadequacies in learning which may be ascribed to malfunctions in the central nervous system, are manifested. The causes of learning disorders could be of an external or inherent nature and behavioural manifestations such as motor- or perceptual deficiencies, hyperactivity and inadequate academic performance frequently occur. The importance of the auditory perceptual skills in the acquisition of reading and spelling performances is emphasized. Research on auditory deficiencies and their subsequent detrimental effect on reading and spelling performance, indicate a significant relationship between these deficits and the impairment of analysis, synthesis, storing and recalling of auditory information. This survey was conducted in order to devise an auditory aid programme by means of which deficits in auditory perception could be overcome or improved and to decide whether the improvement of auditory deficits would contribute positively towards the reading and spelling results of the learning disabled child. From the literature a variety of exercises for the improvement of the various auditory perceptual skills were assembled. An integrated reading and spelling programme to stimulate the development of-auditory skills was subsequently devised and applied by means of the experimental method This aid programme was applied with great success in six cases who had previously been identified as learning disabled candidates. It resulted in a remarkable improvement in auditory skills of all six participants. All of them performed according to their mental age standard. Basic reading and spelling abilities improved accordingly. Those participants who best overcame their auditory perceptual deficiencies also gave the best performance in reading and spelling abilities. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1984