A presente pesquisa, de abordagem qualitativa, propôs-se a investigar estratégias voltadas a alunos do Ensino Fundamental I para promover o início da alfabetização e letramento científico, a serem desenvolvidos ao longo da Educação Básica. Para isso, partiu das seguintes questões: Como trabalhar de forma a levar o aluno à aprendizagem de ciências naturais e desenvolvimento de habilidades fundamentais à formação do indivíduo alfabetizado e letrado cientificamente, como previsto nos Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCN)? Que tipo de texto seria mais interessante para a prática pedagógica com vistas a essa aprendizagem? Trabalhando com alunos do 3º ano do Ensino Fundamental, ciclo I, de uma escola pública da Rede Municipal de Ensino de Guaratinguetá-SP, a pesquisa utilizou rodas de leitura como metodologia de ensino-aprendizagem de conteúdos de Ciências Naturais. Elegendo como suporte os textos de divulgação científica da revista Ciência Hoje das Crianças - CHC, a pesquisa desenvolveu as etapas de aplicação das atividades das rodas de leitura, avaliadas através da observação e análise das interações verbais e atividades complementares de representação verbal, icônica e cênica do conhecimento, além de sessão de jogos. Os resultados revelam o papel central do parceiro mais capaz atuando na ZDP durante as interações, contribuindo favoravelmente para a introdução do aluno no universo da ciência como um saber escolar, iniciando o seu processo de alfabetização e letramento científico e desenvolvendo melhor compreensão e interesse pelos conteúdos das Ciências Naturais. Diante disso, abriram-se perspectivas para a elaboração de uma heurística que o professor poderá levar em consideração se tiver como objetivo uma atuação eficiente na ZDP e a iniciação do aluno nos processos de alfabetização e letramento científico. / The present research, with qualitative approach, aimed to examine strategies focused on Elementary School students to promote the beginning of early and scientific literacies, both to be developed along Basic Education. To that end, it was based on the following questions: How to work in a way that takes the student to the learning of natural sciences and the development of abilities that are fundamental to the formation of the early and scientific literate individual, as fixed by the National Curriculum Parameters (NCP)? What kind of text would be more interesting to the pedagogical practice with focus on that learning? Working with students from the 3rd grade of the Elementary School, cycle I, of a public school of the Municipal Education System of Guaratinguetá-SP, the research used literature circles as a methodology for teaching and learning Natural Sciences contents. Electing scientific divulgation texts of the magazine Ciência Hoje das Crianças - CHC as support, the research developed the stages of application of the literature circles activities, evaluated through the observation and analysis of the oral interactions and complementary activities of oral, iconic and scenic representation of the knowledge, besides game sessions. The results reveal the main role of the more capable partner acting in the ZPD during the interactions, contributing favorably to the introduction of the student into the universe of science as a school knowledge, initiating his early and scientific literacies process and developing better comprehension and interest in the Natural Science contents. As a result, many perspectives were open up to the elaboration of a heuristic that the teacher will be able to take into account if he has an effective operation in the ZPD and the student initiation in the early and scientific literacies processes as goals.

A crescente internacionalização do ensino superior (MOROSINI, 2006) tem feito com que tanto instituições financiadoras quanto universidades pressionem pesquisadores a publicarem internacionalmente (MUELLER, 2000). Visando a aumentar a visibilidade da pesquisa local dentro do cenário acadêmico internacional (FLOWERDEW, 1999), a publicação em periódicos com alto fator de impacto geralmente ocorre em inglês, a língua franca das ciências (HÜLMBAUER et al., 2008). Entretanto, publicar em inglês, que desafia pesquisadores não nativos de inglês em geral (OLIVEIRA, ZUCOLOTTO E ALUÍSIO, 2006), é ainda mais desafiador para neófitos com pouco domínio daquela língua. Apesar de bastante estudadas no exterior, tanto do ponto de vista discente (LEKI E CARSON, 1994; CABRAL E TAVARES, 2005; LAVELLE E BUSHROW, 2007; ENE, 2014) quanto do docente (ENGLISH, 1999; PEDRA E NOCITO, 2012; CARRIÓ-PASTOR E MESTRE-MESTRE, 2014; DAVOUDI, NAFCHI E MALLAHI, 2015) ou de ambos (CASANAVE e HUBBARD, 1992; BITCHE-NER E BASTURKMEN, 2006; DONOHUE E ERLING, 2012), no Brasil, nunca foi feito um estudo que reunisse as principais dificuldades de pós-graduandos com a escrita acadêmica em inglês. Com o intuito de contribuir para o melhor conhecimento da complexidade do esforço de inserção de pesquisadores iniciantes na comunidade acadêmica global via publicação internacional, esta pesquisa de mestrado objetivou conhecer as dificuldades de pós-graduandos de uma universidade pública brasileira com a escrita acadêmica em inglês tanto na percepção discente quanto na docente e averiguar se haveria convergências ou divergências naquelas percepções. Dois questionários foram confeccionados e aplicados eletronicamente, angariando 385 participações (303 pós-graduandos e 82 professores). As análises quantitativa e qualitativa dos dados mostraram convergência nas percepções das duas maiores dificuldades de pós-graduandos (escrever um texto que soe natural em inglês e usar preposições adequadamente). Os dados não só revelaram uma crença predominantemente alinhada com uma visão tradicionalista do ensino da escrita em inglês (FERREIRA, 2007), mas também indicaram que as percepções de pós-graduandos sobre suas próprias deficiências com a escrita em inglês não eram claras. O conhecimento das dificuldades específicas de pós-graduandos com o inglês acadêmico escrito possibilitará o alinhamento das percepções de discentes e docentes, contribuindo assim para melhor orientar futuras iniciativas pedagógicas e institucionais que beneficiem tanto pós-graduandos quanto professores. / The growing internationalization of higher education (MOROSINI, 2006) has caused funding agencies and universities to put pressure on researchers to publish internationally (MUELLER, 2000). In order to increase the visibility of local research within the international academic context (FLOWERDEW, 1999), publication in high-impact factor journals usually occurs in English, the lingua franca of science (HÜLMBAUER et al., 2008). However, publishing in English challenges most non-native English speaking researchers (OLIVEIRA et al., 2006), especially junior researchers with little mastery of English. Although graduate students main difficulties have been regularly studied abroad, either from their own perspective (LEKI & CARSON, 1994; CABRAL & TAVARES, 2005; LAVELLE & BUSHROW, 2007; ENE, 2014), from their professors (ENGLISH, 1999; PEDRA & NOCITO, 2012; CARRIÓ-PASTOR & MESTRE-MESTRE, 2014; DAVOUDI, NAFCHI & MALLAHI, 2015) or from both (CASANAVE & HUBBARD, 1992; BITCHENER & BASTURKMEN, 2006; DONOHUE & ERLING, 2012), in Brazil those students perceptions of their difficulties with academic English writing had never been gathered in one single investigation before. Hoping to cast light on the complex effort involved in junior researchers indictment into global academia through international publication, this research aimed at uncovering the difficulties graduate students in a Brazilian public university face with academic writing in English. Students and professors perceptions of the formers difficulties were investigated and then compared in order to reveal points of convergence or divergence. Two questionnaires were designed and applied, yielding 385 participants (303 graduate students and 82 professors). One of the main findings of the quantitative and qualitative data analysis is that students and teachers perceptions converge regarding the students main difficulties with writing in English: writing texts that would sound natural in English and using prepositions adequately. The data not only revealed a predominant belief in the traditional teaching of English and of writing (FERREIRA, 2007), but they also indicated that students perceptions of their own writing difficulties in English were unclear. The knowledge of specific challenges to graduate writing in English will facilitate the alignment of students and professors perceptions, thus contributing to inform future pedagogical and institutional initiatives benefitting both staff and students.

Este trabalho promoveu um mapeamento do universo documental das Literacias de Mídia e Informação (MIL) no âmbito das Declarações Oficiais da UNESCO entre os anos de 1982 e 2014. Considerado um novo conceito, as MIL contemplam o desenvolvimento de capacidades e habilidades de cidadãos com a mídia e a informação no ambiente do Século XXI, para que sejam protagonistas de suas próprias histórias e se empoderem ao longo desse processo. Para estudo desse campo se recorreu à Teoria do Ator-Rede como aporte teórico e outros conceitos concernentes como as literacias da informação, digitais e de mídia. Da perspectiva metodológica, a pesquisa tem cunho qualitativo e transdisciplinar e contribui para a compreensão das novas morfologias epistêmicas da sociedade do conhecimento. Como resultados, foram elaborados quadros sínteses e linhas do tempo para a apreensão visual da progressão do conceito de MIL, face à sua sedimentação terminológica e temática. Ainda, se torna possível entender os vários vieses abrangidos ao longo dessa jornada, tendência que a UNESCO tem chamado de \"transliteracy\". / This work promoted a documental cartography over the Media and Information Literacies (MIL) concept under UNESCO\'s documents, between the 1982 and 2014. Considered a new concept, the MIL regards the capacity and skills development within the media and the information environment in the 21st Century, so the individuals can be protagonists of their own histories and for them to empower themselves in the process. This study refers to the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a theoretical basis, as well to the digital, media and information literacies concepts. Under a methodological overview, this is a qualitative and transdisciplinary research and contributes to understanding the new epistemological morphologies of the knowledge societies. As results, were elaborates synthetic boards and time lines for the visual apprehension over the MIL concept, facing its etymologic and thematic construction. Still, it is possible to comprehend the biases in this journey, a tendency that UNESCO has recently called \"transliteracy\".

Orientador: Marcelo El Khouri Buzato / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T22:46:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_DafniePaulinoda_M.pdf: 7502794 bytes, checksum: 99314c54b01f741d21f77e44490321da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: A dissertação examina práticas de letramento no jogo de construção colaborativa MUD Valinor, um projeto de fãs da obra de J. R. R. Tolkien. O presente trabalho aplica a metodologia do estudo de caso e utiliza como fonte de dados um corpus coletado no servidor do jogo, além de textos e depoimentos acumulados na comunidade. O objetivo foi desmembrado em três perguntas de pesquisa que se completam: (1) Como funciona a dinâmica social no espaço de afinidade que se apóia no MUD Valinor? (2) Quais as principais características de letramentos de fãs em tal espaço? E (3) Quais são os gêneros discursivos mais centrais para a prática desses letramentos e quais suas características específicas? Na primeira questão, verifica-se que o percurso dos sujeitos para integrar a comunidade passa por dois planos articulados, evoluir na narrativa e como jogador, e depois em paralelo como produsuário. O sujeito transita socialmente e entre funções conforme transita entre letramentos, portanto, há ocorrência de papéis fluídos em decorrência do domínio de letramento. Na segunda questão, estudam-se os letramentos de fãs; temos a perspectiva de letramentos como maneiras socialmente reconhecidas de gerar, comunicar e negociar conteúdo significativo por meio de textos codificados em contextos de participação no discurso; e que os objetos (como o MUD) são parte constitutiva dos letramentos, assim como os sujeitos, estratégias e práticas envolvidas. A partir desse aporte teórico, foram estabelecidas categorias descritivas para as atividades típicas de usuários; nota-se que letramentos de fãs e jogo agregam letramentos externos a pratica do produsuário mudiano. Na terceira questão de pesquisa, identificam-se quais os gêneros discursivos / textuais centrais às práticas já mencionadas. A partir da teoria bakhtiniana, são estabelecidos gêneros de MUD, é avaliado como esses gêneros se constituem e processam suas funções vinculadas às práticas do jogo. Utiliza-se a teoria para examinar a situação de produção dos enunciados, e compreender como este fator é intrínseco ao seu conteúdo, construção composicional e estilo. Busca-se análise dos gêneros textuais centrais a pratica dos letramentos de MUD, examinando-os para, ao final refletir, acerca das subversões e renovações que acontecem quando os sujeitos (jogadores) têm liberdade para se apropriar deles. Por fim, a presente dissertação gostaria de propor uma discussão sobre as implicações dessas práticas letradas para o estudo de novos letramentos, além de possíveis implicações e aplicabilidade de sistemas colaborativos com fins educacionais / Abstract: This dissertation looks at literacies practices in the collaborative construction game known as MUD Valinor, a project created by fans of the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. The present work applies case study methodology and uses a corpus collected on the game's server as the main source of data, together with texts and statements from the community that have been gathered. The core aim has been subdivided into three research questions which complete each other: (1) how do social dynamics work within the affinity space that is supported by MUD Valinor? (2) What are the main characteristics of the literacy of fans within this space? (3) What are the most central genres of discourse for the practice of these literacies, and what are their main characteristics? In relation to the first question, we see that the path trailed by the subjects towards the integration of the community passes through two articulated planes, the development in narrative skills and also as a player, and then in parallel as a produser. The subject shall also have social transit and also pass through different functions as it moves between different forms of literacy, which means that there is the occurrence of fluid roles resulting from knowledge of literacy. In the second issue, there is the study of literacy patterns shown by fans; we have the perspective of literacies being regarded as socially accepted ways of generating, communicating and negotiating significant content through encoded texts within contexts of participation in discourse; and that objects (such as MUD) are a constituent element of literacies, as also the subjects, strategies and the practices involved. Based on this theoretical background, we have established different descriptive categories for the typical activities of users. We see that the literacies of the fans and also of the game add external literacies to the practice of the produser of MUDs. In the third question of the research, there is the identification of which discourse or textual genres are central to the practices as already mentioned. Based on the Bakhtinian theory, genres of MUDs are established, and then assessments are carried out to see how these genres are established and how they process their functions attached to the playing of the game. The theory is used to investigate the situation in which the statements are produced, and then to understand how this factor is indeed inherent to its content, compositional construction and style. There is also a search for an analysis of the textual genres which are central to the practice of MUD literacies, by duly examining them, and finally to think about the subversions and renovations which take place when the subjects (players) are free to take them in. Last but not least, the present dissertation would like to propose a discussion about the consequences that these literate practices would have for the study of new literacies, and also the possible implications and the applicability of collaborative systems for educational purposes / Mestrado / Linguagem e Tecnologia / Mestra em Linguística Aplicada

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The development of academic literacies in a certain area of knowledge allows, to the one who is learning, conditions for reading the world and acting in the contemporary society, for engaging in the disciplinary debate, and for developing an opinion concerning the effects of scientific and technological innovations of the area and the potential consequences resulted from their use (MOTTA-ROTH, 2013a, p.145). Recognizing the importance of academic literacies in the university context and in the formation of students in different areas of knowledge, this research aims at identifying and discussing characteristics of academic literacies processes of a group of students from the course of Publicity and Advertising (PA) (Publicidade e Propaganda) in a PA experimental agency located at south of Brazil. In order to do that, we adopt the perspective of Critical Genre Analysis (MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2008; 2011a), academic literacies studies (LEA; STREET, 1998; 2006; MOTTA-ROTH 2013a) and the notion of Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LAVE; WENGER, 1991). As part of the umbrella project Academic/scientific literacy and Legitimate Peripheral Participation in the knowledge production (Letramento acadêmico/científico e participação periférica legítima na produção de conhecimento) (MOTTA-ROTH, 2013b), this study consists in a qualitative research based on ethnography (LAUTOR; WOLGAR, 1997), in which, observations of social activities from the PA experimental agency were made. The corpus of this research is constituted by a) notes collected by prticipant observation; b) field notes/photography; c) answers from questionnaires applied to the agency members; and d) advising sessions between professors and students. With the observations and field notes, the intention was to collect information about the laboratory context. Through the observations and field notes, it was detected the need to apply questionnaires and to analyze advising sessions between professors and students. It is understood that the advising sessions through writing and rewriting processes and text editions, by students, based on professor s notes are a rich source to identify characteristics of students academic literacies. The results seem to indicate that students academic literacies depend on their interaction with other members from the laboratory and their engagement in genres and activities that arise from those genres in the agency. As the students participate in the agency, they develop literacies that turn them into more experienced publicists in the PA professional performance practices. Aligned to this characteristic, it seems that the academic literacies in PA are permeated with the development of personal taste. The members speech, in the advising sessions, is marked with lexicogramatical choices that privilege emotional mental clauses (e.g. amar, gostar, adorar). In this sense, it seems that emotional mental processes work as teaching parameters in this laboratory. These linguistic cues seem to be related to the recency of the PA area of knowledge (BORGES, 2002; DURAND; 2006; PÚBLIO; MADER, 2009). With this research, it is expected to contribute/reflect upon the academic literacies processes as for the PA area of knowledge as well as for the Applied Linguistic area of knowledge. / O desenvolvimento de letramentos acadêmicos em determinada área do saber permite, a aquele que está aprendendo, condições para a leitura de mundo e a ação na sociedade contemporânea, o engajamento no debate da disciplina, e desenvolvimento de uma opinião quanto aos efeitos das inovações científico-tecnológicas de sua área e as eventuais consequências acarretadas por seu uso (MOTTA-ROTH, 2013a, p.145). Reconhecendo a importância dos letramentos acadêmicos no contexto universitário e na formação de estudantes, em diferentes áreas do saber, esta pesquisa busca identificar características dos processos de letramentos acadêmicos de um grupo de estudantes do curso de Publicidade e Propaganda (PP) em uma agência experimental de PP alocada em uma universidade do sul do Brasil. Para isso, adota-se a perspectiva da Análise Crítica de Gêneros (MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2008; 2011a), dos estudos de letramentos acadêmicos (LEA; STREET, 1998; 2006; MOTTA-ROTH 2013a) e da noção de Participação Periférica Legítima (LAVE; WENGER, 1991). Inserido no projeto guarda-chuva Letramento acadêmico/científico e participação periférica legítima na produção de conhecimento (MOTTA-ROTH, 2013b), este estudo consiste em uma pesquisa qualitativa de base etnográfica (LAUTOR; WOLGAR, 1997), na qual, foram realizadas observações das atividades sociais da agência experimental de PP. O corpus da presente pesquisa é constituído por: a) observações coletadas a partir de observação participante; b) notas de campo/fotografias; c) respostas de questionários aplicados com os membros da agência; e d) sessões de orientação entre professoras e estudantes. Nas observações e nas notas de campo, a intenção foi coletar informações acerca do contexto do laboratório. Por meio das observações e notas, detectou-se a necessidade da aplicação de questionários e da análise das sessões de orientação entre professoras e estudantes. Entende-se que as orientações por meio de processos de escrita, rescrita e edição de textos, por parte dos estudantes, com base nos apontamentos dos professores são uma fonte rica para identificar características dos letramentos acadêmicos dos estudantes. Os resultados parecem indicar que os letramentos acadêmicos dos estudantes dependem de sua interação com demais membros no laboratório e de seu engajamento em gêneros e atividades decorrentes desses gêneros na agência. À medida que esses estudantes participam, eles desenvolvem letramentos que os tornam publicitários mais experientes nas práticas de atuação profissional de PP. Aliada a essa característica, parece que os letramentos acadêmicos em PP são perpassados pelo desenvolvimento de gosto pessoal. A fala dos membros, nas sessões de orientação, é marcada por escolhas lexicogramaticais que privilegiam orações mentais emotivas (p. ex., amar, gostar, adorar). Nesse sentido, parece que processos mentais emotivos funcionam como parâmetros de ensino nesse laboratório. Esses indícios linguísticos parecem estar relacionados com a recência da área do saber da PP (PINHO, 1998; BORGES, 2002; DURAND, 2006; PÚBLIO; MADER, 2009). Com esta pesquisa, almeja-se trazer contribuições/reflexões acerca dos processos de letramentos acadêmicos tanto para área do saber da PP, como para a área do saber da Linguística Aplicada.

Cette thèse de doctorat explore la problématique de la construction identitaire d'apprenants adultes plurilingues à travers leurs pratiques d'écrits dans une classe de français langue étrangère dans un centre universitaire d'études françaises. Cette étude, adoptant une approche ethno-sociolinguistique, touche les champs de la recherche en didactiques des langues et des cultures et en didactique de l'écriture en situation de contact. Elle vise à analyser comment les apprenants créent et manifestent leur pluralité à travers leurs écrits. Les apprenants sont considérés comme des acteurs sociaux qui utilisent leur répertoire pluriel et jouent de leur compétence plurilingue et pluriculturelle dans l'intention de se dire en tant qu'individus plurilingues. Leurs identités plurielles,dynamiques, ambivalentes, évoluent en fonction de la situation de communication et de ce qu'ils tentent de communiquer d'eux-mêmes. L'étude se base sur des interactions en classe enregistrées pendant deux semestres, les textes écrits par les apprenants et des entrevues semi-dirigées. L'analyse, portant sur le contenu et la forme des discours, met en lumière les représentations des apprenants sur leur plurilinguisme et leur apprentissage des langues, et les procédés scripturaires mis en place pour exprimer leurs identités. Une partie didactique conclusive propose des pistes de réflexion pour les enseignants. / This doctoral research examines the identity construction of adult plurilingual learnersthrough their literacy practices in a French as a Second Language class in a FrenchUniversity. This ethno-sociolinguistic study intersects the research fields of secondlanguage didactics and academic literacy in multilingual contexts. It analyzes howlearners create and express their multiple identities through their literacy practices.Learners are considered as social actors using their plurilingual resources to reveal theirmultiple identities. Identities are treated as fluid and ambivalent, changing over time,space and situations, and on what learners want to communicate about themselves. Thestudy is based on classroom interactions recorded over two university terms, textscreated by students and follow-up interviews. We use the tools of discourse analysis, oncontent and form, to show learners' representations on plurilingualism and languagelearning, and their writing process as a way to express their identities. The conclusionoffers a pedagogical discussion for teachers.

This thesis aims to learn about opportunities for and challenges to the development of multilingual literacies in three forms of education in Sweden and Australia that teach or draw on immigrant languages.  In Sweden mother tongue instruction and multilingual study guidance are in focus and in Australia, a community language school. Taking an ecological approach to the research sites, the thesis investigates how language ideologies, organization of the form of education and language practices impact on the development of multilingual literacies. A range of linguistic ethnographic data including 75 lesson observations, 48 interviews, field notes and photographs has been analyzed against the theoretical backdrop of the continua of biliteracy (Hornberger, 1989; Hornberger &amp; Skilton-Sylvester, 2000), heteroglossia (Bakhtin, 1981) and emerging theories of translanguaging (García &amp; Li, 2014) to investigate the questions. The thesis ties together the results of four interlocking case studies investigating the above-mentioned forms of education. Study I analyses the syllabus for mother tongue instruction in Sweden and finds that while aligning with the overall values of the curriculum for the compulsory school, a hidden curriculum constrains implementation. In Study II, multilingual practices during multilingual study guidance in Sweden are analysed, and demonstrate how translanguaging helps recently arrived students reach the learning goals of subjects in the Swedish curriculum. In study III, systematic analysis of indexicals reveals contrasting language narratives about language and language development in and around a Vietnamese community language school in Australia. Study IV focuses on mother tongue instruction in Sweden and through analysis of audio-recordings of lessons, interviews and field notes, finds three dimensions of linguistic diversity infuse the subject.  Opportunities for the development of multilingual literacies are created when there is equal access to spaces for developing literacies in different immigrant languages, within which language ideologies that recognize and build on the heteroglossic diversity of students’ linguistic repertoires dynamically inform the organization of education and classroom practices. Challenges are created when monoglossic ideologies restrict access to or ignore linguistic diversity and when there is a lack of dynamic engagement with implementation and organization. Basing organization, and classroom strategies around the linguistic reality of the students and the genres they need, benefits the development of multilingual literacies in both settings and can help students become resourceful language users (Pennycook, 2012b, 2014). / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript.</p>

With evidence that arts engagement and nonlinear thinking style both utilize insight, intuition, and emotion in the decision making process, the literature has driven an investigation of the relationship between levels of arts engagement and thinking style preference. This nonexperimental correlational study (N = 101) explored (a) the prevalence of linear, nonlinear, or balanced linear/nonlinear thinking style of professionals working in museums. (b) Whether thinking style has a relationship with (i) age; (ii) sex; (iii) academic major; (iv) occupation; (v) levels of arts engagement. Two theoretical frameworks underpinned this study: (a) new literacies and (b) cognitive styles. A Web-based self-report survey instrument was used to investigate the relation among the variables of interest. Existing literature was used to provide a foundation for the study and guide the research. Correlational, means, and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypothesized model and examine the hypotheses. The means analyses at the descriptive level revealed that females, those in the 60 or older age group, Humanities majors, and those who worked in education demonstrated more balanced linear/nonlinear thinking styles. The correlations results indicated that there was a statistically significant relationship between thinking style and sex and thinking styles and academic major. The hierarchical regression results suggested that after controlling for select demographic variables, only being a Humanities major uniquely predicted significant variance in thinking style. The lack of significant findings of a relationship between thinking style and age did not correspond to existing research that supports a correlation. Additionally, a significant relationship between thinking style and levels of arts engagement was not found during correlational and hierarchical regression analysis. A limitation of this research study was that the Web-based self-report survey version of the Linear/Nonlinear Thinking Style Profile (LNTSP) instrument did not transfer well to online use because the participants had some problem understanding how to score their answers properly. This issue could be handled readily and recommendations are made to revise the Web-base self-report version of the survey for future research use.

Magister Educationis - MEd / Literacy development in South African higher education is increasingly challenged by several issues in dialogue and language of tuition. Despite the widening of access to South African universities, research shows that a large majority of entry-level university students are still failing in their chosen programme of studies. Almost all universities in the democratic South Africa incorporate academic development programs in first-year modules as an awareness raising attempt to scaffold novice students into the vocabulary of their various disciplines. However, these development programs sometimes fail to address the language needs of some of the students who have had more than seven years of schooling in their first languages (IsiXhosa and Afrikaans). My study seeks to explore how additional language IsiXhosa and Afrikaans students understand and construct written knowledge in one literacy development course using English medium of instruction. I further explore lecturers’ and tutors’ perspectives of the demand of sounding a scholarly voice in academic writing by entry-level students in their new roles as scholars in the University of the Western Cape (UWC).Literature indicated gaps when it comes to students’ and lectures’ perceptions on the construction of voice in academic writing in a language that the students are not comfortable in.

In order to achieve academic success, students must be able to comprehend written material in content-area textbooks. However, a large number of high school students struggle to comprehend science content. Research findings have demonstrated that students make measurable gains in comprehending content-area textbooks when provided quality reading comprehension instruction. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how high school science teachers perceived their responsibility to provide content-related comprehension instruction and 10 high school science teachers were interviewed for this study. Data analysis consisted of open, axial, and selective coding. The findings revealed that 8 out of the 10 participants believed that it is their responsibility to provide reading comprehension. However, the findings also revealed that the participants provided varying levels of reading comprehension instruction as an integral part of their science instruction. The potential for positive social change could be achieved by teachers and administrators. Teachers may use the findings to reflect upon their own personal feelings and beliefs about providing explicit reading comprehension. In addition to teachers' commitment to reading comprehension instruction, administrators could deliberate about professional development opportunities that might improve necessary skills, eventually leading to better comprehension skills for students and success in their education.