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This research report explores how Project Literacy, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), involved in adult basic education, was able to achieve sustainability by engaging in a comprehensive and ongoing restructuring process. It was mainly the new political dispensation as well as changes in funding policies for NGOs that necessitated the restructuring process. The principal aims o f the study were to document how this organisation managed its change process and what other measures it took to enhance the sustainability of its organisation. The research has been conducted in the qualitative research approach. The case study was selected as a major technique. A questionnaire and interviews with key staff were the main dava gathering methods. Triangulation was achieved by the use of various organisational documents such as independent evaluations among other?. Research findings suggested that without the restructuring process Project Literacy would not have been sustainable. The findings illustrated that the ability to change and adapt continuously was imperative. It also showed that any NGO needs a clear vision, a good product, sound management practices and motivated and efficient staff.

This self-study explores my experience as a beginning reading teacher over a span of more than 30 years. It includes a brief look at theoretical models of reading and philosophical movements that impacted my experience as a classroom teacher and then lays my classroom experience and practice against the literature and historical background related to beginning reading instruction. The question studied is "How did the district-mandated curriculum in each era shape me as a literacy teacher and literacy instruction in my school context?" The purpose of the study is to unearth the impact of educational policies on my classroom practice. The methodology of self-study was employed to explore the tensions brought about as changes occurred. The study focuses on seven areas of educational change that influenced my practice in beginning reading instruction over three eras, the first being the late 1970s, the second the late 1990s, and the third beginning about 2008. The areas discussed include embedded beliefs about student achievement, mechanisms driving instruction, instructional approaches employed, reading program characteristics, assessment, professional development, and collaboration. All three eras contained experiences of personal and professional growth. In the first era, autonomy was a characteristic of almost every theme. The second era was characterized by the purposeful focus on professional development and support of student growth. The third era featured an increase in assessment and oversight of the mandated program implementation. Teacher capacity built in the second era enhanced my use of the commercial reading program mandated in the third era. While my current context seems similar to the first era, because of the richness of my experience, I am not right back where I started.

Workplace literacy is a movement that has gained popularity in our society in the last decade. Despite the prolific amount of literature on the subject, very little research has been done to determine how teachers are functioning in this new setting. The problem addressed by this study involved how teachers move into a new workplace literacy setting and the issues they face as they establish their classes in this new setting. The purpose of the study was to determine the kinds of issues which teachers might encounter as they move into this setting. Questions about how teachers experience moving into a workplace literacy setting located at the job site was examined through qualitative research. A case study narrative providing rich description was conducted. about one national workplace literacy project from the beginning of the project throughout the eighteen-month grant period. Classroom observations, participant observations, and interviews were completed. The method of constant comparison was used to analyze the data for patterns of similarity and dissimilarity. Six principal categories emerged from the data. The findings are presented in six broad categories: (a) a definition of workplace literacy; (b) awareness of company culture; (c) company involvement; (d) the workplace literacy student; (e) the workplace literacy classroom; and (f) the role of the teacher. From these findings, conclusions were drawn about teacher training materials for individuals in workplace literacy settings. It was determined that a need does exist for a usable teacher's manual containing information regarding workplace literacy programs. Additional research is necessary; one suggestion included replicating this study in another workplace literacy project to determine whether similar issues would emerge. / Ed. D.

Submitted in fulfillment for the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Technology: Education, Durban University of Technology, 2010. / In this critical reflective self study I have examined the Family Literacy Project (FLP) to determine the influences that contributed to the development of an approach to family literacy. This study responds to the question What influences contributed to the development of an approach to family literacy relevant to the needs of families in rural KwaZulu Natal? By identifying and exploring and critically reflecting on these influences I provide insights that can inform policy and practice in the adult education and early childhood development sectors in South Africa. The study includes my critical reflections on finding a voice within a self study and how this has contributed towards the development of a methodology. In the process, I have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of what has been achieved in the FLP during the first eight years under my directorship, and why. In the study, I report on these insights. The FLP project in this study is situated in deeply rural KwaZulu Natal, where the existing extensive knowledge base is almost exclusively oral, and informed by well established insights, understandings and values. In this context, I have examined the roles of families, adult literacy and early childhood development to establish their impact on the development of literacy in families. Through critical reflection, I then identified the principles – active learning, holistic development, community and children‟s rights – underpinning the FLP and was able to establish how these impacted on the development and success of the project. I then examined the roles, practices and characteristics of the FLP facilitators, and the experiences of facilitators and those who engaged in the project. I also looked at the roles played by the community, the external evaluators, and the effect of exposure of the project in the public domain through attendance at iv conferences, publication of journal articles, and awards made to the project because of its successes. I conclude the study by suggesting how the insights from the study might provide support for others engaged in such initiatives and indicating how the topic may be further investigated. / National Research Foundation.

This thesis looked at the effects of California's adopted scripted learning programs on students' motivation for reading. There is much research about the efficacy of these types of one-size-fits all programs, which claim to be on scientific research.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reading problems have become a worldwide phenomenon, even in a first world country like America. Literacy figures in South Africa are even worse. Results of the PIRLS study indicated that the reading skills of 80% of South African children are not fully developed by the time they reach grade 5. In recent literacy tests South African children did worse than children from African countries like Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland and Tanzania. Despite everything that is being done to improve literacy and numeracy, South African children do not reach their potential. Many South African schools are labeled as being „dysfunctional‟ and 79% of schools do not have libraries. This is a complex matter with multiple causes. Reading programs may contribute to addressing this issue. There are different types of reading programs and it can take place at different levels. One type of program includes the use of pets. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of an animal-assisted reading program on the reading skills of grade 3 children in an Afrikaans medium primary school in the Western Cape. The secondary aim was to determine whether this type of reading program could also have an influence on other factors related to reading, like reading self-concept, self-efficacy, anxiety and school attendance of grade 3 children. All the grade 3 children were assessed with a series of tests. Those who were identified by the ESSI Reading Test as unskilled readers (N=102) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and one control group. The Dog Group (n=27) read to a dog with a facilitator present, the Facilitator Group (n=24) read to a facilitator while the Teddy Bear Group (n=26) read to a teddy bear with a facilitator present. The Control Group (n=25) continued with their normal school activities. Collection of the data took place before the start of the reading program (Time 1) and directly after completion of the program (Time 2) with a follow-up measurement eight weeks later (Time 3). Once a week during the 10 week animal-assisted reading program all the children read for approximately 20 minutes from grade 1, grade 2 and grade 3 level reading books which they chose themselves. The children were called from their classrooms, individually, to another room where they could read calmly and peacefully to either a dog and a facilitator, or to a facilitator, or to a teddy bear and facilitator, depending on the group they were in. During Time 2 and Time 3 the Dog Group performed significantly better in the ESSI Reading Test than the other three groups. The reading comprehension of the Dog Group, as measured by the Neale Individual Reading Test, also improved significantly compared to that of the other three groups. Mixed results were found regarding reading self-concept, self-efficacy and anxiety. The shortcomings of the present study and recommendations for further research are also discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Leesprobleme is ʼn wêreldwye probleem, selfs in eerstewêreldlande soos Amerika. In Suid-Afrika is die geletterdheidsyfers selfs baie swakker. Die resultate van die PIRLS-studie dui daarop dat 80% van Suid-Afrikaanse kinders se leesvaardighede nie ten volle ontwikkel is wanneer hulle graad 5 bereik nie. Suid-Afrikaanse kinders het ook swakker gevaar in ʼn geletterdheidtoets as kinders van lande soos Mosambiek, Botswana, Swaziland en Tanzanië. Ten spyte van alles wat gedoen word om geletterdheid en syfervaardigheid te verbeter, vaar Suid-Afrikaanse kinders baie swakker as hul potensiaal. Baie Suid-Afrikaanse skole word geëtiketteer as „disfunksioneel‟ en 79% van skole het geen biblioteke nie. Hierdie saak is kompleks en die oorsake veelvuldig. Leesprogramme mag moontlik ʼn bydrae lewer om hierdie kwessie aan te spreek. Dit kan verskeie vorms aanneem en kan op verskillende vlakke plaasvind. Een tipe program behels die gebruik van troeteldiere. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die effek van ʼn troeteldier-ondersteunde leesprogram (TOL) op die leesvaardighede van graad 3-kinders in ʼn Afrikaansmedium laerskool in die Wes-Kaap te bepaal. Verdere doelstellings was om te bepaal of hierdie tipe leesprogram ook ʼn invloed kon hê op ander leesverwante faktore soos leesselfkonsep, self-effektiwiteit, angs en ook die skoolbywoning van graad 3-kinders. Al die graad 3-kinders is getoets met ʼn reeks instrumente en dié wat deur die ESSI Leestoets geïdentifiseer is as nievaardige lesers (N=102) is verder ewekansig toegewys aan drie eksperimentele en een kontrolegroep. Die Leeshondgroep (n=27) het vir ʼn leeshond en leesfasiliteerder gelees, die Leesfasiliteerdergroep (n=24) het vir ʼn leesfasiliteerder alleen gelees terwyl die Teddiebeergroep (n=26) vir ʼn teddiebeer en ʼn leesfasiliteerder gelees het. Die Kontrolegroep (n=25) het voortgegaan met hul normale skoolaktiwiteite. Data-insameling het plaasgevind voor die aanvang van die leesprogram (Tyd 1), direk ná voltooiing van die leesprogram (Tyd 2) en ʼn opvolgmeting het ag weke later (Tyd 3) plaasgevind. Tydens die 10-weke-troeteldier-ondersteunde leesprogram (TOL) het die kinders in elk van die groepe vir ongeveer 20 min. gelees uit graad 1-, 2- en 3-vlak boekies wat hulle self gekies het. Die kinders is individueel uit die klas geneem na ʼn ander lokaal in die skool waar hulle rustig vir óf die leeshond en ʼn leesfasiliteerder, óf die leesfasiliteerder alleen óf ʼn teddiebeer met ʼn leesfasiliteerder gelees het, afhangende van die groep waarin hulle was. Kinders in die Leeshondgroep het beduidend beter gevaar in die ESSI Leestoets tydens Tyd 2 en Tyd 3 as die kinders in die ander drie groepe. Die leesbegrip van die Leeshondgroep, soos gemeet deur die Neale Individuele Leestoets, het ook beduidend verbeter in vergelyking met dié van die ander drie groepe. Gemengde resultate is gevind met leesselfkonsep, self-effektiwiteit en angs. Die tekortkominge en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing word ook bespreek.

The prevalence of eating disorders (ED) in the United States has increased while the media consistently presents thinner representations of the body. Scholars have found media to negatively influence factors associated with the development of EDs. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional survey design study was to explore relationships between exposure levels to MLE and self-esteem, body esteem, and the internalization societal appearance ideals. Participants included undergraduate students or recent graduates majoring in either communications or an alternative major with comparatively less MLE curriculum. The Body Esteem Scale, Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Questionnaire-3, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Surveys were administered online to examine the variance of 3 dependent variables (self-esteem, body esteem, internalization of societal appearance norms) with 2 independent variables (exposure levels to media literacy curriculum and gender), and a multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results displayed statistically significant differences between all 3 dependent variables with MLE levels. Research in MLE benefits both adults and children by way of providing the necessary tools, knowledge, and skills to be able to fully benefit from various media sources. MLE provides an opportunity to better understand media messages, as well as its influences therein, this way rather than being vulnerable and easily manipulated, one becomes a more knowledgeable and aware media consumer. The results to this study can promote, advocate, and bring awareness to media consumers and today's educators of the importance and need of MLE curriculum beginning at a young age.