South Africa’s current performance on national and international studies is an indication that all is not well with our literacy teaching. In spite of the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement Grade R-9, illiteracy is currently a serious problem in South Africa. Current international and national documents call for direct, explicit, systematic teaching of reading and language concepts to beginning readers. The five principal components of reading instruction, namely phoneme awareness; phonics; word study and spelling; reading fluency; and text comprehension encompass language instruction at the phoneme, grapheme, syllable, word, sentence, and discourse levels. Teachers need specific and explicit linguistic knowledge to recognise and address the needs of all learners on the continuum of reading and language proficiency. Phonological awareness skills are considered as the most important indicators of early reading skills. Literature suggests a strong positive correlation between phonological awareness skills and reading skills development. Longitudinal studies show that children who don’t have phonological awareness skills have difficulties in reading. Experimental studies on phonological awareness suggest that the implementation of phonological awareness training has positive effects on the development of reading and spelling abilities. Phonological awareness is a key component in the prevention of reading failure. The information collected through the assessment of phonological awareness, enables teachers to make informed decisions about modifications of the literacy learning programme and implement reading interventions to prevent failure of reading acquisition. This early, preventative intervention reduces the possibility that learners fall behind in reading. The teaching of phonological awareness is par excellence for emergent literacy in the grade R class. Phonological awareness can be improved through the systematic, explicit instruction thereof. Therefore, teachers need to be able to implement a variety of phonological awareness activities in their classroom instruction. Teachers need content knowledge about phonological awareness, and how to implement it successfully. The purpose of this study was to determine: What a SWOT analysis reveals about grade R-teachers’: * Current in-depth knowledge of phonological awareness. * Preparedness to teach phonological awareness. * Implementation of instructional practices relevant to phonological awareness. * Perceptions of the support received from DoBE, in terms of relevant documentation, teaching and learning support material and professional development. The limitations, if any, in the teacher support documents of the DoBE, regarding the teaching of phonological awareness in grade R and to make suggestion with regard to the improvement thereof. What the perceptions of grade R teachers are about their in-depth knowledge, instructional practices and preparedness, concerning phonological awareness, after the implementation of a teacher training programme, focussing specifically on phonological awareness. The study was conducted utilizing a case study with thirteen grade R teachers from Lichtenburg, and the surrounding towns, Koster, Coligny and Itsoseng in the North West Province, Department of Basic Education, in South Africa. Data was collected in three phases, using questionnaires, interviews, observations and document analyses. In the first phase, the researcher gathered information on the knowledge and implementation of phonological awareness before the intervention (i.e., a teacher training programme). In the second phase, the teachers received training about the concept of phonological awareness and its relevance in reading acquisition. The training programme included relevant teaching activities as well as learning and teaching support material. In the third phase, the researcher trained the participants in the implementation of phonological awareness and gathered data about the implementation process. The results indicated that if teachers received explicit training about phonological awareness and are provided with relevant learning and teaching support material, they are able to implement phonological awareness activities in grade R classrooms. The results of this study have implications for teacher training. The concept of phonological awareness, its relevance in reading acquisition as well as relevant teaching activities need to be included in the training of grade R teachers. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Learning and Teaching))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Low achievement in Mathematics is a problem that faces schools, colleges and universities, not only in South Africa, but worldwide. Many efforts have been made to explore different ways in which teaching and learning can be more effective. ICT provides endless possibili–ties to enhance the teaching and learning of Mathematics. The purpose of this study is to determine teacher–students’ attitude towards ICTs in order to plan for effective, efficient and appropriate methods of Mathematics education. It further aims to determine to what extent these students will be willing to use ICTs in their own studies as well as in the teaching pro–cess in their classrooms, and aims to compare the students’ attitudes across three countries i.e. South Africa, Tanzania and Finland. The population consisted of Mathematics education teacher–students enrolled at the following institutions: School for Continuing Teacher Educa–tion (SCTE) at the North–West University in South Africa (317 students), the Iringa University College, University of Tumaini in Tanzania (111 students), and the University of Joensuu in Finland (56 students). This study followed a quantitative cross–sectional survey design com–prising a single mode research questionnaire to three groups of students in three countries. The instrument that was used was based on the Loyd and Gressard Computer Attitude Sur–vey (1984) (CAS), with a few additional questions to add to the relevance of this study. Questionnaires were completed by each group of students. The questionnaires were posted to each Mathematics teacher–student at the SCTE with a return envelope included. The re–searcher visited Tanzania and administered the questionnaire to the students at their univer–sity and some students in Finland completed the survey online while others completed a pa–per–based copy, which was returned to the researcher. Descriptive statistical techniques, reliability and validity of the instrument scale, inferential statistics (ANOVA), and cross–tabulations were used, and where appropriate, effect sizes were calculated. Findings indi–cated that the teacher–students have a positive attitude to computers and that they are willing to use ICTs in their own studies and in their teaching at school. The comparison of their atti–tudes revealed that the South African and Tanzanian teacher–students have a more positive attitude towards ICTs than the Finnish students. The teacher–students in the two African countries were also more willing to use ICTs than the students in Finland, despite their in–creased exposure and access to technology. To create an environment of effective Mathe–matics education, a number of factors play an important role. Mathematics education sup–ported by good pedagogical content knowledge can be transformed into effective Mathemat–ics education with the aid of a positive computer attitude and willingness to use technology. Together these aspects are supported by the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) framework. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

According to Hatlen (2004), most learners with disabilities in an inclusive educational setting are socially isolated. This statement contributed to the research question of this study, how do learners with visual impairment experience the social aspects of their inclusion in a Namibian mainstream secondary school? The aim of this study was to design a case study to analyse and describe data collected from learners with visual impairment and other participants to determine how they are socially included in a mainstream setting. A qualitative research methodology was used, which included purposive sampling to select participants. The researcher functioned in an interpretive/constructivist paradigm. It was found that the learners with disabilities and the able-bodied learners do not truly mix, however, the learners with disabilities are content in the mainstream school and they prefer it. / Om aan 'n groep te behoort en sosiaal ingesluit te voel is 'n basiese menslike behoefte - dit is net so belangrik soos die basiese behoeftes van kos en veiligheid. Sosiale inklusie kan as een van die kritiese elemente beskou word wat onderskei tussen mense wat ongesteld is en mense wat gesond is. Betekenisvolle verhoudings dra by tot self-aktualisering. Lae sosiale inklusie beteken vir leerders eensaamheid en swak aanvaarding deur portuurgroepe. Sosiale inklusie is van groot belang vir kinders se ontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat inklusiewe hoofstroomskole die effektiefste manier is om diskriminasie te beveg en sosiale insluiting te bevorder. Hatlen (2004) is van mening dat die groter meerderheid van leerders met gestremdhede in 'n hoofstroomskool sosiaal gei soleerd is. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om leerders met gestremdhede se persepsie van hulle eie sosiale aanvaarding binne 'n inklusiewe hoofstroom sekondere skool te ondersoek. Die navorser het binne 'n interpretatiewe/konstruktivistiese paradigma gewerk. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gevolg en het die volgende ingesluit: doelbewuste seleksie om te bepaal wie die deelnemers sou wees; onderhoude, observasie, dokumente en refleksies om data te genereer; en inhoudsanalise om die data te analiseer. Navorsingsbevindinge dui aan dat leerders met gestremdhede vir jare afgesonder was van die res van die samelewing deur hierdie leerders in spesiale skole te plaas. Dit het veroorsaak dat mense vervreemd van mekaar is en het 'n skeiding tussen 'ons' en 'hulle' veroorsaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van bewusmaking tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede. Daar kom wel afknouery voor op die skoolgronde en ware vriendskappe tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede vind nie in die ware sin van die woord plaas nie. Hierdie leerders is egter tevrede en verkies steeds om in 'n hoofstroomskool te wees. Inklusiewe onderwys is nog 'n nuwe konsep en in die ontwikkelingsfase in Namibie, terwyl die leerders nog onbekend is met inklusie, asook met mekaar. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This study was undertaken because of the realisation that a new approach to teacher education will have to be followed if teachers are to be empowered to teach within the framework of the new educational dispensation, Curriculum 2005. Because such a change implies a new curriculumfor teacher training there is a need for research on how providers will have to adapttheir training approach and curriculum to meet the challeng.es of Curriculum 2005. In this study the development of a model for outcomes-based learning programme design is undertaken. To achieve this: outcomes-based education systems in the USA, Australie, New Zealand, Canada and England are investigated; he unique model of outcomes-based education that is being implemented in Soutr Africa is described and explained; requirements for the training of teachers in the context of outcomes-based education and Curriculum 2005 are identified and described; a model for outcomes-based learning programme design is developed to serve as a possible framework for the design of learning programmes for teaeher education for outcomes-based education in South-Africa. The study shows that outcomes-based teacher education has received only scant attention in the rest of the world. It is also shown that the design of learning programmes for outcomes-based education requires a somewhat different approach than traditional curriculum design, where content play such a dominant role. A model for outcomes-based teacher.education is suggested to facilitate the development of such programmes. It is hoped that the model will be of use and that it will contribute to sensible learning programmes which will empower teachers to function successfully in an outcomes-based education system. / Hierdie studie het ontstaan uit die besef dat 'n nuwe benadering tot onderwysersopleiding gevolg sal moet word as onderwysers in staat gestel moet word om die nuwe kurrikulum, Kurrikulum 2005, op uitkomste- gebaseerde wyse in die praktyk te fasiliteer. Omdat so 'n verandering 'n nuwe kurrikulum impliseer is daar 'n behoefte aan navorsing om te bepaal hoe onderwysersopleidingsinstansies hul opleidingsbenadering en-kurrikulum moet aanpas om aan die eise van die nuwe kurrikulum en die nuwe onderrigrnodel in Suid-Afrika te voldoen. In hierdie studie is daar gepoog om 'n model vir uitkomste-gebaseerde leerprogramontwerp, vir die·opleiding van Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysers te ontwikkel. Om dit te kon regkry is: 'n ondersoek geloods na uitkomste-gebaseerde onderrigstelsels in die VSA, Australie, Nieu-Zeeland, Kanada en Engeland; die ontstaan en ontwikkeiing van die unieke model van uitkomste-gebaseerde onderrig wat tans in Suid-Afrika geimplementeer word, beskryf en verklaar; vereistes vir die opleiding van onderwysers geidentifiseer en beskryf binne die konteks van 'n uitkomste-gebaseerde onderrigrnodel en Kurrikulum 2005; 'n model vir uitkomste-gebaseerde leerprogram ontwikkel wat as moontlike raamwerk kan dien vir die ontwerp van leerprogramme vir opleiding van onderwysers vir uitkomste-gebaseetde onderrig in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie toon aan dat uitkomste-gebaseerde onderwysersopleiding nog weinig aandag geniet het in die res van die wereld. Daar word ook aangetoon dat die ontwerp van leerprogramme vir uitkomste-gebaseerde onderwysersopleiding 'n ietwat ander benadering vereis as wat gegeld het in tradisionele kurrikulumontwerp, waar inhoude so 'n dominante rol speel. 'n Model vir leerprogramontwerp vir uitkomste-gebaseerde onderwysersopleiding word voorgestel om die ontwikkeling van sodanige programme te vergemaklik. Daar word vertrou dat die model van waarde sal wees en daartoe sal meewerk dat sinvolle leer-programme antwerp sal word wat onderwysers in staat sal stel om suksesvol binne die stelsel van uitkomste-gebaseerde onderrig te funksioneer. / Teacher Education / D Ed. (Didactics)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The transformative mission of the White Paper on Education (1995: 19) states that the South African education system is moving towards a single, national, non-racial system where all people are offered equil opportunities. Demographic and other changes make particular demands on the education system. The HSRC (1987:54) claim that distance edcation is increasingly viewed as a possible solution for educational problems. The literature study aims to motivate, from an andragogic-didactical perspective, the use of two-dimensional silent images in study material. A literature study was also undertaken on the perception of silent images and the elements involved in the perception of depth, movement, size, colour, etc., from which certain didactic guidelines were deducted with a view to the design of silent images. The ability of distance education students to identify the elements above, was emperically researched. The validity of the didactic guidelines were verified in this phase. / Die transformatiewe missie van die Witskrif vir Onderwys (1995: 19) stel dit dat die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysstelsel oorgaan na 'n "enkele nasionale, nie-rassige stelsel" waar daar gelyke geleenthede vir aile mense gebied word. Demografiese en ander veranderinge stel besondere eise aan die onderwysstelsel. Die RGN (1987: 54) stel dit dat afstandsonderrig al meer as 'n moontlike oplossing gesien vir die onderwysprobleme. Die literatuurstudie het dit ten doe! om die gebruik van tweedimensionele stilbeelde in studiemateriaal in die Suid-Afrikaanse situasie andragogies-didakties te fundeer. 'n Literatuurstudie oor die persepsie van stilbeelde en die elemente wat betrokke is by die persepsie van diepte, beweging, grootte, kleur, ens. is gedoen waaruit sekere didaktiese riglyne met die oog op die ontwerp van stilbeelde gestel is. Die afstandsonderrigstudente se vermoe om bogenoemde elemente waar te neem, was empiries nagevors. Die geldigheid van die didaktiese riglyne is tydens hierdie fase geveri fireer. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Didaktiek)

After the democratic election of 1994, a new and integrated education system was developed in South Africa in accordance with international trends and the stipulations of the South African Bill of Rights with regard to equality, human dignity, basic education and equal access to education. According to the inclusive education system, learners with learning and developmental barriers should be accommodated within the mainstream of education. In order for inclusive education to succeed, a network of support was developed on departmental, provincial, district and school level. At school level, the school-based support team is directly responsible for supporting learners with learning and developmental barriers, educators and parents/caregivers. The effectiveness of these school-based support teams will, eventually, determine the quality of this inclusive education approach. The question which guided this research, is: How effectively does the school-based support team fullfil its function in the teaching and learning of learners with learning and developmental barriers within the framework of inclusive education? A qualitative research design was chosen which is exploratory, descriptive and explanatory. After an initial literature study in which international and national trends in this field were investigated, five primary mainstream schools were selected in the Western Cape according to certain criteria. A pilot study was conducted in another school to refine data collection strategies. Information was then gathered in the five schools by means of structured questionnaires, individual and focus group interviews, field notes and the study of appropriate documents. In order to evaluate these teams, eleven criteria were designed to serve collectively as an evaluation instrument. The effectiveness of the school-based support teams in the five schools were subsequently assessed and placed in various categories according to a conceptual framework. It was found that the school-based support teams function relatively effectively in most areas. The composition of the teams is effective. However, the teams function ineffectively with regard to the orientation and training of their members, as well as of the teachers and parents/caregivers of learners with learning and developmental barriers / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Die verhandeling ondersoek die taalbeheersing van studente wat Afrikaans as tweede addisionele taal neem en meer spesifiek, die woordeskatkennis van die ondersoekgroep, naamlik swart addisioneletaalleerders in die Limpopo-provinsie in Graad 11 en 12. Dit is duidelik dat een van die probleme wat aanleerders het, ‘n gebrekkige woordeskat is. Dit beïnvloed hulle begrip van Afrikaans sowel as hulle produksie (skriftelik en ook mondeling). Een van die redes hiervoor is dat daar nie op ‘n sistematiese manier aandag gegee word aan óf woordeskatverwerwing (of –aanleer) óf die onderrig van woordeskat in die kurrikulum en sillabus nie. Hierdie navorsing se doelwitte is om die stand van die woordeskatkennis van Graad 11- en 12-leerders te bepaal en tweedens om met behulp van insigte oor die aanleer en/of verwerwing van leksikonitems die sukses van bepaalde strategieë te bepaal. Navorsingsvrae is die volgende: Wat is die stand van woordeskatonderrig vandag wêreldwyd? Wat is die stand van woordeskatonderrig in die Suid-Afrikaanse sillabus? Hoe goed is Graad 11 en 12 leerderders se kennis van die Afrikaanse woordeskat? Wat is Graad11- en 12 leerders se houding teenoor Afrikaans? Hoe kan mens hierdie houding(s) verklaar? Watter rol speel (intrinsieke) motivering en houdings teenoor Afrikaans? Watter metodes en tegnieke kan gebruik word om leerders se woordeskat te verbeter? / Dissertation (MA (Afrikaans))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Afrikaans / unrestricted

This study investigates different ways of efficiently educating learners to become bi- or multilingual. In the introduction relevant background information concerning the definition of bilingualism is given and related issues are being discussed, such as language learning, language awareness, bilingual instruction and bilingual education models. Human beings are characterised by language, but also by social and cultural tradition. In the context of globalisation pluralism and multiculturalism are common factors affecting even previously isolated communities. Bi- and multilingualism are some of the strategies of adaptation to this reality. It can be assumed, that this development will continue rapidly as the inhabitants of the global village grow in and adapt to this realisation. In countries with a history and tradition of multilingual and bilingual education like South Africa, Canada, Luxembourg and Belgium and also in countries where immigration results in issues of multilingual and bilingual challenging society like in the USA one finds a great variety of answers to these problems posed. The situation in Germany is different, because bilingualism became an issue only fairly recently due to the actual demands brought by the European union. In South Africa the social context determines largely that people are inclined to bi- and multilingualism and the educational system tries to promote this predisposition by means of bi- or multilingual models in schools, so that the learners become efficient facing the bi- and multilingual challenges of their diverse and pluralistic society. In the USA on the other hand the need arises to provide for minority groups, so that they can retain their mother tongue (e.g. Spanish) while becoming fluent in the predominant language (i.e. American). Lastly the new development of the European Union has led Germany to actively promote bi- und multilingual education to aid the integration of Germans in the Union. The various models developed in these countries are studied in the wide variety of their different social and historical contexts. The main part of the study comprises a systematic overview of the various bilingual education models that are being implemented in different countries. These countries include the USA, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and lastly and more detailed, South Africa. A number of different circumstances surrounding bi- or multilingualism in the various countries have given rise to a large variety of models attempting to address the challenges posed by the various issues. A number of different goals have been addressed and the results have been just as varied. This leads to a concluding comparison of the western and European models with those of the South African models. Much research has been done on bi- and multilingualism and specifically bilingual education, as humans since earliest times were concerned with this subject. For my study I have relied mainly on more recent sources (1990 to the present) from the USA, Canada and Germany. However as the academic study of this issue has been going on for quite a time in some countries like South Africa, I have also referred to older books and journals (1945<). Due to the overwhelming information about this subject a drastic limitation of sources was necessary. / Dissertation (MA (German))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Modern European Languages / unrestricted

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in English / A modem "disease", stress is a universal and eternal problem in the pedagogic situation, where the child becomes an aduh, under adult supervision. Stress - a feeling of pressure or strain - is a problem for contemporary South African children, who automatically respond to stressors (causes of stress), in the same way as children of the past, since human beings have not changed psychobiologically over the millennia. Our bodies and minds should return to a calm state, after our initial stress reaction, but we often remain under stress, which results in emotional/ physical symptoms of distress. Yet history has shown that children can be helped to handle stress, making it a stimulus for growth. Although past societies were not directly conscious of the concept of stress, they taught coping mechanisms to their children. Some of these are generally valid, and provide us with solutions to the problem of stress in the pedagogic situation. / Die modeme "siekte", stres, is eintlik 'n universele en altyddurende probleem in die pedagogiese situasie - die· situasie waar die kind besig is om onder volwasse begeleiding 'n volwassene te word. Stres - 'n gevoel van druk en oorspanning - is 'n probleem vir hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse kinders wat maar, net soos die kinders in die verlede, outomaties reageer op "stressors" (faktore wat stres veroorsaak). Die afgelope millenniums het immers bewys dat die mens nie psigobiologies verander het nie. Ons liggaam en gees behoort mstig te word na 'n aanvanklike stres reaksie. Die probleem is dat ons meestal onder stres bly leef met emosionele/ psigiese simptome van angs as die resultaat daarvan. Tog het die geskiedenis bewys dat kinders gehe]p kan word om stres te hanteer en dit eerder as 'n stimulus vir ontwikkeling te benut. Ten spyte van die feit dat samelewings in die verlede nie so bewus was van die konsep van stres nie, het hulle tog sekere tegnieke aan hulle kinders oorgedra om hulle te he]p om hulle stres te hanteer. Sommige van hierdie tegnieke is algemeen geldig en voorsien ons dus van oplossings vir die probleem van stres in die pedagogiese situasie. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in English / A modem "disease", stress is a universal and eternal problem in the pedagogic situation, where the child becomes an aduh, under adult supervision. Stress - a feeling of pressure or strain - is a problem for contemporary South African children, who automatically respond to stressors (causes of stress), in the same way as children of the past, since human beings have not changed psychobiologically over the millennia. Our bodies and minds should return to a calm state, after our initial stress reaction, but we often remain under stress, which results in emotional/ physical symptoms of distress. Yet history has shown that children can be helped to handle stress, making it a stimulus for growth. Although past societies were not directly conscious of the concept of stress, they taught coping mechanisms to their children. Some of these are generally valid, and provide us with solutions to the problem of stress in the pedagogic situation. / Die modeme "siekte", stres, is eintlik 'n universele en altyddurende probleem in die pedagogiese situasie - die· situasie waar die kind besig is om onder volwasse begeleiding 'n volwassene te word. Stres - 'n gevoel van druk en oorspanning - is 'n probleem vir hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse kinders wat maar, net soos die kinders in die verlede, outomaties reageer op "stressors" (faktore wat stres veroorsaak). Die afgelope millenniums het immers bewys dat die mens nie psigobiologies verander het nie. Ons liggaam en gees behoort mstig te word na 'n aanvanklike stres reaksie. Die probleem is dat ons meestal onder stres bly leef met emosionele/ psigiese simptome van angs as die resultaat daarvan. Tog het die geskiedenis bewys dat kinders gehe]p kan word om stres te hanteer en dit eerder as 'n stimulus vir ontwikkeling te benut. Ten spyte van die feit dat samelewings in die verlede nie so bewus was van die konsep van stres nie, het hulle tog sekere tegnieke aan hulle kinders oorgedra om hulle te he]p om hulle stres te hanteer. Sommige van hierdie tegnieke is algemeen geldig en voorsien ons dus van oplossings vir die probleem van stres in die pedagogiese situasie. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Educational Studies)