The purpose of this research is to indicate that art education can also make a particular contribution to the social forming and development of the child to which Sociology can add knowledge in education. To achieve this (aim) it is shown how art education has developed historically from the rational stage of the teaching of drawing up to the modern concept of creative expression by the child in the primary school. Conjoined with this modern concept the Calvinistic/Christian's philosophy of life and education with particular emphasis on the purpose, view of the child, the content, the method, the discipline; evaluation and organisation of art education as fundamental foundation of art education are given in outline. Particular emphasis is laid on the social forming, i.e. growth and development stages of the child in art education to which the family group must also contribute by means of co-operation and interaction with the school. The views of various researchers and those of the writer-about art education in the Western world are utilised to Indicate what the excellencies of art education are or should be. Unfortunately this is not the case in all the primary schools in Transvaal. These shortcomings are revealed with directives for the effective realisation of art education within the framework of the general education and teaching in the school. Recommendations are made among other things with the view to effective organisation and administration of art centres at all primary schools in Transvaal, the utilisation of facilities and stock by the teacher, the importance of talent, the academical and professional training of teachers for this task and vocation which is still mainly the Cinderella in the present construction. That this subject is done justice to by some schools in Transvaal is proved by the high quality of child art held at the art exhibition at the Republic festival in which primary schools in Transvaal took part. / Thesis (MA)--PU vir CHO

INTRODUCTION - The inability to read well is an indication of discord in a child's life. This discord may result from a variety of problems such as physiological, physical, educational, environmental and others. It may be due to interaction between some or all of these factors. All reading retarded children develop a certain imbalance in their lives. From a study of the literature it appears clear that, in spite of remedial education in reading skills, weak readers remain weak readers. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY - In establishing the purpose of this study one took the point of view that education is a positive conscious process deliberately undertaken to bring about a change in a reading retarded pupil. THE AIM OF THE STUDY IS AS FOLLOWS - 1) According to the literature personality may be viewed as an individual's most remarkable form of adjustment. The development of personality is an individual process in which the social environment influences people in different ways. As a child's social environment expands during his various stages of development so a continuous interaction takes place between the developing child and his expanding environment such that certain motivational forces are strengthened while others are weakened. New standards are set and the child is confronted with new problems and challenges. If the child has been suitably prepared to tackle and master the problems then his self-concept becomes clearer and stronger, but where the demands are too great for the child to cope with them one may encounter the development of psychological and psychosomatic problems which may in turn lead to serious reading problems. The aim of this study is to establish the relationship between personality and reading retardation by means of evaluation and interview. 2. It appears from the literature that parents exercise great influence on the developing personality of the retarded children. It seems apparent that a good upbringing is a prerequisite of good reading skills. All children, reading retarded included, strive for the following basic needs: a) the preservation of physical health; b) the need for personal recognition and to be seen as a person of value and importance; c) the need for security, love, affection, comfort and safety. The reading retarded pupil has a strong drive for the fulfilment of these needs. Should there be any disturbing factors in the family the pupil may develop certain problems which in turn may influence his emotional status. This may lead to reading problems or aggravate existing reading problems. This study has as its basis the hypothesis that the quality of the parent child relationship is the chief cause of reading retardation in pupils. This study will attempt to show empirically the connection between parent child relationships and reading retardation, as well as establishing a healthy parent child relationship through counselling of parents of reading retarded children, without these children themselves receiving counselling. According to the literature the majority of pupils with reading problems experience serious emotional problems which may be viewed as the primary cause or secondary result of reading retardation. Emotional problems may be seen as the causal factor in auditory discrimination, intelligence problems such as subtest scatter, poor hand eye coordination, hyperactivity, laterality and directional- problems, figure ground perceptual problems, personality problems and a poor self-concept which may affect the reading skills in various ways. The purpose of the study is to reduce emotional problems in reading retarded pupils using only individual counselling of their parents. 4. The self-concept of a pupil includes three aspects i.e.: self-image ; the ideal self and self (…….part missing……) the commencement of the study. The second took place a year after the first evaluation and during this period remedial teaching was given to groups B and C while the parents of groups A and B received counselling. The third evaluation took place nine months after the second evaluation and during this period none of the groups had received any remedial help. With the exception of the intelligence tests applied at the commencement of the study, the following tests and questionnaires were applied to all of the pupils: i) the New South African Individual Scale; ii) the "Burt rearranged word recognition test"; iii) the "Children 1 s personality questionnaire"; iv) “The Hutt adaptation of the Bender-Gestalt test"; v) the "Draw a family" projective technique; vi) the "Bristol social adjustment guides. The child in the school"; vii) the "Bristol social adjustment guides. The child in the family". The following educational diagnoses were made after evaluation of the results of each of the evaluations and were then compared with one another: i) intelligence analysis; ii) reading age; iii) reading expectancy age; iv) reading expectancy quotient; v) chronological age; vi) reading quotient; vii) analysis of the tests and questionnaires; viii) analysts of the scholastic progress. ORTHOPEDAGOGIC AND ORTHODIDACTIC ASSISTANCE - The three groups received the following assistance: Group A: The parents of group A were given individual counselling for a period of one year using the eclectic approach while the pupils were given no assistance at all. Group B: The parents of group B were given individual counselling for one year while at the same time the pupils were afforded individual remedial reading assistance. Group C: The parents of this group were given no guidance but the pupils did receive remedial assistance in reading for a period of one year. Results: The reading ability of the children in group' A (counselling group) showed greater improvement than that of the children in group C. This group (group C) having received only remedial assistance. The long-term reading improvement was also better in group A than it was in group C. These results may be accepted as being statistically 99% reliable. According to these results individual counselling to parents of reading retarded children is a better remedial approach than remedial teaching given to the pupils themselves. Individual counselling to parents coupled with remedial teaching to pupils is a better method than remedial teaching being used on its own. It thus appears that too much reliance is placed on remedial teaching as a method of overcoming reading retardation, According to this study it appears that a large number of reading retardation cases are due to emotional problems originating in the home environment. A further assumption may be that many of the processes involved in reading skills are consciously or unconsciously blocked as a result of these emotional problems. In reality the pupil "refuses" to read presumably because he wishes to draw his parents' attention to himself. He thus uses the wrong tactics to attract this attention causing still more emotional disturbance and himself experiencing further emotional problems. The pupils in the counselling group changed from a schizothymic personality to a cyclothymic personality while the pupils receiving remedial teaching remain schizothymic personalities. The children of the counselling group developed a better abstracting ability than those who only received remedial teaching. The counselling groups (groups A and B) became more adult emotionally than those in the remedial group (group C). This can presumably be ascribed to the changed attitude of the father. As a result of counselling the parents were able to bring about a change in the child's attitude from one of irritability towards reading to one of receptiveness. The remedial group remained irritable. The children in the remedial group showed a marked correlation with femininity while the counselling group did not, The children• in the two counselling groups showed a low level of tension and were more relaxed, restful, unfrustrated and calm than they were before the commencement of the study. The remedial group continued showing a tendency towards a high level of tension. As a result of the counselling given the parents, the children in the counselling groups were able to overcome their perceptual problems, These perceptual problems, it is presumed, were largely of an emotional nature. Generally speaking the children in these groups were also able to eliminate psychological blocking. Children in the remedial group continued to experience perceptual problems, The children in the counselling groups showed a greater reduction of aggression, uncertainty and helplessness than those in the remedial group. The children in the counselling groups no longer withdrew from situations. They made use of initiative and found it easy to respond to a stimulus. Depressiveness was largely eliminated, The hostile feelings of the children in the counselling groups towards their parents were greatly reduced while children in the remedial group continued to show strong signs of hostility towards their parents, It also appeared that the mothers of the children in the counselling groups found their children more acceptable than the mothers of the remedial group children. Psychosomatic problems such as enuresis, headache, chronic pain poor co-ordination and poor speech were much more reduced in children in the counselling groups than in those in the remedial group. There was more general improvement in academic achievement in children in the counselling groups while children in the remedial group showed far less improvement academically. Thus the inarguable conclusion may be drawn that individual counselling to parents is a successful method of remedying reading retardation in children. / Proefskrif--PU vir CHO

Die navorsing is onderneem om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as „n onderrigstrategie op Graad 8 wiskundeleerders se houding teenoor probleemoplossing en hul prestasie in wiskunde te bepaal. Die doelstellings van die empiriese ondersoek was: - om die houding van Graad 8 leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde te ondersoek; - om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie op die houding van graad 8 wiskunde-leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde te ondersoek; en - om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie op die prestasie van Graad 8 leerders in wiskunde te ondersoek. Deur middel van „n literatuurstudie as onderrig-leerraamwerk, is die aard van skoolwiskunde; benaderings ten opsigte van die leer van skoolwiskunde, naamlik die behavioristiese-, die kognitiewe- en die konstruktiwistiese leerbenaderings; die rol van probleemoplossing in die onderrig en leer van skoolwiskunde; asook die houding van leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde, bespreek. Na aanleiding van die gebruik van direkte- en indirekte onderrigstrategieë, is die volgende elemente van koöperatiewe leer (indirekte onderrigstrategie) beklemtoon: individuele verantwoordelikheid, interpersoonlike sosiale vaardighede, positiewe persoonlike interaksie, groepvordering en positiewe interafhanklikheid. Koöperatiewe leermetodes en die implementering van koöperatiewe leer in die wiskundeklaskamer is vervolgens bespreek, asook leerders se houding teenoor koöperatiewe leer. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is „n opeenvolgende verklarende gekombineerde navorsingsmetode-ontwerp gebruik, wat bestaan het uit die insameling en ontleding van kwantitatiewe- en kwalitatiewe data in opeenvolgende fases. „n Voor-eksperimentele evaluering (voortoets) is gedoen om die eksperimentele en kontrolegroepe te vergelyk ten opsigte van hul houding teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde deur die gebruik van „n aangepaste houdingsvraelys (ATMI), asook ten opsigte van leerders se wiskundeprestasie. Die intervensie (koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie) is vervolgens vir „n tydperk van sestien weke op die eksperimentele groep toegepas. Die aangepaste houdingsvraelys (ATMI) is ook tydens „n na-eksperimentele evaluering (natoets) vir beide (kontrole- en eksperimentele) groepe gebruik, asook vir die vergelyking van genoemde groepe se wiskundeprestasie. Die kwalitatiewe ondersoek is uitgevoer deur individuele gestruktureerde taakgebaseerde onderhoude met geselekteerde deelnemers van die eksperimentele groep te voer. Inligting oor leerders se houding en ervaring ten opsigte van probleemoplossing in wiskunde, hul houding teenoor koöperatiewe leer, asook hul probleemoplossingsvaardighede, is met behulp van die onderhoude bekom. Uit die resultate van die empiriese navorsing is bevind dat koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie geen beduidende invloed op Graad 8 leerders se houding teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde gehad het nie. Die gebruik van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie daarenteen, het „n beduidende toename in Graad 8 leerders se prestasie in wiskunde tot gevolg gehad. / MEd (Mathematics Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die navorsing is onderneem om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as „n onderrigstrategie op Graad 8 wiskundeleerders se houding teenoor probleemoplossing en hul prestasie in wiskunde te bepaal. Die doelstellings van die empiriese ondersoek was: - om die houding van Graad 8 leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde te ondersoek; - om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie op die houding van graad 8 wiskunde-leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde te ondersoek; en - om die invloed van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie op die prestasie van Graad 8 leerders in wiskunde te ondersoek. Deur middel van „n literatuurstudie as onderrig-leerraamwerk, is die aard van skoolwiskunde; benaderings ten opsigte van die leer van skoolwiskunde, naamlik die behavioristiese-, die kognitiewe- en die konstruktiwistiese leerbenaderings; die rol van probleemoplossing in die onderrig en leer van skoolwiskunde; asook die houding van leerders teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde, bespreek. Na aanleiding van die gebruik van direkte- en indirekte onderrigstrategieë, is die volgende elemente van koöperatiewe leer (indirekte onderrigstrategie) beklemtoon: individuele verantwoordelikheid, interpersoonlike sosiale vaardighede, positiewe persoonlike interaksie, groepvordering en positiewe interafhanklikheid. Koöperatiewe leermetodes en die implementering van koöperatiewe leer in die wiskundeklaskamer is vervolgens bespreek, asook leerders se houding teenoor koöperatiewe leer. Vir die empiriese ondersoek is „n opeenvolgende verklarende gekombineerde navorsingsmetode-ontwerp gebruik, wat bestaan het uit die insameling en ontleding van kwantitatiewe- en kwalitatiewe data in opeenvolgende fases. „n Voor-eksperimentele evaluering (voortoets) is gedoen om die eksperimentele en kontrolegroepe te vergelyk ten opsigte van hul houding teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde deur die gebruik van „n aangepaste houdingsvraelys (ATMI), asook ten opsigte van leerders se wiskundeprestasie. Die intervensie (koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie) is vervolgens vir „n tydperk van sestien weke op die eksperimentele groep toegepas. Die aangepaste houdingsvraelys (ATMI) is ook tydens „n na-eksperimentele evaluering (natoets) vir beide (kontrole- en eksperimentele) groepe gebruik, asook vir die vergelyking van genoemde groepe se wiskundeprestasie. Die kwalitatiewe ondersoek is uitgevoer deur individuele gestruktureerde taakgebaseerde onderhoude met geselekteerde deelnemers van die eksperimentele groep te voer. Inligting oor leerders se houding en ervaring ten opsigte van probleemoplossing in wiskunde, hul houding teenoor koöperatiewe leer, asook hul probleemoplossingsvaardighede, is met behulp van die onderhoude bekom. Uit die resultate van die empiriese navorsing is bevind dat koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie geen beduidende invloed op Graad 8 leerders se houding teenoor wiskunde en teenoor probleemoplossing in wiskunde gehad het nie. Die gebruik van koöperatiewe leer as onderrigstrategie daarenteen, het „n beduidende toename in Graad 8 leerders se prestasie in wiskunde tot gevolg gehad. / MEd (Mathematics Education), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This thesis reports on a study on human rights education and values of the girl–child in the Eastleigh community in Nairobi Kenya. The investigation indicated that her right to education is marginalised and that in the many cases cultural and religious beliefs dominate the need to equal access to education. This research identified perceived factors that may influence the infusion of human rights education and values in the teaching–learning practice of selected secondary schools in the Eastleigh community, and propose possible curriculum guidelines that are feasible to foster the education of the girl–child. The researcher explores the perception of teachers and students in four selected schools (code named A, B, C, D) in the community and analyses the extent of gender–equality in the school curriculum. Using a qualitative research approach that employed the phenomenological method of enquiry, face–to–face interviews were conducted with 20 teachers in four secondary schools, five in each school. Questionnaires were served on 200 girl–students of Grades 11 and 12, fifty per school selected using a purposeful sampling method. The curriculum in selected subjects of the secondary schools was analysed. The analyses of all the research instruments led to the discovery of the factors influencing the infusion of human rights education and values in the teaching–learning of the selected schools. Top on the list of these factors are the problems of teacher–student ignorance of human rights education and values. Other factors are gender–fair deficiency in the school curriculum, school–slum environments and combined religio–cultural dilemmas that place constraints on the educational environment of girl–children in the multicultural community. To foster the education of the girl–child, thirteen curriculum guidelines clustered under three broad groups are proposed. Firstly, under the modified curriculum content, subjects that project human rights education and values need to be made compulsory for all students, though at different class levels. Subjects with low or no gender–fair objectives need to be modified in order that human rights education and values could be taught across the school curriculum. Secondly, there is the need for context–relevant curriculum planning that embraces cultural and religious issues and communicating values in the schooling system. Thirdly, a democratic school atmosphere is the product of curriculum efforts that is geared towards training genderresponsive teachers, ensuring gender equality and promoting extracurricular activities favouring multicultural awareness and respect among students. This research contributes to the development of a curriculum engaged in advancing human rights education and values of the girl–child especially in patriarchal urban settings of East–Africa. It draws attention to the often neglected educational empowerment of the girl–child to foster her role and to provide opportunities in a contemporary global environment. / Thesis (PhD (Teaching and Learning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This thesis reports on a study on human rights education and values of the girl–child in the Eastleigh community in Nairobi Kenya. The investigation indicated that her right to education is marginalised and that in the many cases cultural and religious beliefs dominate the need to equal access to education. This research identified perceived factors that may influence the infusion of human rights education and values in the teaching–learning practice of selected secondary schools in the Eastleigh community, and propose possible curriculum guidelines that are feasible to foster the education of the girl–child. The researcher explores the perception of teachers and students in four selected schools (code named A, B, C, D) in the community and analyses the extent of gender–equality in the school curriculum. Using a qualitative research approach that employed the phenomenological method of enquiry, face–to–face interviews were conducted with 20 teachers in four secondary schools, five in each school. Questionnaires were served on 200 girl–students of Grades 11 and 12, fifty per school selected using a purposeful sampling method. The curriculum in selected subjects of the secondary schools was analysed. The analyses of all the research instruments led to the discovery of the factors influencing the infusion of human rights education and values in the teaching–learning of the selected schools. Top on the list of these factors are the problems of teacher–student ignorance of human rights education and values. Other factors are gender–fair deficiency in the school curriculum, school–slum environments and combined religio–cultural dilemmas that place constraints on the educational environment of girl–children in the multicultural community. To foster the education of the girl–child, thirteen curriculum guidelines clustered under three broad groups are proposed. Firstly, under the modified curriculum content, subjects that project human rights education and values need to be made compulsory for all students, though at different class levels. Subjects with low or no gender–fair objectives need to be modified in order that human rights education and values could be taught across the school curriculum. Secondly, there is the need for context–relevant curriculum planning that embraces cultural and religious issues and communicating values in the schooling system. Thirdly, a democratic school atmosphere is the product of curriculum efforts that is geared towards training genderresponsive teachers, ensuring gender equality and promoting extracurricular activities favouring multicultural awareness and respect among students. This research contributes to the development of a curriculum engaged in advancing human rights education and values of the girl–child especially in patriarchal urban settings of East–Africa. It draws attention to the often neglected educational empowerment of the girl–child to foster her role and to provide opportunities in a contemporary global environment. / Thesis (PhD (Teaching and Learning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

In Suid-Afrika verskil onderwysers en leerders se moedertaal dikwels van die taal van leer en onderrig (Engels in dié studie). Aangesien hoërskoolonderwysers as vakspesialiste opgelei is, het hulle onvoldoende kundigheid om leerders by te staan om kerngeletterdheidsvaardighede in Engels te verwerf. Hierdie verkennende studie by ʼn plattelandse hoërskool het ten doel gehad om te bepaal wat die invloed van ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie op onderwysers in ʼn plattelandse skool se taal van onderrigpraktyke is. Die deelnemende aksienavorsingstudie het ʼn konstruktivistiese paradigma gevolg en is teoreties gerig deur die sosiale leerteorie. ʼn Geletterdheidsintervensie is ontwikkel vanuit die fonetiese beginsel en is geïmplementeer met ses doelgerig geselekteerde hoërskoolonderwysers (n=6, mans=1, vroue=5) in ʼn gerieflikheidsgeselekteerde plattelandse hoërskool wat al geruime tyd deel vorm van ʼn langtermyn studie oor veerkragtigheid in plattelandse skole. Data van onderwysers se taal van onderrigpraktyke is voor en na afloop van die geletterdheidsintervensie ingesamel aan die hand van twee fokusgroeponderhoude met die deelnemende onderwysers, asook observasies in twee klaskamers. Observasiedata is gedokumenteer as veldnotas, visuele data en oudio-opnames. Fokusgroeponderhoude is verbatim getranskribeer. Al hierdie databronne is tematies geanaliseer en die volgende temas is geїdentifiseer: onderwysers se persepsie van Engelse geletterdheid as kernvaardigheid vir leerders, die plek van hulpbronne in niemoedertaalonderrigpraktyke (in Engels) in plattelandse skole, die effek van ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie op onderwysers se tweede taal onderrigpraktyke (in Engels) en die profiel van deelnemende plattelandse onderwysers. Leer en onderrig in ʼn plattelandse hoërskool word bemoeilik deur hoërskoolleerders se onvermoë om te lees, die leerplanvereiste vir die gebruik van ʼn addisionele taal (soos Engels) as taal van leer en onderrig, gebrekkige opleiding van hoërskoolonderwysers rakende die aanleer van kerngeletterdheidvaardighede, beperkte hulpbronne en geografiese isolasie wat dit moeilik maak om indiensopleidingsgeleenthede te benut, Alhoewel die deelnemende plattelandse hoërskool se onderwysers nie opgelei was om leerders geletterdheidsvaardighede te leer nie, het dit geblyk dat hierdie onderwysers wel (i) weet welke kerngeletterdheidskernvaardighede deur leerders benodig word, (ii) gretig is om opgelei te word en positief is oor geletterdheidsintervensies, en (iii) naburige skole en onderwysers betrek in sulke kapasiteitsontwikkeling. Verder het dit geblyk dat die deelnemende plattelandse hoërskoolonderwysers hulle taal van onderrig en leerpraktyke kon aanpas nadat hulle aan ʼn geletterdheidsintervensie deelgeneem het. In dié verband het die onderwysers die volgende spesifieke strategieë gebruik, naamlik fisiese hulpbronne as ondersteuning vir die aanleer van nuwe klanke; taalvermenging; betrek leerders by die aanbieding van lesse, byvoorbeeld deur dramatisering; die implementering van ʼn leesperiode; en ook die benutting van die skool se mediasentrum. Hierdie gewysigde taal van onderrig en leerpraktyke het moontlik ʼn positiewe effek gehad op leerders se selfvertroue om in Engels betrokke te wees tydens leersituasies; hulle akademiese persentasies (in Engels) het ook verbeter. Onderwysers se ingesteldheid jeens leerders se motivering om te leer het ook verander. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

The aim of this study was to determine whether the underachievement of pupils in science is due to the fact that the pupils have not reached the phase of formal thinking. The question is whether the difference in achievement in science of pupils with the same I.Q. can be attributed to the fact that the underachiever is on a lower cognitive level than the better achiever. The child in the junior secondary school phase is in or somewhere between the phase of concrete operational thinking or phase of formal operational thinking. An analysis of the syllabi in the junior secondary school phase showed that formal operational thinking is required of pupils especially in standard 7. In this research the population was defined as the Afrikaans-speaking pupils in the junior secondary school phase of the schools in a big town. The experimental group consisted of pupils with I.Q. ≥ 108 with low marks in science while the control group consisted of pupils with I.Q. ≥ 108 who did well in science. In this study 58 pupils were tested individually with 4 tests of formal thinking namely the switches-test (an adaption of the combinations of coloured and colourless chemical bodies-test), equilibrium in the balance, flexibility of rods and the oscillation of a pendulum. A significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups. (F = 28,84, p < 0,001). This study proved the following: (i) Gifted pupils in the junior secondary school phase with poor marks in science haven't reached the level of formal thinking to the same degree as gifted pupils with good marks in science. (ii) Gifted children in standard 6 who did well in science had already reached a plateau with regard to the development of formal thinking. (iii) Pupils differ with regard to the level of cognitive development regardless of having the same I.Q. and age. The above conclusions have the following implications for didactics: - The curricula and syllabi must be combined in such a way that formal thinking is not expected of the child before he is capable of it. Every teacher must try to individualize his teaching methods in order to make provision for differences in the cognitive levels of the pupils in his class. / Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO

<p><font face="TimesNewRomanPSMT"> <p align="left">This thesis tries to answer the question of how the reading half hour could be used effectively to address literacy problems and thereby improving reading comprehension. In this thesis dominant issues surrounding the teaching of reading and the development of reading comprehension are put under the magnifying glass. A skills based approach, where the focus is on the development of mechanical skills, is contrasted with a comprehension approach in the study. The study was undertaken within a psycholinguistic approach where the primary aim is to make meaning of language and text. This framework also created the space within which literacy problems could be addressed.</p> </font></p>

<p><font face="TimesNewRomanPSMT"> <p align="left">This thesis tries to answer the question of how the reading half hour could be used effectively to address literacy problems and thereby improving reading comprehension. In this thesis dominant issues surrounding the teaching of reading and the development of reading comprehension are put under the magnifying glass. A skills based approach, where the focus is on the development of mechanical skills, is contrasted with a comprehension approach in the study. The study was undertaken within a psycholinguistic approach where the primary aim is to make meaning of language and text. This framework also created the space within which literacy problems could be addressed.</p> </font></p>