The present study is the first to examine the effect of first versus second language (L1 versus L2) speech production on specific temporal parameters of speech in bilingual speakers with neurogenic speech disorders. Three persons with apraxia of speech (AOS), three with phonemic paraphasia (PP) and five normal speaking participants were included as subjects in the study. Subjects were required to read phonemically similar L1 and L2 target utterances in a carrier phrase, five times each, at a normal and fast speaking rate, respectively. This rendered four speaking contexts that included speech production in L1 at either a normal (L1NR) or fast speaking rate (L1FR) and speech production in L2 at either a normal (L2NR) or fast speaking rate (L2FR). Acoustic analysis of on-target productions involved measurement of utterance onset duration, vowel duration, utterance duration and voice onset time. Results revealed that in normal speakers, speech production in L2 results in greater token-to-token variability than in L1. However, token-to-token variability in the experimental subjects did not tend to increase whilst speaking in L2, most probably because these subjects generally decreased their speaking rate in this context, resulting in more consistent production. The subjects with AOS and PP seemed to be influenced by the increased processing demands of speaking in L2 to a greater extent than the normal speakers, in that they more frequently experienced difficulty with durational adjustments (decreasing duration in the fast speaking rate) in L2 than in L1. Furthermore, the subjects with AOS or PP also exhibited a greater extent of durational adjustment in L1 than in L2. The durations of most of the subjects with either AOS or PP tended to differ from those of the normal group to a greater extent in L2FR that was hypothesized to be the most demanding speaking context for these subjects. The longer than normal durations and greater than normal token-to-token variability in the subjects with either AOS or PP imply the presence of a motor control deficit. The extent of the motor control deficit appears to be more severe in AOS than in PP as is evident from the finding that the subjects with AOS generally exhibited longer durations and greater token-to-token variability than the subjects with PP. The pattern of breakdown in respect of different parameters and utterance groups also differed between subjects with AOS and PP. The nature of the disorder in AOS and PP thus appears to be both quantitatively and qualitatively different. Regarding measurement of the different temporal parameters, voice onset time appears to be less subject to the influence of L2 than the other measured temporal parameters. The results of this study imply that bilingual AOS is as much a reality as bilingual aphasia. Furthermore, the results underscore the importance of taking contextual factors, specifically L1 versus L2, into account when compiling assessment and treatment procedures for persons with either AOS or PP, since speech production in L2 appears to be motorically more difficult than in L1 for persons with neurogenic involvement. The significance of the results is discussed with reference to the influence of speech production in L2 on temporal control and the underlying nature of AOS and PP with regard to theories of speech sensorimotor control. Copyright / Dissertation (DPhil (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka hur lärare med erfarenhet av Wittingmetoden beskriver sitt arbete med den samt om det på vetenskaplig grund går att argumentera för användning av metoden. Frågeställningarna är, om och varför lärare med erfarenhet av Wittingmetoden anser den vara lämplig för undervisning i läs- och skrivinlärning i årskurs 1–3 samt om det barn som redan kan läsa med ett visst flyt och förståelse i början av årskurs 1 också har nytta av metoden och i så fall hur. Frågeställningarna har uppstått när uppsatsförfattaren har ifrågasatt beskrivningar av metoden i kurslitteratur under lärarutbildningen. Beskrivningarna hävdar bland annat att metoden är så pass grundlig att den inte är relevant för undervisning av dagens elever då många av dem redan har en del förkunskaper. Underlag till studien utgörs dels av intervjuer med 10 lärare med utbildning i samt längre eller kortare erfarenhet av Wittingmetoden, dels av litteratur om Wittingmetoden, skriven av dess upphovskvinna Maja Witting samt tidigare forskning inom läs- och skrivinlärningsområdet kopplat till vissa karakteristiska delar av Wittingmetoden. Resultatet visar att Wittingmetoden ofta är inkorrekt beskriven samt att den förhåller sig mycket väl till vad den senaste forskningen menar är god och avgörande läs- och skrivundervisning i alfabetiska skriftspråk, nämligen ett arbetssätt med utgångpunkt i fonologisk medvetenhet och sammanljudning av fonem och grafem. Till detta ska sedan läggas olika arbetssätt för att skapa förutsättningar för god läsförståelse såsom utökat ordförråd, lärares högläsning, läsförståelsestrategier och allmänbildning. Sådan undervisning kan också, visar forskning, vara till nytta för den tidiga läsaren, särskilt det som gäller läsförståelse. Informanterna menar att Wittingmetoden är högst relevant och lämplig för läs- och skrivinlärning, liksom för ytterligare utveckling, för alla elever men att det finns lärare som den passar sämre för.

傳統上認為以中文為母語的孩童並不具有「音位覺識能力」(phonemic awareness)，本研究以實驗方式直接測量以中文為母語孩童的「音位覺識能力」，同時探討孩童「音位覺識能力」及「聲母—韻母覺識能力」(onset-rime awareness) 在英文拼字與讀字上所扮演的角色。在本研究中，一百九十二位國小四年級的孩童參與二項「母語音韻覺識測驗」，包括「聲母/韻母異音測驗」(onset/rime oddity test) 和「韻腹/韻尾異音測驗」(nucleus/coda oddity test)。根據上述二項測驗的成績，將孩童分為三組：第一組孩童(共29人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆佳；第二組孩童(共29人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差；第三組孩童(共26人)，其「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆差。我們接著利用「拼英文假字測驗」和「讀英文假字測驗」來測量三組孩童的英文拼字與讀字的能力，在施測之前，孩童們有八次的機會學會「拼字」與「讀字」兩項測驗所需具備的「字音對應規則」。結果顯示，雖然孩童的「音位覺識能力」在程度上有所不同，但以中文為母語的孩童已具備「音位覺識能力」。此外，在考慮了孩童們「記憶廣度」(digit span)與「英文聽話字彙」 (English receptive vocabulary)的差異後，「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆佳的孩童，在拼字的表現上優於「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差的孩童來，接著「聲母—韻母覺識能力」佳，但「音位覺識能力」差的孩童的拼字表現優於「聲母—韻母覺識能力」和「音位覺識能力」皆差的孩童。最後，「音位覺識能力」佳的的孩童，在讀字的表現上優於「音位覺識能力」差的的孩童，此外，並無證據顯示「聲母—韻母覺識能力」在孩童的讀字能力上扮演著重要的角色。整體而言，本研究的結果支持其他研究的看法，這些研究認為以中文為母語的孩童在母語習得過程中所發展出來的「音韻覺識能力」對於其英文拼字與讀字的能力上有著一定的貢獻，此外，本研究更進一步顯示，這種貢獻會隨著「音韻覺識」程度的不同而有所改變。 / It has been conventionally assumed that Chinese-speaking children do not have phonemic awareness. In this study, Chinese-speaking children’s phonemic awareness was empirically tested and its role, relative to onset-rime awareness, in the acquisition of English spelling and reading abilities was examined. Two L1 phonological awareness tests (i.e., an onset/rime oddity test and a nucleus/coda oddity test) were administered to a total of 192 Chinese-speaking fourth-graders. The children were selected and categorized based on their performances on the two L1 phonological awareness tests: 29 children with good onset-rime awareness and good phonemic awareness, 29 children with good onset-rime awareness but poor phonemic awareness, and 26 children with poor onset-rime awareness and poor phonemic awareness. The three groups of children were then tested on their abilities to spell and read English pseudowords. Before taking the English pseudoword spelling and reading tasks, the children were provided with eight opportunities to master the requisite letter-sound knowledge for the success in spelling and reading the pseudowords. The results showed that Chinese-speaking children demonstrated phonological awareness at the phonemic level, though varying in degree. Considered along with individual differences in digit span and English receptive vocabulary, children with better phonological awareness at both the onset-rime level and the phonemic level performed better in English pseudoword spelling than children with better onset-rime awareness but poorer phonemic awareness, who in turn, performed better than children with poorer phonological awareness at both levels. Finally, children with better phonemic awareness outperformed the other two groups of children with poorer phonemic awareness in pseudoword reading. Onset-rime awareness did not seem to play a significant role in pseudoword reading. These results support and extend other studies suggesting that the acquisition of English spelling and reading abilities in Chinese-speaking children benefits from the phonological awareness obtained during the course of first language acquisition and that the beneficial effect varies with the levels of phonological awareness.

Research has shown that literacy acquisition and the ultimate realisation of literacy, comprehension of the written text requires more than the ability to decode individual words. This study brings together a synthesis of current research on early language acquisition, language structure, vocabulary development and its intrinsic underpinning of comprehension in monolinguals thereby providing a theoretical framework for a comparative study of limited English proficient learners (LEP’s)/English language learners (ELLs) acquiring first time literacy with the attendant vocabulary deficits and age appropriate decoding skills. A quantitative and qualitative study examines the statistical differences between reading, vocabulary, rapid automatic naming (RAN/decoding) and comprehension when a learner born of foreign parents acquires first time literacy in a language other than the language spoken at home. The study isolates and specifies an at risk educational minority through the identification of a hidden comprehension deficit (HCD). In summarising the main findings from the literature review and the empirical investigation, an “at risk educational minority” was identified and isolated through the identification of the HCD. The envisioned outcome was achieved and the hypothesis accepted. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Research has shown that literacy acquisition and the ultimate realisation of literacy, comprehension of the written text requires more than the ability to decode individual words. This study brings together a synthesis of current research on early language acquisition, language structure, vocabulary development and its intrinsic underpinning of comprehension in monolinguals thereby providing a theoretical framework for a comparative study of limited English proficient learners (LEP’s)/English language learners (ELLs) acquiring first time literacy with the attendant vocabulary deficits and age appropriate decoding skills. A quantitative and qualitative study examines the statistical differences between reading, vocabulary, rapid automatic naming (RAN/decoding) and comprehension when a learner born of foreign parents acquires first time literacy in a language other than the language spoken at home. The study isolates and specifies an at risk educational minority through the identification of a hidden comprehension deficit (HCD). In summarising the main findings from the literature review and the empirical investigation, an “at risk educational minority” was identified and isolated through the identification of the HCD. The envisioned outcome was achieved and the hypothesis accepted. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Summaries in English, Xitsonga and Afrikaans / Reading literacy for many black South African learners is a problem. In order to understand what happens in the South African foundation phase classrooms that affect learners’ reading performance, this study uses the adapted early grade reading assessment (EGRA) tool to assess Grade 1 learners’ reading abilities in the home language (four schools) and in the first additional language (one school). The EGRA is important for measuring foundational literacy skills. Its outcomes help teachers plan instruction that accommodates diverse learning capabilities. Data were collected through observing literacy practices and activities in the Grade 1 classrooms, evaluate classroom settings and interview Grade 1 teachers and curriculum advisors of the general education and training band to understand their perception of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The main findings revealed that the Grade 1 learners are acquiring foundational reading skills in Xitsonga very slowly during the first year of schooling and on all measures, performance was either low or very low. The teachers’ lack of deep understanding of how early reading develops and how each of the reading activities contributes to different aspects of this development may have contributed to the learners’ reading outcomes. Findings further revealed that the ability to read fluently and with comprehension is determined by hierarchical relationships between various reading skills. Thus, knowledge of letter-sounds facilitates word reading which impacts reading fluency and then reading comprehension – all these skills are important for reading development during early learning only if they are taught well in the classroom. / Ku hlaya ni ku tsala swi tikela vadyondzi vo tala laha Afrika Dzonga. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku va hi ta kota ku twisisa leswi swi humelelaka mayelana na matirhelo yo hlaya ya vadyondzi va ntangha R-3, hi kambela vuswikoti lebyi vadyondzi va ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1) va nga na byona byo hlaya hi ririmi ra manana (mune wa swikolo) na hi ririmi leri ri nga le eka xiyimo xa masungulo (xikolo xin’we) hi ku tirhisa xikambelwana lexi xi vuriwaka early grade reading assessment (EGRA). Xikambelwana lexi (EGRA) xi ni nkoka lowu kulu mayelana ni ku kambela vuswikoti bya n’wana byo hlaya. Mbuyelo wa xikambelo lexi wu pfuna ngopfu mayelana na leswaku vadyondzisi va kota ku kunguhata madyindziselo lama ya angarhelaka vadyondzi hinkwavo. Ndzavisiso lowu wu humelerisiwile hi ku kambela madyondziselo yo hlaya ni ku tsala eka ntlawa wo sungula (Giredi 1), ku kambela xivumbeko xa kamara ro dyondzela eka rona, ni ku kambela vutivi bya kharikhulamu bya vadyondzisi va ntlawa wo sungula na vaseketeri va vona (curriculum advisors). Mbuyelonkulu wu humesele erivaleni leswaku vadyondzi va kuma ntokoto wo hlaya hi Xitsonga hi ku nonoka va ha ri eka lembe ra vona ro sungula xikolo. Leswi swi thlela swi nyanyisa na hi leswaku mbuyelo wa vona wo hlaya eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa xikambelo lexi xi nga tirhisiwa ku va kambela a wu ri ehansi ngopfu. Eka ndzavisiso lowu, ku pfumala ka vadyondzisi vutivi hi vuenti bya ku dyondzisa vana eku hlaya swi nga va swi vile na xiave eka mbuyelo wa vadyondzi wo hlaya. Vulavisisi lebyi byi thlela byi humesela erivaleni leswaku vuswikoti byo hlaya hi ku twisisa swi koteka ntsena loko mudyonzi a ri ni ntokoto eka swiyenge hinkwaswo swa ku hlaya hikuva swi na vuxaka. Hikokwalaho, vuswikoti byo hlaya mimpfumawulo ya maletere swi pfuneta ku hlaya marito lawa ya thlelaka ya pfuneta ku hlaya hi nkhuluko ni ku twisisa leswi swi hlayiwaka. Vuswikoti lebyi hinkwabyo byi ni nkoka mayelana ni ku dyondza ku hlaya ntsena loko madyondziselo yo hlaya ya landzelerisa leswi kunguhatiweke eka kharikhulamu. / Leesgeletterdheid vir baie swart Suid-Afrikaanse leerders is ‘n probleem. Om te verstaan wat in die Suid-Afrikaanse grondslagfase-klaskamers gebeur wat die leesprestasie van leerders beïnvloed, word in die studie die aangepaste instrument vir vroeë graad leesassessering (EGRA) gebruik om die leesvermoëns van Graad 1-leerders in die huistaal (vier skole) en in die eerste addisionele taal (een skool). Die EGRA is belangrik vir die meting van fundamentele geletterdheidsvaardighede. Die uitkomste daarvan help onderwysers om onderrig te beplan wat voldoen aan verskillende leervermoëns. Data is versamel deur die waarneming van geletterdheidspraktyke en aktiwiteite in die Graad 1-klaskamers, die klaskamerinstellings te evalueer en onderhoude met Graad 1-onderwysers en kurrikulumadviseurs van die algemene onderwys- en opleidingsband te onderneem om hul persepsie van Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) te verstaan. Die belangrikste bevindings het getoon dat die graad 1-leerders in die eerste jaar van skool baie stadig basiese leesvaardighede in Xitsonga verwerf, en dat prestasies op alle maatstawwe laag of baie laag was. Die onderwysers se gebrek aan diep begrip van hoe vroeë lees ontwikkel en hoe elkeen van die leesaktiwiteite bydra tot verskillende aspekte van hierdie ontwikkeling, het moontlik tot die leerders se leesuitkomste bygedra. Bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat die vermoë om vlot en met begrip te lees, bepaal word deur hiërargiese verwantskappe tussen verskillende leesvaardighede. Kennis van letterklanke vergemaklik dus die lees van woorde wat die vloeiendheid van lees en dan leesbegrip beïnvloed - al hierdie vaardighede is slegs belangrik vir leesontwikkeling tydens vroeë leer as dit goed in die klaskamer geleer word. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / Ph. D. (Languages, Linguistics and Literature)