This diploma thesis deals with the topic of work with illustration in kindergarten as support to understanding a text that is read aloud. The aim is to design and verify methods of working with illustrations in kindergarten that support the understanding of a text that is read aloud to preschool children. In the theoretical part of the thesis, I deal with illustration, visual literacy, method of working with a book, understanding a text (read aloud) and the characteristics of preschool children with regard to the topic of the thesis. Subsequently, I apply this knowledge in the practical implementations. In the practical part, I propose and verify methods of working with illustration in kindergarten which should support the understanding of a text that is read aloud to preschool children. The thesis is focused on qualitative research in which I compared differences between research and experimental group sample. First, I tested the level of skill of all twenty children when working with illustrations and understanding of a text read aloud (both research and experimental group samples). Then I put together seven preparations where I focused on the development of reading strategies and I supported the children in the understanding of the text read aloud on the basis of selected expected outcomes...

The thesis deals with the use of classical and contemporary literature for the development of reading literacy at primary schools. We focused mainly on the research of popular literature of third to fifth grade primary pupils. We also investigated what extra-curricular reading materials teachers choose to develop their pupils' reading literacy and how they work with them. In the theoretical part, we present a brief insight into the issue of reading literacy, current research results, methods, strategies and factors influencing reading literacy. In the research part, we present the results of a questionnaire survey of pupils' parents, where the main attention was paid to the preferences of titles, authors and genres of their children. In the practical part, we followed up on the results of these surveys and designed worksheets with activities aimed at promoting reading comprehension and developing reading strategies. We focused mainly on their motivational and entertaining character. Worksheets with activities were verified in selected classes of primary schools and supplemented by rich reflection from practice.

The thesis deals with the possibilities of developing emergent literacy, especially story comprehension, with preschool children using selected methods of critical thinking. The theoretical part is devoted to the ways of developing passion for reading and reading literacy in preschool education, it pursues the possibilities of using some of the methods of the RWCT programme (Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking) in working with books in the educational process of the kindergarten. It further describes the development of chidren of preschool age and reading strategies that can already be cultivated at this age. The practical part describes the project Working with Jiří Stránský's book Tales for little Clara that is based on didactic application of its texts intended for preschoolers. The project makes use of selected methods of the RWCT programme. Research using the method of structured interview finds out how methods of critical thinking can influence story comprehension among five-year-old children. It evaluates and interprets the findings from the beginning and the end of the project implementation, compares the determined levels of story comprehension in a group of girls and in a group of boys. The outcomes of the research show a considerable improvement of comprehension following the...

In South Africa, the issue of learners reading below their grade level is of great concern. In order to overcome this problem, the Department of Education made it possible that learners be taught to read early in Grade 1. However, despite the learners being taught to learn to read at an early stage, numerous studies have revealed that most of the learners, including those in Grade 3, are still experiencing reading problems. The purpose of this study is to explore how Grade 3 teachers support learners who experience reading problems in Full-service schools. Full-service schools are mainstream schools that were transformed to attend to the underlying inclusive principles and to provide quality education to all learners. In this study, a qualitative approach was used to collect data at the Tshwane North District in the Gauteng Province. The interview questions were piloted with one of the Grade 3 class teachers from a neighbouring full-service school. Then after the pilot study, eleven Grade 3 class teachers and six Learner Support Teachers from three identified full-service schools were interviewed and observed in their classroom while supporting learners experiencing reading problems. The documents that they used were also analysed. To analyse the empirical data an inductive approach and the method for analysing data suggested by Creswell (2000) was followed. The findings revealed that teachers who participated in this study followed a more prescriptive approach of supporting learners who were experiencing reading problems. Furthermore, the findings revealed they used different reading strategies and reading methods even though there were some challenges that hampered the implementation of the support. The issue of differentiating and adapting the reading support to suit the diverse reading needs of learners arose from the study. This was due to the fact that most of the teachers were not trained to adapt the reading support based on the reading needs of the learners. Based on the findings, recommendations were made, and guidelines to draw up an effective reading support based on an integrated approach for Grade 3 learners who experience reading problems in full-service schools was developed. The guidelines combined two theories that underpinned the study, namely, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. The researcher concluded that learners’ improvement in terms of their reading abilities relies on how teachers provided support to them. Hence it is important for teachers to be equipped with sufficient skills and knowledge to provide individualised reading support to learners experiencing reading problems. / Inclusive Education / Ph. D. (Inclusive Education)

Le présent mémoire expose les effets de l’enseignement réciproque sur la compréhension en lecture en français langue seconde d’élèves allophones immigrants nouvellement arrivés en situation de grand retard scolaire, scolarisés dans des classes d’accueil au secondaire. Deux groupes expérimentaux et un groupe contrôle ont pris part à la recherche. Deux modèles d’intervention en enseignement réciproque ont été proposés aux groupes expérimentaux, soit une intervention traditionnelle ou une intervention qui favorise l’ouverture aux langues maternelles. Un questionnaire administré en grand groupe ainsi que des entretiens individuels menés auprès de 11 élèves sous forme d’études de cas ont permis de mesurer les effets des interventions et de présenter des portraits de lecteurs. Les résultats au questionnaire valident que les interventions ont eu des effets significatifs sur la compréhension en lecture des élèves des groupes expérimentaux comparativement aux élèves du groupe contrôle. De plus, les 11 études de cas vont dans le même sens et révèlent que les élèves des groupes expérimentaux, au post-test, se sont améliorés dans la mise en place des stratégies cognitives et métacognitives. Finalement, lorsque les deux groupes expérimentaux sont comparés entre eux, les deux présentent des gains significatifs sur le plan de la compréhension en lecture. Cependant, le groupe ayant participé à des interventions avec une ouverture aux langues maternelles présente des changements de perceptions plus positifs et explicites à l’égard de la relation, en lecture, entre les langues. / The present thesis explores the effects of reciprocal teaching on the reading comprehension of French as a second language learners who are recent immigrants with limited prior schooling educated in welcoming classes at the secondary school level. Two experimental groups and a control group took part in this research. In the experimental groups, two intervention models were proposed to the students, one which consisted of a traditional reciprocal teaching method and another with an intervention designed to foster openness to the first languages of the students. A questionnaire was administered to the three groups as well as 11 individual interviews which enabled the researcher to measure the effects of the interventions and to create reading portraits of the 11 individuals through case studies. The results of the questionnaire confirm that the interventions in reciprocal teaching had significant effects on the reading comprehension of the students in the two experimental groups in comparison to the students of the control group. Moreover, while the case studies support the same conclusions as of the questionnaire, the post-test results show that the students who took part in the experimental groups improved their cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Finally, when the two experimental groups are compared, both present positive gains in reading comprehension scores. However, the group which received an intervention with the added value of fostering openness to the first languages of the students showed a more positive and explicit perception of the relationship in reading between the first and second languages.

The goal of this research study was to determine whether extensive reading, supported by the instruction and use of appropriate strategies, would a) improve learners' comprehension achievement b) increase academic achievement in English, and c) promote higher achievement in general academic performance. One hundred and twenty-one learners participated in this project. Three groups of learners: extensive readers, less extensive readers and non-extensive readers were identified and studied. The result indicated that extensive reading not only leads to improved achievement in comprehension, but that it also leads to improvement in general academic performance in all subjects across the curriculum; while lack of extensive reading has an adverse effect on both reading comprehension achievement and general academic performance as a whole. / Teacher Education / M.Ed. (Didactics)

The colonial history of South Africa and its legacy of cultural and linguistic domination have resulted in a situation where the. literatures of the majority of South Africans were relegated to the margins of institutional, social and cultural life. Exclusion (of local writings) was the principal mode by which power was exercised within university English departments. It is within this context that this study posits lacunae and challenges for the reconstruction of the South African literature curriculum. Although various approaches have been used by English departments during this decade to include South African literature in the curriculum (pluralism, inter-disciplinary studies, alternate canon formation, canon rejection, eclecticism, elective programmes, etc.), the curriculum continues to repeat the established norms and values of colonial/apartheid society, it avoids confronting the ideological construction of traditional English literature and is a revamping or upgrading of the programmes offered during the colonial/apartheid era. The genealogical study uncovers the production, regulation, distribution, circulation and operation of statements, decentres discourse, and reveals how discourse is secondary to systems of power. Chapter Four explores both theoretical and methodological underpinnings for the reconstruction of the South African literature curriculum deriving from the critical educational approaches of Freire, Giroux and Apple, the discursive approach of Foucault and the post colonial reading strategies of Zavarzadeh and Morton. The teaching of South African literature would best be served by working within a critical paradigm, having as its objective the goals of critical educational studies. Chapter Four also includes a review of the curriculum in local practice through a curriculum impact study using empirical research based on the 1996 English literature syllabi of South African universities as well as the findings of the surveys conducted by Malan and Bosman in 1986 and Lindfors in 1992. Chapter Five posits recommendations for curriculum reconstruction with the main focus on the intervention of radical strategies that would lead to a new conflictual reading list. The objective is to put the canon under erasure by problematising the concept of literariness. Such an approach also reveals the power/ knowledge relations of culture, ideologies that dominate the discipline and the institutional arrangements of knowledge. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D.Ed. (Didactics)

(English) The dissertation presents the findings of a mixed method research project aimed at analysing the process of reading in Modern Standard Arabic. Think aloud method represents the main instrument for collecting qualitative data in the form of verbal reports that the students produce while taking a test of reading comprehension. The test is used as an instrument for distinguishing good and poor readers whose reading strategies are analysed using protocol analyses. The resulting codes of reading strategies are then categorized and their specificities are discussed at length. Key words: Modern Standard Arabic, Arabic as a second language, construct of reading, reading comprehension, proficiency testing, reading aloud, reading strategies, think aloud, verbal protocols, validity.

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The aim of this study is to investigate how teachers interpret the reading strategies in the revised English as aSecond Language (ESL) syllabus from 2021, and what advantages and disadvantages they see with the syllabuswhen they teach reading strategies. Previous studies suggest that it is beneficial to teach reading strategies in school.The revised ESL syllabus for upper secondary in Sweden mentions reading strategies but gives no definition orinstruction, making it the teachers’ responsibility to choose an interpretation. However, there is not much researchon the interpretation of reading strategies in ESL in a Swedish context nor in upper secondary school.The study was made through interviews, which where analysed thematically, and a survey, where univariate analysiswas used. The results showed that most teachers were confident using and explaining the strategies, but ofteninterpreted them in different ways. The results also showed that while most teachers think the phrasing in thesyllabus is clear, there are some ambiguities. Most teachers also said they had the resources they needed, but somedidactic resources were mentioned as lacking by some.Conclusions from these results are: that the revised ESL syllabus provides room for interpretation and gives teachersautonomy which they see as positive; that the differences in strategy interpretation can affect the students’ right toequal education; that there are strategies of which teachers are unsure; and that the lack of some resources is anobstacle in the implementation of the syllabus and the teaching of reading strategies. Implications of this thesis arethat policy makers can use it in their development of future educational policy documents, and that teachers can useit to educate themselves on their role in interpreting the syllabus in their work.