Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the comprehension and production of articles, quantifiers, binding
relations and passive constructions as later developing constructions (LDCs) by 27 Grade (Gr) 1
monolingual Afrikaans-speaking learners with Afrikaans as language of learning and teaching
(LOLT), 31 bilingual isiXhosa-speaking learners with English as LOLT and 31 monolingual
isiXhosa-speaking learners with isiXhosa as LOLT in three non-fee-paying schools, each in a
different low socio-economic status area, in the Stellenbosch area of the Western Cape Province
in South Africa. The overarching aim of this study was to determine which LDCs these learners
are capable of comprehending and producing at the start of Gr 1 and what progress they make in
terms of these LDCs during their Gr 1 year. The English and isiXhosa LOLT groups were then
compared on how they fared on the LDCs in their respective LOLTs in order to ascertain whether
the English language proficiency of the English group is at such a level at the start of Gr 1 that
they can, without disadvantage, undergo schooling successfully in English. Data were collected
on articles, binding relations, quantifiers and passive constructions by using the informal
language assessment instrument, the Receptive and Expressive Activities for Language Therapy
(Southwood & Van Dulm 2012a), which makes use of picture selection- and pointing tasks for
assessment of comprehension and sentence completion, picture description- and question
answering tasks for assessment of production. The results showed that for the Afrikaans and
English groups all four LDCs are indeed later developing and are only mastered after the end of
Gr 1. For the isiXhosa group, quantifiers and passive production are mastered by the end of Gr 1.
In terms of the language-in-education and teaching policy, the results show that the time allocated
to listening to and producing language in Gr 1 is sufficient for children whose first language is
also their LOLT, whereas it is not sufficient in the case of English additional language learners.
The latter group made significant progress in all LDCs assessed, but still performed worse than
their isiXhosa-speaking peers, for whom there was a match between first language and LOLT.
The implication of the results are that (i) the Foundation Phase school curriculum should be
refined so as to consider the needs of all Gr 1 learners, as learners enter Gr 1 with different
language skills and different levels of preparation for the tasks which lie before them, (ii) teachers
should be assisted to foster the development of language skills in additional language learners,
and (iii) the institution of a universal Gr R year, which is free to those who cannot afford school
fees, should be considered a necessity. Without ensuring that all children enter Gr 1 with an
adequate language foundation on which literacy development can build, historical inequalities
still present in South Africa will likely be perpetuated rather than systematically removed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die begrip en produksie van lidwoorde, kwantifiseerders,
bindingsverhoudings en passiefkonstruksies as later-ontwikkelende konstruksies (LOKs) deur
Graad 1 (Gr 1)-leerders. Die deelnemers was 27 eentalige Afrikaanssprekendes met Afrikaans as
taal van leer en onderrig (TLO), 31 tweetalige isiXhosa-sprekendes met Engels as TLO en 31
eentalige isiXhosa-sprekendes met isiXhosa as TLO, in drie nie-skoolfondsbetalende skole, elk in
'n ander area met lae sosio-ekonomiese status in die Stellenbosch-omgewing in die Wes-Kaap
Provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Die oorkoepelende doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal watter
LOKs hierdie leerders in staat is om te verstaan en te produseer aan die begin van Gr 1 en watter
vordering hulle in terme van hierdie LOKs maak tydens hul Gr 1-jaar. Die Engelse en isiXhosa
TLO-groepe is vergelyk in terme van hoe hulle gevaar het op die LOKs in hul onderskeie TLOs,
ten einde vas te stel of die Engels-taalvaardighede van die Engelse TLO-groep op so 'n vlak aan
die begin van Gr 1 is dat hulle sonder benadeling hul skoolopleiding suksesvol in Engels kan
ontvang. Data is ingesamel oor lidwoorde, bindingsverhoudings, kwantifiseerders en
passiefkonstruksies met die informele taalassesseringsinstrument, die Reseptiewe en
Ekspressiewe Aktiwiteite vir Later-ontwikkelende Taalvaardighede (Southwood & Van Dulm
2012a), wat gebruik maak van prentseleksietake vir die assessering van taalbegrip en van
sinsvoltooiings-, prentbeskrywings- en vraagbeantwoordingstake vir die assessering van
taalproduksie. Die resultate het aangetoon dat al vier LOKs wel later ontwikkelend is vir die
Afrikaanse en Engelse TLO-groepe en slegs bemeester word ná die einde van Gr 1. Vir die
isiXhosa-groep is kwantifiseerders en passiefproduksie teen die einde van Gr 1 bemeester. Gegee
die taal-in-onderwys- en onderrigbeleid toon die resultate dat die tyd wat toegeken is aan die
ontwikkeling van luister- en taalproduksievaardighede in Gr 1 voldoende is vir kinders wie se
eerste taal ook hul TLO is, terwyl dit onvoldoende is in die geval van Engels Addisionele Taalleerders.
Laasgenoemde groep het beduidende vordering gemaak oor hul Gr 1-jaar in alle LOKs,
maar het steeds swakker gevaar as hul isiXhosa-sprekende eweknieë wie se eerste taal en TLO
ooreenstem. Die implikasies van die resultate is (i) dat die grondslagfase-skoolkurrikulum verfyn
behoort te word met inagname van alle Gr 1-leerders se taalbehoeftes, omdat leerders Gr 1 betree
met verskillende taalvaardigheidsvlakke asook verskillende vlakke van voorbereiding vir die take
wat voorlê in Gr 1, (ii) dat onderwysers gehelp moet word om die ontwikkeling van
taalvaardighede vir Addisionele Taal-leerders te bevorder, en (iii) dat die instelling van 'n
universele Gr R-jaar, gratis vir diegene wat nie skoolfonds kan bekostig nie, as noodsaaklik
beskou behoort te word. As daar nie verseker word dat alle kinders Gr 1 betree met ‘n voldoende
taalbasis waarop geletterdheidsontwikkeling kan bou nie, sal historiese ongelykhede, steeds
teenwoordig in Suid-Afrika, waarskynlik eerder voortgesit as stelselmatig verwyder word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/97144 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Nel, Joanine Hester |
| Contributors | Southwood, Frenette, Conradie, Simone, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xxix, 348 pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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