Thesis (M Speech Path)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Narrative skills have found to be a predictor of academic success with clear correlations to later
reading and writing abilities in children. The quality of narratives and the language disorders
displayed in specific clinical populations has also been correlated, making narratives a useful
diagnostic tool. To be able to know what is atypical, one has to know what is normal. Normative
based assessment materials are very limited in South Africa. Commercially available
assessments are often inappropriate because of the complex nature of narratives and the
influence of socio-economic, linguistic and cultural factors. There is therefore a need not only to
develop appropriate assessment materials but also to obtain normative data for use in the South
African context.
The main research question this study attempted to answer is: What are the patterns of narrative
development in normally developing children? A total of 62 typically developing children from
schools in a middle class residential area was selected. Three different age groups were
identified: Grade R (5 to 6 years), Grade 1 (6 to 7 years) and Grade 3 (8 years 6 months to 9
years 6 months) based on their different exposure to literate language. It was assumed that they
would display distinct patterns of narrative development, with an increase in the complexity of
narrative features with age. A wordless picture book, regarded as appropriate for the South
African context, was developed and used to elicit a narrative from each participant. Narratives
were analysed using a comprehensive narrative assessment protocol. Assessment areas
included macrostructure, microstructure, use of literate language and the use of abstraction.
Results were compared in terms of group differences and developmental trajectories.
The assessment protocol showed similar story lengths in all age groups, suggesting that when
the developed wordless picture book was used as elicitation stimulus, any significant differences
between groups could be of diagnostic value. Results showed clear developmental trajectories
in terms of macrostructural measures. The group differences between Grade R and Grade 1 in
terms of microstructural measures were not significant. There was, however, a significant
increase in terms of syntactic complexity and lexical diversity from Grade R to Grade 3. No
significant development was observed in terms of the use of literate language features across
the year groups and a group effect was offered as a possible explanation. In contrast to concrete
statements, children as young as 5 years old used mainly abstractions in their generated
narratives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Narratiefvaardighede is nie net ‘n voorvereiste vir akademiese sukses nie, maar korreleer ook
met lees- en skryfvaardighede in kinders. Weens die korrelasie tussen die kwaliteit van
narratiewe en die taal van kinders met spesifieke taalgestremdhede, het narratiewe ook
diagnostiese waarde. Om te weet wat atipies is, moet ‘n mens weet wat normaal is. Normatiewe
evaluasiemateriaal is baie beperk in Suid-Afrika. Die evaluasies wat kommersieël beskikbaar is,
is dikwels ontoepaslik weens die kompleksiteit van narratiewe en die invloed van sosioekonomiese,
linguistiese en kulturele faktore. Dit is daarom belangrik om geskikte evaluasie
materiaal te ontwikkel en normatiewe data te bepaal vir gebruik in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.
Met hierdie studie is daar gepoog om die volgende navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: Hoe
ontwikkel narratiewe in normaal ontwikkelende kinders? ‘n Totaal van 62 tipies-ontwikkelende
kinders is geselekteer uit hoofstroomskole in ‘n middelklas residensiële omgewing. Drie
verskillende ouderdomsgroepe is geteiken op grond van hulle blootstelling aan
geletterdheidstaal: Graad R (5 – 6 jaar), Graad 1 (6 – 7 jaar) en Graad 3 (8 jaar 6 maande – 9
jaar 6 maande). Daar is aangeneem dat die groepe baie spesifieke patrone in
narratiefontwikkeling sou toon, met ‘n toename in die kompleksiteit van narratiewe met toename
in ouderdom. ‘n Woordlose prenteboek, wat beskou is as toepaslik binne die Suid-Afrikaanse
konteks, is ontwikkel en gebruik om ‘n narratief van elke deelnemer te ontlok. Narratiewe is
ontleed met behulp van ‘n omvattende evaluasieprotokol. Areas vir ontleding het makrostruktuur,
mikrostruktuur, gebruik van geletterdheidstaal en die gebruik van abstraksie ingesluit. Resultate
is vergelyk ten opsigte van groepsverskille en ontwikkelingspatrone.
Die storielengte van die verkillende ouderdomsgroepe het ooreengestem en suggereer dat
wanneer die woordlose prenteboek as ontlokkingstimulus gebruik word, enige beduidende
verskille tussen groepe van diagnostiese waarde is. Die resultate het duidelike
ontwikkelingspatrone getoon ten opsigte van makrostrukturele meetings. Groepsverskille tussen
Graad R en Graad 1 was onbeduidend ten opsigte van mikrostrukturele metings. Daar was egter
‘n beduidende toename ten opsigte van sintaktiese kompleksiteit en leksikale diversiteit van
Graad R tot Graad 3. Geen beduidende ontwikkeling is waargeneem ten opsigte van die gebruik
van geletterdheidstaal oor die jaargroepe nie en ‘n groepseffek is as moontlike verduideliking
gegee. Kinders so jonk as 5 jaar oud het hoofsaaklik abstrakte taal teenoor konkrete taal in hul
narratiewe gebruik.
Kliniese implikasies vir spraak- en taalterapeute is bespreek.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20048 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Acker, Twanette |
| Contributors | Klop, Daleen, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Speech Language and Hearing Therapy. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 144 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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