Thesis (DPhil (General Linguistics))—University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Addressing the low literacy rates in South Africa poses a mountainous challenge.
However, identifying children at risk for reading difficulties and providing timely
and preventative intervention might be a good starting point to addressing this
challenge. This study aimed at making a contribution to the existing body of
literature on emergent literacy skills of learners who are educated in a second or
additional language. The study investigated English Language Learners’ (ELLs)
emergent literacy skills prior to entering Grade 1 and evaluated the effectiveness of
an evidence-based stimulation program in the South African context.
The main research question this study attempted to answer was: “What is the effect
of a stimulation program for emergent literacy skills in Grade R on the
development of literacy of English Language Learners in Grade 1?” In a quasiexperimental
design, ELLs’ emergent literacy skills were assessed with an adapted
version of the Emergent Literacy Assessment battery (Willenberg 2004) and were
compared to those of English first language (L1) and of ELL control groups, both
prior to and after an 8-week purpose-designed stimulation program. Results
indicated that while learners showed significant improvement on six out of the eight
subtests, the particular intervention program did not significantly improve ELLs’
emergent literacy skills (those pertaining to alphabet knowledge, phoneme
awareness, print awareness and oral language skills, amongst others) when
compared to learners in the respective control groups. When controlling for
receptive language abilities, English L1 learners did not perform any better than
their L2 peers on any of the eight measures of emergent literacy prior to
intervention. Furthermore, upon entering Grade 1, there was no statistical
significant difference in the performance of the English L1 learners and ELLs on
any of the eight subtests after intervention. Possible independent variables
contributing to the dearth of intervention effect included socio-economic status,
learners’ L1, and teacher and classroom specific characteristics. These variables
were addressed, and clinical implications for speech-language therapists with
regards to assessment, intervention, service delivery and outcome measures were
highlighted. / AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die aanspreek van Suid-Afrika se geletterdheidsvraagstuk is ‘n reuse uitdaging. Die vroeë
identifisering van kinders met ‘n hoë risiko vir leesprobleme en die verskaffing van tydige
en voorkomende intervensie mag egter ‘n goeie beginpunt wees in die aanspreek van
hierdie uitdaging. Hierdie studie het gepoog om ‘n bydrae te lewer tot die bestaande
literatuur oor ontluikende geletterdheidsvaardighede van kinders wat in ‘n tweede of
addisionele taal onderrig word. Die studie het die ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede
ondersoek van Graad R-leerders wat in Engels onderrig word, maar vir wie Engels nie
hul eerste taal is nie, asook die effektiwiteit van ‘n navorsingsgebaseerde
stimulasieprogram binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks.
Die hoof navorsingsvraag van die studie was: “Wat is die effek van ‘n stimulasieprogram
vir ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede in Graad R op die ontwikkeling van
geletterdheid van Engels tweede taal (T2)-leerders in Graad 1?” In ‘n kwasieksperimentele
ontwerp is Engels T2-leerders se ontluikende geletterheidsvaardighede
met ‘n aangepaste weergawe van die Emergent Literacy Assessment Battery (Willenberg
2004) geëvalueer, en voor en na ‘n 8-week doelgerigte stimulasieprogram vergelyk met
die vaardighede van kontrolegroepe wat bestaan het uit Engels eerste taal (T1)-leerders
en Engels T2-leerders onderskeidelik. Alhoewel leerders ‘n beduidende verbetering in ses
van die agt subtoetse getoon het, het die spesifieke intervensieprogram nie T2-leerders in
die eksperimentele groepe se ontluikende geletterdheidsvaardighede beduidend verbeter
in vergelyking met leerders in die twee kontrole groepe nie (dit sluit in onder andere
alfabetkennis, foneembewustheid, drukbewustheid en orale taalvaardighede). Wanneer
daar vir reseptiewe taalvaardighede gekontroleer is, het die T1-leerders nie beduidend
beter gevaar as hul T2-portuurgroep op enige van die agt subtoetse van ontluikende
geletterdheid nie, en met toetrede tot Graad 1 was daar gevolglik geen statisties
beduidende verskil tussen die T1- en T2-groepe ten opsigte van enige van die agt
subtoetse nie. Moontlike onafhanklike veranderlikes wat tot hierdie gebrek aan
intervensie-effek kon bydra, sluit sosio-ekonomiese status, leerders se T1 en onderwyseren
klaskamer-spesifieke eienskappe in. Hierdie veranderlikes is aangespreek, en die
kliniese implikasies vir spraak-taalterapeute met betrekking tot evaluasie, intervensie,
dienslewering en die noukeurige meting van uitkomste is toegelig.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1238 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Olivier, Johanna M. |
| Contributors | Anthonissen, C. A., Southwood, F., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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