3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Foundation phase learners' perspectives on grade retention(2019) Hadebe, MaureenGrade retention in South Africa, as in other developing countries, is a common practice of holding back learners who have failed to meet specific promotional requirements. Despite studies that highlight the negative outcomes of scholastic retention, this practice has gained popularity in countries in Southern Africa including South Africa. Learners who struggle academically are retained in the grade if they are unable to meet specific requirements. It is sad to note that learners are not consulted before being retained; their voices do not matter. Studies have been conducted on teachers’ perspectives on this topic. However, research on how learners experience retention has not been done. The main objective of this research is to ascertain how learners experience and perceive the practice of grade retention in the foundation phase. Doing research with children is critical and challenging, and this research tries to ‘dip a toe’ in and conduct research with children and not on children. Most schools were sceptical about allowing learners to participate in this study .but one school consented and allowed their learners to participate. The participants were selected using a number generating system so as to make sure that the sample was representative, and the participants were involved in two sets of interviews. In the first set of interviews, they drew pictures of themselves and were probed about the pictures they had drawn. In the second set of interviews, a blob tree was used as a tool for those interviewed to express their feelings. The focal point of this research was to understand the perceptions and experiences of a group and not an individual. Therefore, this qualitative research employed a phenomenographic methodology because it aims to “explore the range of meanings within a sample group, as a group, not the range of meanings for each individual within a group” (Akerlind, 2005, p. 323). This research was based on finding out how experiences of retained learners can enable Inclusive education. The findings were reported according to five key themes, namely socio-emotional outcomes, impact on learners’ relationship; academic issues and stereotyping by teachers. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of learners did not enjoy being retained in a grade, but this did not affect their academic progress. Some learners were teased and bullied by peers and friends. In some cases, the teachers also teased learners about repeating the grade. The limitations of the study included the following: the time frame; the sample size; the researcher’s involvement in the study; the data was collected from one school in Gauteng; the emotional distress experienced by some of the respondents; and, contradictory statements from a few of the respondents. Future research could look at broader cultural, social and economic issues that might contribute to an increased retention rate, as well as the negative emotional effects of grade retention.Item The longitudinal effect of treatment, gender, socio-economic status and home language on primary school children's reading comprehension, annoyance reactions to road and aircraft noise exposure and coping, in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.(2017-01) Völkel, GabrielaAim: In the context of a multi-cultural South Africa, this study sought to investigate and describe the longitudinal effects of treatment, gender, socio-economic status and home language on primary school children’s reading comprehension, annoyance reactions to road and aircraft noise and coping in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This was important to explore in order to provide valuable insight into teacher’s instruction, particularly in noisy environments. Additionally, insight into potential scholastic and psychological interventions may be provided. Procedure: This study constituted part of a larger, longitudinal, South African-based study, namely The Road and Aircraft Noise Exposure on Children’s Cognition and Health (RANCH – South Africa) study. It was a quantitative, developmental study that utilised data collected in 2009 in schools located within the vicinity of the Durban International Airport and in 2010, after the relocation of the airport to King Shaka International Airport in La Mercy. In total, 408 learners across 5 public schools in the KwaZulu- Natal province participated in the study. A child questionnaire was reviewed to obtain relevant biographical data pertaining to this study, as well as annoyance reactions to road and aircraft noise exposure and coping skills data. The data of the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 (SRS2), which was used to obtain reading comprehension scores, was also reviewed. Data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Repeated MANOVA tests were conducted to explore the effects of four variables; treatment group, gender, socio-economic status (SES) and home language. The treatment group consists of learners who were exposed to noise (experimental group) and those who were not exposed to noise (control group). Results: English First Language (EFL) speakers performed significantly better on reading comprehension tasks over time than their counterparts who spoke English as Additional Language (EAL) (p< .005). Treatment group, gender and SES did not have significant influence on reading comprehension tasks over time. Annoyance reactions to both road (p< .05) and aircraft (p< .001) noise exposure are significantly affected by the treatment group to which learners belong. Learners from the experimental group experienced significantly less annoyance than those from the control group. In terms of aircraft noise exposure, language also has a significant effect on annoyance reactions; EFL learners experienced less annoyance than EAL learners over time (p< .001). Lastly, learners from the experimental (noise exposed) group were able to cope significantly better than those from the control group (p< .001). These results suggest that language and previous exposure to noise have the most significant impact. Conclusion: Reading comprehension, annoyance reactions and coping are indeed affected by a variety of variables, most notably that of language and previous exposure to noise. There is no significant effect of gender or socio-economic status. This research implies that the effect that noise exposure has on the emotional adjustment and resilience of learners exposed thereto is important to consider, as well as role of the educator and the impact that background noise has on their teaching and their own ability to cope. Key Words: reading comprehension; annoyance reactions; coping; home language; noise exposure; South Africa.Item The attitude of the teachers towards the practice of streaming(2018) Walugembe, Josephine VuyelwaDifferentiation, as a strategy within inclusive education, seeks to respond to the challenges and opportunities of diversity within classrooms. This is done by adapting and modifying the methods of instruction, curriculum and activities to address effectively the needs and the potential of diverse learners. In the light of this, many teachers believe streaming is a form of differentiation, and a way to respond to the diversity faced in the classroom. To investigate this situation, this study explored the extent to which the attitudes of teachers sustained the practice of streaming in secondary schools. It also assessed whether the practice of streaming was congruent with the principles of inclusive education. Streaming is the practice of separating learners based on their respective cognitive abilities and their placement in similar ability groups. By using a qualitative research approach, this study found that teachers believed that streaming enabled differentiation and effective classroom management strategies. The various attitudes of teachers showed that they assumed streaming helped to deal with the distinguishable differences in learners’ ability, their conduct and their perceived ability to cope with the curriculum demands. However, there was a misalignment between how streaming was practised and the principles of inclusive education. A fundamental issue was that those learners who were placed in the lower-ability groups were labelled negatively, and there was no differentiation that occurred within similar ability classes. In effect, streaming became a selffulfilling prophecy for those in the lower-ability groups.Item Using alternative inter-disciplinary pedagogies in teaching poetry to Grade 10 English first additional language learners at a township school(2018) Munyaka, BeautyThe purpose of this project was to explore and establish whether the introduction of alternative inter-disciplinary pedagogies such as multiliteracy, multimodality and translanguaging would help improve learners' understanding of poetry specifically and improve their reading in general. The methodology adopted was action research, specifically, reflective classroom enquiry an educator my focus was on questioning my own practice for not only personal development, better professional practice and more, self-development through rigorous evaluation and critical self-examination to improve pedagogy. In other words, improving of professional practice is side by side with increase of knowledge in one’s practice. Crucial is involvement of another colleague in designing pedagogical instruments which cause for openness to alternative view points in the implementation. In collaboration with my colleague, findings seem to suggest that mixing translanguaging and multimodality in poetry teaching and learning can result favourably in an increase across four crucial pedagogical learning areas: more participation, increased engagement with the text and one another, positive interest in poetry, better clarity in expression of thoughts, feelings and emotions compared to the traditional way of teaching. Rigorous planning combined with relevant pedagogical tools are key in enhancement of poetry teaching and learning for better understanding and can thus change the negative attitude in poetry teaching, another element in this report is professional development from knowledge gained. Ultimately, the result is that more engagement in reflective practice improved my own pedagogical practice. This reflective classroom inquiry in poetry teaching enhances understanding in my own practice for better lesson delivery.Item The voices of grade 11 learners attending outreach programmes of two Johannesburg independent schools(2017) Kerr-Phillips, FrancesIn an attempt to make a small contribution to the broader educational landscape in South Africa, as well as to fulfil their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) requirements, many independent schools have embarked on a form of academic outreach initiative. This study considered two such initiatives at Johannesburg independent schools which select learners from specific high schools to attend each respective academy in the afternoons. The views of those participating in such endeavours are not often heard. This study, which is qualitative in nature and phenomenological in design, used individual interviews and focus group interviews to explore the voices of Grade 11 learners involved in the two academies. The data obtained through this voice research indicated that the experiences of the learners fell into two broad themes, namely, opportunities and challenges. The nuances of the opportunities and challenges experienced by the learners attending the academies determined the level of marginalisation or inclusion the learners encountered. As a result of the voices of the participants in this study and findings from related literature it was ascertained that such outreach academies had a significant impact on their learners, particularly in terms of their personal development yet, nevertheless, had a number of limitationsItem The relationship between mother tongue and English second language learning strategies(2016-07-27) Makoni, RachelSouth Africa is a multicultural and multilingual country. The majority of learners (90%) speak a mother tongue that is not English. The language of instruction is however English. English has become the dominant language in education, commerce and industry and therefore proficiency in the language is imperative. In order to help learners learn more efficiently, and to inform education policy making, an exploration of what language learning strategies learners from divergent mother tongue backgrounds employ, is beneficial. This study was conducted in a high school, in a township area of Gauteng, South Africa in order to investigate whether there is a relationship between the mother tongue of South African high school learners and English second language learning strategies employed by these learners. The sample consisted of 107 Grade 8-Grade 12 participants who were receiving instruction in English, with their mother tongue specified as one of the 9 African languages. Learners were asked to complete a 50 item questionnaire, as well as a demographical information form. The results showed that although there was no significant relationship between mother tongue and English second language learning strategies used by high school learners, other variables such as number of years of English language instruction and age were significant variables that influenced choice of English language learning strategy use. It was also found that metacognitive strategies were the most commonly used English language learning strategies. Research on the relationship between mother tongue and language learning strategy use is imperative given the significant number of learners that would benefit from this research and subsequent interventions implemented