An investigation of the relationship between the Grade 7 English Second Language curriculum expectations and learners English literacy life histories
- Shimbudhi, Barakias Baby Benita
- Authors: Shimbudhi, Barakias Baby Benita
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7866 , vital:21313
- Description: Drawing from Pinar’s Curriculum Theory and Hallidayan Systematic Functional Linguistics theory respectively, this study investigates the relationship between Namibia’s Grade 7 English Second Language’s curriculum expectations and learners’ English literacy life histories. Located within the qualitative interpretive paradigm and life history research, this study uses learners’ written autobiographical narratives and spoken stories from narrative interviews with participants to generate data. The research site and participants were purposively selected, from the Grade 7 rural combined school classroom where many learners perform poorly as no learner in the research population at this research site performed successfully in English Second Language examinations. The study investigated whether the Grade 7 curriculum expectations ‘speak’ to the Grade 7 learners’ English literacy life histories in order to establish whether there is a correlation between the formal education English Second Language curriculum expectations and learners’ English literacy life histories. The findings for this study revealed that formal education curriculum designers and policy makers do not consider the cultural identities and backgrounds that learners bring to the classrooms. There are very few language activities, events both at home, school, and within the literate community necessary, to develop communicative competencies in these rural combined school learners. The interpersonal relationship between parents and child; learner and teacher; and children to community members do not provide favourable conditions for effective English language learning. There are very limited teaching and learning resources both at home; school; and within the immediate community to nurture and meet English curriculum demands. A further factor is that English usage is disregarded in all three contexts. Very alarming is the fact that, if the Namibian government continues to fail to put interventions in places where, schoolteachers are educated on their required role in helping to ameliorate negative learning conditions in rural school, then the education outcomes for Namibian learners specifically in English Second Language will be severely affected. This in turn makes the government aspirations towards Accessible; Equitable; Qualitative; and Democratic Education for all learners hard to accomplish.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
- Authors: Shimbudhi, Barakias Baby Benita
- Date: 2017
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7866 , vital:21313
- Description: Drawing from Pinar’s Curriculum Theory and Hallidayan Systematic Functional Linguistics theory respectively, this study investigates the relationship between Namibia’s Grade 7 English Second Language’s curriculum expectations and learners’ English literacy life histories. Located within the qualitative interpretive paradigm and life history research, this study uses learners’ written autobiographical narratives and spoken stories from narrative interviews with participants to generate data. The research site and participants were purposively selected, from the Grade 7 rural combined school classroom where many learners perform poorly as no learner in the research population at this research site performed successfully in English Second Language examinations. The study investigated whether the Grade 7 curriculum expectations ‘speak’ to the Grade 7 learners’ English literacy life histories in order to establish whether there is a correlation between the formal education English Second Language curriculum expectations and learners’ English literacy life histories. The findings for this study revealed that formal education curriculum designers and policy makers do not consider the cultural identities and backgrounds that learners bring to the classrooms. There are very few language activities, events both at home, school, and within the literate community necessary, to develop communicative competencies in these rural combined school learners. The interpersonal relationship between parents and child; learner and teacher; and children to community members do not provide favourable conditions for effective English language learning. There are very limited teaching and learning resources both at home; school; and within the immediate community to nurture and meet English curriculum demands. A further factor is that English usage is disregarded in all three contexts. Very alarming is the fact that, if the Namibian government continues to fail to put interventions in places where, schoolteachers are educated on their required role in helping to ameliorate negative learning conditions in rural school, then the education outcomes for Namibian learners specifically in English Second Language will be severely affected. This in turn makes the government aspirations towards Accessible; Equitable; Qualitative; and Democratic Education for all learners hard to accomplish.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2017
Exploring the role of corrective feedback in helping Grade 8 learners to improve the accuracy of their written English: an action research case study
- Authors: Miranda, Zoachina Nangobe
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2072 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021167
- Description: This action research study explored and analysed the role of teacher corrective feedback in helping Grade 8 learners to improve the accuracy of their written English as their second language. Therefore, the goals of this study were to examine the kind of language errors my grade 8 learners’ made in their writing, to find out whether these errors could be categorized linguistically, and to determine if they were errors, mistakes or lapses. The study further analysed how learners responded to my feedback, and also determined which feedback strategies worked best to help my learners deal with their errors, mistakes or lapses. This study set out to look at six learners from one Grade 8 class of 40 learners. The data were gathered from six written essay scripts, and each learner wrote four essay draft revisions. The learners’ written essays were analysed by means of checklists in order to identify the types and patterns of errors made. Errors such as punctuation, past tense verbs, spelling and vocabulary were identified, analysed and categorized to provide insights into reasons underlying the instances in which they were committed. The findings of this study showed that factors underlying learners’ written errors included mother-tongue interference, overgeneralization, fossilization, translation, lack of concentration, and carelessness. The findings further showed that corrective feedback on learners’ draft revisions provided them with extensive exposure and practice in English, enabled them to internalize language rules, and reduced the tendency to commit errors in their writing. The findings further suggest that procedures such as multiple-draft activities, indirect feedback, direct feedback, focused corrective feedback, error correction and written feedback with explicit corrective comments improved their levels of writing. Furthermore, putting these procedures into practice and reflecting critically on how to apply them helped enrich my own teaching practices and development in relation to the provision of corrective feedback to improve accuracy in learners’ writing. The findings are discussed in the context of the related literature. This study should be read by ESL teacher-trainers, ESL teachers, ESL student-teachers and ESL learners/students in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
- Authors: Miranda, Zoachina Nangobe
- Date: 2016
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2072 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1021167
- Description: This action research study explored and analysed the role of teacher corrective feedback in helping Grade 8 learners to improve the accuracy of their written English as their second language. Therefore, the goals of this study were to examine the kind of language errors my grade 8 learners’ made in their writing, to find out whether these errors could be categorized linguistically, and to determine if they were errors, mistakes or lapses. The study further analysed how learners responded to my feedback, and also determined which feedback strategies worked best to help my learners deal with their errors, mistakes or lapses. This study set out to look at six learners from one Grade 8 class of 40 learners. The data were gathered from six written essay scripts, and each learner wrote four essay draft revisions. The learners’ written essays were analysed by means of checklists in order to identify the types and patterns of errors made. Errors such as punctuation, past tense verbs, spelling and vocabulary were identified, analysed and categorized to provide insights into reasons underlying the instances in which they were committed. The findings of this study showed that factors underlying learners’ written errors included mother-tongue interference, overgeneralization, fossilization, translation, lack of concentration, and carelessness. The findings further showed that corrective feedback on learners’ draft revisions provided them with extensive exposure and practice in English, enabled them to internalize language rules, and reduced the tendency to commit errors in their writing. The findings further suggest that procedures such as multiple-draft activities, indirect feedback, direct feedback, focused corrective feedback, error correction and written feedback with explicit corrective comments improved their levels of writing. Furthermore, putting these procedures into practice and reflecting critically on how to apply them helped enrich my own teaching practices and development in relation to the provision of corrective feedback to improve accuracy in learners’ writing. The findings are discussed in the context of the related literature. This study should be read by ESL teacher-trainers, ESL teachers, ESL student-teachers and ESL learners/students in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2016
Developing and using an assessment instrument for spatial skills in Grade 10 geometry learners
- Authors: Cowley, Jane
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Geometry -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Geometry -- Evaluation. , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2025 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017336
- Description: This qualitative investigation took the form of a case study and fell within the interpretive research paradigm. The Mathematics Chair at the Education Department of Rhodes University launched the Mathematics Teacher Enrichment Programme (MTEP) in 2010 in order to combat poor Mathematics performance of learners in the lower Albany district of the Eastern Cape. The challenge that the participating MTEP teachers faced was a lack of time available to implement new teaching ideas. This was because most of their time was spent catching up “lost” or untaught concepts in the classroom. To address this problem, the Catch-Up Project was launched, whereby selected Mathematics teachers in the area taught lost concepts to Grade Ten learners during afternoon classes in an attempt to improve their fundamental Mathematics knowledge. In order to establish which sections of Mathematics were more difficult for the learners in this programme, bench mark tests were administered biannually. Whilst these tests certainly identified deficient areas within their Mathematics knowledge, the poorest performance areas were the sections of the syllabus which were spatial in nature, such as Space and Shape and Geometry. However, a more in depth assessment tool was required to establish which specific spatial skills the learners were not able to employ when doing these Geometry tasks. To this end, the Spatial Skills Assessment Tasks (SSAT) was developed. It consisted of traditional text book type Geometry tasks and real-world context tasks, both of which were used to assess six spatial skills deemed crucial to successfully facilitate learning Geometry. The case study took place in two of the schools which participated in the Grade Ten Catch-Up project. The case was focused on Grade Ten learners and the unit of analysis was their responses to the SSAT instrument. The learners that participated all did so on a strictly voluntary basis and great care was taken to protect their wellbeing and anonymity at all times. The results of the SSAT instrument revealed that the real world context tasks were in general far more successfully answered than the traditional text book type questions. Important trends in learner responses were noted and highlighted. For example, geometric terminology remains a huge challenge for learners, especially as they study Mathematics in their second language. The ability of the learners to differentiate between such concepts as congruency and similarity is severely compromised, partly due to a lack of terminological understanding but also due to a perceived lack of exposure to the material. Concepts such as verticality and horizontality also remain a huge challenge, possibly for the same reasons. They are poorly understood and yet vital to achievement in Geometry. Recommendations for the development and strengthening of spatial skills support the constructivist approach to learning. Hands on activities and intensive sustained practice over a period of a few months, in which both teachers and learners are actively involved in the learning process, would be considered most beneficial to the long term enhancement of these vital spatial skills and to the learning of Geometry in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Cowley, Jane
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Geometry -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Geometry -- Evaluation. , Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Secondary)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2025 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017336
- Description: This qualitative investigation took the form of a case study and fell within the interpretive research paradigm. The Mathematics Chair at the Education Department of Rhodes University launched the Mathematics Teacher Enrichment Programme (MTEP) in 2010 in order to combat poor Mathematics performance of learners in the lower Albany district of the Eastern Cape. The challenge that the participating MTEP teachers faced was a lack of time available to implement new teaching ideas. This was because most of their time was spent catching up “lost” or untaught concepts in the classroom. To address this problem, the Catch-Up Project was launched, whereby selected Mathematics teachers in the area taught lost concepts to Grade Ten learners during afternoon classes in an attempt to improve their fundamental Mathematics knowledge. In order to establish which sections of Mathematics were more difficult for the learners in this programme, bench mark tests were administered biannually. Whilst these tests certainly identified deficient areas within their Mathematics knowledge, the poorest performance areas were the sections of the syllabus which were spatial in nature, such as Space and Shape and Geometry. However, a more in depth assessment tool was required to establish which specific spatial skills the learners were not able to employ when doing these Geometry tasks. To this end, the Spatial Skills Assessment Tasks (SSAT) was developed. It consisted of traditional text book type Geometry tasks and real-world context tasks, both of which were used to assess six spatial skills deemed crucial to successfully facilitate learning Geometry. The case study took place in two of the schools which participated in the Grade Ten Catch-Up project. The case was focused on Grade Ten learners and the unit of analysis was their responses to the SSAT instrument. The learners that participated all did so on a strictly voluntary basis and great care was taken to protect their wellbeing and anonymity at all times. The results of the SSAT instrument revealed that the real world context tasks were in general far more successfully answered than the traditional text book type questions. Important trends in learner responses were noted and highlighted. For example, geometric terminology remains a huge challenge for learners, especially as they study Mathematics in their second language. The ability of the learners to differentiate between such concepts as congruency and similarity is severely compromised, partly due to a lack of terminological understanding but also due to a perceived lack of exposure to the material. Concepts such as verticality and horizontality also remain a huge challenge, possibly for the same reasons. They are poorly understood and yet vital to achievement in Geometry. Recommendations for the development and strengthening of spatial skills support the constructivist approach to learning. Hands on activities and intensive sustained practice over a period of a few months, in which both teachers and learners are actively involved in the learning process, would be considered most beneficial to the long term enhancement of these vital spatial skills and to the learning of Geometry in general.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Review of two sustainability learning programmes for industrial settings in relation to emerging green learning aspects
- Authors: Visagie, Martha Jacoba
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Environmental education , Sustainable development -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Natural resources -- Management -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Environmental economics -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Green movement
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2049 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017360
- Description: Driven by the needs of growing populations, industrial and governing powers are successfully accelerating the rate of industrial consumption, production and employment as if the earth’s resources are in unlimited supply. In contrast, a range of international sustainable development forums, inspired by visionary individuals, have made significant progress in creating awareness that the footprint of human activity is exceeding the earth’s sink and source capacity; and educating people in government, workplaces and communities to slow down industrial consumption and clean up production. Turning around conventional and short sighted ‘business as usual’ logic, and directing economies toward greener, long-term sustainability outcomes, still meet with resistance and hidden unsustainable agendas. The ‘green economy’ drive nevertheless since 2008 attracts financial and human resources and bold action in favour of more sustainable management of human-nature relations. The sustainable development movement for example advocates a ‘triple bottom line’ approach, holding that socially and ecologically responsible economic development would be sustainable. The sustainability movement has attained significant buy-in among governments and business communities. It forms the under-labouring philosophy of the programmes reviewed in this case study. The thesis reviews social-economic events paving the way for a global green economy. Taking a leadership role in the sustainable development movement the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) concurred to respond to the 2008 world-wide economic meltdown with a two-pronged ‘Green New Deal’ (UNEP, 2008). The Green New Deal financial package helps restore multi-national economic growth, employment and markets while re-shaping economies to follow an ecologically and socially responsible growth trajectory. South Africa implements green economy principles as part of the 2010 The New Growth Path overarching policy framework, with an implementation strategy embedded in the 2011 National Development Plan (NDP) (RSA. The Presidency, 2010; 2011). The New Growth Path emphasises that the transformation of South Africa’s un-sustainable economic and educational legacy to a more sustainable future is not expected to follow a smooth, linear process. The transition to a green economy is rather expected to be an event of “… noisy, healthy democracy” (RSA. The Presidency, 2010). A green, low carbon economy particularly constitutes a pledge to slow down and turn the human induced climate change trajectory around. McKinsey (2009) argues that this pledge is attainable on a world-wide scale, as sufficient and suitable environmentally sound techniques and technologies are already in place. Attaining buy-in from business stakeholders toward re-thinking and amending an economy’s self-defying large environmental footprint (inclusive of carbon, water and waste footprints) however requires education starting with awarenessraising followed by educational programmes and official curricula aimed at implementation and continuous improvement of green practices in day to day ‘doings and beings’ (Sen, 1997). This study at implementation level reviews two green economy training programmes and their emergence in South Africa around this rationale. The awareness generation and training programmes elected as case study examples are the ‘Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production’ (RECP) and ‘Industrial Energy Efficiency’ (IEE) programmes, of the hosting agency National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa (NCPC-SA). The RECP and IEE teams reach out to decision makers, engineers and artisans at industrial workplaces and workplace related events to add green competences to their business-as-usual skill sets. Implementing green options in industry typically slows down industrial scale resource consumption, pollution, waste generation and green-house gas (GHG) emissions while optimising resource productivity and enterprise excellence. Optimised supply side systems allow industry to reduce energy and material intensity of products thus reducing cost and producing more with less. In transitioning to a ‘Green GDP’ economy South Africa is awakening to the reality that natural resources constitute the original, albeit limited feedstock for growth and employment. The RECP and IEE approach also contribute to reduction of industrial waste, waste-to-landfill, and energy and resource security. Literature reviewed for this research provides evidence that the green economy’s triple bottom line philosophy is quantifiable thus manageable. A range of green economy management tools are emerging, including guidelines for carbon, water and environmental footprinting and the green-house gas abatement cost curve (see section 2.2.5) (McKinsey and Company, 2009). Transitioning from business as usual to ecologically sustainable industrial sectors however requires visionary, educated leadership, willing and capable of introducing modern and more efficient techniques and technologies. The boundaries of this half thesis embrace the globally and historically significant Tbilisi Declaration and other education and sustainable development agreements produced by United Nations and OECD mechanisms. Participating nations like South Africa incorporate the essence of these agreements into domestic policies and strategies, and align industries to remain competitive in international markets, which are increasingly enforcing green standards like ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. The focus of this case study guided by inductive, abductive and retroductive inference is to understand how the two sustainability learning programmes for people in industrial workplaces, supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and relevant donors, and overseen by the South African Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), relate to emerging green learning aspects. Producing a review of this nature requires a framework of laterally understanding emerging green learning aspects, for which I have reviewed green economy literature and also green learning and conventional education and training literature respectively. Themes emerging from the literature review informed an analytical instrument (questionnaire) in Phase One. In Phase Two the questionnaire was applied through nested case study methodology to show how the educational content and approaches of the RECP and IEE programmes relate to emerging green learning aspects and as such is suitable for mainstreaming in the national educational system. From an explicit educational perspective potential partners for collaboration include the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) the South African Qualifications Authority’s (SAQA’s) Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) representing the training needs of the industrial workforce but affiliated to QCTO and SAQA. In the extended scenario the NCPC-SA as a dti programme recognises the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) as lead agency guiding implementation of South Africa’s green economy, and specifically DEA’s National Environmental Sector Skills Planning Forum (NESPF), a national leader in green skills development in South Africa, as conduit for productively mainstreaming relevant RECP and IEE content and approaches toward green skills development for the green economy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Visagie, Martha Jacoba
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Environmental education , Sustainable development -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Natural resources -- Management -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Environmental economics -- Study and teaching (Continuing education) , Green movement
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:2049 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017360
- Description: Driven by the needs of growing populations, industrial and governing powers are successfully accelerating the rate of industrial consumption, production and employment as if the earth’s resources are in unlimited supply. In contrast, a range of international sustainable development forums, inspired by visionary individuals, have made significant progress in creating awareness that the footprint of human activity is exceeding the earth’s sink and source capacity; and educating people in government, workplaces and communities to slow down industrial consumption and clean up production. Turning around conventional and short sighted ‘business as usual’ logic, and directing economies toward greener, long-term sustainability outcomes, still meet with resistance and hidden unsustainable agendas. The ‘green economy’ drive nevertheless since 2008 attracts financial and human resources and bold action in favour of more sustainable management of human-nature relations. The sustainable development movement for example advocates a ‘triple bottom line’ approach, holding that socially and ecologically responsible economic development would be sustainable. The sustainability movement has attained significant buy-in among governments and business communities. It forms the under-labouring philosophy of the programmes reviewed in this case study. The thesis reviews social-economic events paving the way for a global green economy. Taking a leadership role in the sustainable development movement the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) concurred to respond to the 2008 world-wide economic meltdown with a two-pronged ‘Green New Deal’ (UNEP, 2008). The Green New Deal financial package helps restore multi-national economic growth, employment and markets while re-shaping economies to follow an ecologically and socially responsible growth trajectory. South Africa implements green economy principles as part of the 2010 The New Growth Path overarching policy framework, with an implementation strategy embedded in the 2011 National Development Plan (NDP) (RSA. The Presidency, 2010; 2011). The New Growth Path emphasises that the transformation of South Africa’s un-sustainable economic and educational legacy to a more sustainable future is not expected to follow a smooth, linear process. The transition to a green economy is rather expected to be an event of “… noisy, healthy democracy” (RSA. The Presidency, 2010). A green, low carbon economy particularly constitutes a pledge to slow down and turn the human induced climate change trajectory around. McKinsey (2009) argues that this pledge is attainable on a world-wide scale, as sufficient and suitable environmentally sound techniques and technologies are already in place. Attaining buy-in from business stakeholders toward re-thinking and amending an economy’s self-defying large environmental footprint (inclusive of carbon, water and waste footprints) however requires education starting with awarenessraising followed by educational programmes and official curricula aimed at implementation and continuous improvement of green practices in day to day ‘doings and beings’ (Sen, 1997). This study at implementation level reviews two green economy training programmes and their emergence in South Africa around this rationale. The awareness generation and training programmes elected as case study examples are the ‘Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production’ (RECP) and ‘Industrial Energy Efficiency’ (IEE) programmes, of the hosting agency National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa (NCPC-SA). The RECP and IEE teams reach out to decision makers, engineers and artisans at industrial workplaces and workplace related events to add green competences to their business-as-usual skill sets. Implementing green options in industry typically slows down industrial scale resource consumption, pollution, waste generation and green-house gas (GHG) emissions while optimising resource productivity and enterprise excellence. Optimised supply side systems allow industry to reduce energy and material intensity of products thus reducing cost and producing more with less. In transitioning to a ‘Green GDP’ economy South Africa is awakening to the reality that natural resources constitute the original, albeit limited feedstock for growth and employment. The RECP and IEE approach also contribute to reduction of industrial waste, waste-to-landfill, and energy and resource security. Literature reviewed for this research provides evidence that the green economy’s triple bottom line philosophy is quantifiable thus manageable. A range of green economy management tools are emerging, including guidelines for carbon, water and environmental footprinting and the green-house gas abatement cost curve (see section 2.2.5) (McKinsey and Company, 2009). Transitioning from business as usual to ecologically sustainable industrial sectors however requires visionary, educated leadership, willing and capable of introducing modern and more efficient techniques and technologies. The boundaries of this half thesis embrace the globally and historically significant Tbilisi Declaration and other education and sustainable development agreements produced by United Nations and OECD mechanisms. Participating nations like South Africa incorporate the essence of these agreements into domestic policies and strategies, and align industries to remain competitive in international markets, which are increasingly enforcing green standards like ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. The focus of this case study guided by inductive, abductive and retroductive inference is to understand how the two sustainability learning programmes for people in industrial workplaces, supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and relevant donors, and overseen by the South African Department of Trade and Industry (the dti), relate to emerging green learning aspects. Producing a review of this nature requires a framework of laterally understanding emerging green learning aspects, for which I have reviewed green economy literature and also green learning and conventional education and training literature respectively. Themes emerging from the literature review informed an analytical instrument (questionnaire) in Phase One. In Phase Two the questionnaire was applied through nested case study methodology to show how the educational content and approaches of the RECP and IEE programmes relate to emerging green learning aspects and as such is suitable for mainstreaming in the national educational system. From an explicit educational perspective potential partners for collaboration include the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) the South African Qualifications Authority’s (SAQA’s) Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) representing the training needs of the industrial workforce but affiliated to QCTO and SAQA. In the extended scenario the NCPC-SA as a dti programme recognises the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) as lead agency guiding implementation of South Africa’s green economy, and specifically DEA’s National Environmental Sector Skills Planning Forum (NESPF), a national leader in green skills development in South Africa, as conduit for productively mainstreaming relevant RECP and IEE content and approaches toward green skills development for the green economy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Issues and challenges facing school libraries: a case study of selected primary schools in Gauteng Province, South Africa
- Paton-Ash, Margaret Sanderson
- Authors: Paton-Ash, Margaret Sanderson
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School libraries -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and state -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and schools -- South Africa -- Gauteng Library planning -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and education -- South Africa -- Gauteng
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1660 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003543
- Description: Fewer than 8% of schools in South Africa have functioning libraries. There is no national policy for school libraries which compels School Governing Bodies and principals to have a library in their schools. This qualitative study, based on grounded theory, investigated ten primary schools in Gauteng that had libraries, or were in the process of setting up a library with the intention of providing a rich description of the issues and challenges facing these schools. The schools were chosen on the basis of location (Soweto and Johannesburg), and the school fees that were paid in a continuum from low/no fee paying schools to the fee paying ex Model-C schools. The resourcing of the school library, the operation of the school library and the role of the library were examined. The findings highlight the lack of a national policy, of school library posts, the theft of computers as a result of the lack of security, as well as the lack of understanding by teachers of the role the library in teaching and learning. Furthermore, there appears to be a disjuncture between the trends evident in the international literature on school libraries and what is actually happening in the primary school libraries in my study. Most significantly low/no fee paying schools with libraries were the exception and those that did have libraries were as a result of the enthusiasm and efforts of one or two individuals with the backing of the principal. Ex-Model C schools had the advantage in terms of the provision and staffing of school libraries as they had the funds to support them and, in some cases, a school librarian, provided that the principal supported the idea of a school library. In all the schools, the belief in the importance of the library regarding reading and literacy was the main motivating factor in establishing or maintaining the school library. A growing public awareness of the value of school libraries was an encouraging trend that emerged from my study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Paton-Ash, Margaret Sanderson
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: School libraries -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and state -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and schools -- South Africa -- Gauteng Library planning -- South Africa -- Gauteng Libraries and education -- South Africa -- Gauteng
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1660 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003543
- Description: Fewer than 8% of schools in South Africa have functioning libraries. There is no national policy for school libraries which compels School Governing Bodies and principals to have a library in their schools. This qualitative study, based on grounded theory, investigated ten primary schools in Gauteng that had libraries, or were in the process of setting up a library with the intention of providing a rich description of the issues and challenges facing these schools. The schools were chosen on the basis of location (Soweto and Johannesburg), and the school fees that were paid in a continuum from low/no fee paying schools to the fee paying ex Model-C schools. The resourcing of the school library, the operation of the school library and the role of the library were examined. The findings highlight the lack of a national policy, of school library posts, the theft of computers as a result of the lack of security, as well as the lack of understanding by teachers of the role the library in teaching and learning. Furthermore, there appears to be a disjuncture between the trends evident in the international literature on school libraries and what is actually happening in the primary school libraries in my study. Most significantly low/no fee paying schools with libraries were the exception and those that did have libraries were as a result of the enthusiasm and efforts of one or two individuals with the backing of the principal. Ex-Model C schools had the advantage in terms of the provision and staffing of school libraries as they had the funds to support them and, in some cases, a school librarian, provided that the principal supported the idea of a school library. In all the schools, the belief in the importance of the library regarding reading and literacy was the main motivating factor in establishing or maintaining the school library. A growing public awareness of the value of school libraries was an encouraging trend that emerged from my study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The dynamics of an emerging outcomes-based educational approach in a second language English classroom
- Authors: Westphal, Vivian
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa Competency-based education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1502 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003384
- Description: Curriculum 2005 and outcomes-based education was introduced to South African educators in 1996 by the Minister of Education, Prof. S.M.E. Bengu as an alternative to the racially divided education system prior to the first democratic elections of 1995. The new curriculum was designed to transform the education system into a more equitable system by focussing on creating learners who would become creative thinkers, independent, productive workers and responsible, non-racial citizens. Learners would take a greater role in their own education and teachers would take on new roles as facilitators in the learning process. The new approach was introduced into grade 1 in 1998 and grade 2 in 1999. By using a modified ethnographic approach, this research project studies how one teacher has begun to think about Curriculum 2005 and implement an OBE approach to ESL teaching in a grade 2 classroom. It also focuses on gaining insights into how the teacher has attempted to make sense of the new curriculum in terms of her current practice and the training she has received in OBE. The ethnographic approach of the thesis has allowed the researcher to draw on many forms of data providing a holistic view. Tentative findings show that the teacher is experiencing difficulty in “unpacking” the underlying principles of OBE in terms of her current methods of teaching ESL. She continues to work from tacit knowledge. Because she has received very little training in OBE, she lacks the tools to become a more reflective practitioner. Despite this, her ESL lessons show a positive communicative approach to language teaching by focusing on stories, rhymes and songs as comprehensible input for the learners. The findings of this thesis tentatively suggest that unless teachers are given more adequate training and learning support materials, their classroom practices will remain relatively unchanged.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
- Authors: Westphal, Vivian
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- South Africa Competency-based education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1502 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003384
- Description: Curriculum 2005 and outcomes-based education was introduced to South African educators in 1996 by the Minister of Education, Prof. S.M.E. Bengu as an alternative to the racially divided education system prior to the first democratic elections of 1995. The new curriculum was designed to transform the education system into a more equitable system by focussing on creating learners who would become creative thinkers, independent, productive workers and responsible, non-racial citizens. Learners would take a greater role in their own education and teachers would take on new roles as facilitators in the learning process. The new approach was introduced into grade 1 in 1998 and grade 2 in 1999. By using a modified ethnographic approach, this research project studies how one teacher has begun to think about Curriculum 2005 and implement an OBE approach to ESL teaching in a grade 2 classroom. It also focuses on gaining insights into how the teacher has attempted to make sense of the new curriculum in terms of her current practice and the training she has received in OBE. The ethnographic approach of the thesis has allowed the researcher to draw on many forms of data providing a holistic view. Tentative findings show that the teacher is experiencing difficulty in “unpacking” the underlying principles of OBE in terms of her current methods of teaching ESL. She continues to work from tacit knowledge. Because she has received very little training in OBE, she lacks the tools to become a more reflective practitioner. Despite this, her ESL lessons show a positive communicative approach to language teaching by focusing on stories, rhymes and songs as comprehensible input for the learners. The findings of this thesis tentatively suggest that unless teachers are given more adequate training and learning support materials, their classroom practices will remain relatively unchanged.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
A case study of oral linguistic error-treatment in second language classrooms where English is the medium of instruction
- Authors: Mntambo, Nomawabo
- Date: 1995
- Subjects: Second language acquisition Language and languages -- Study and teaching English language -- Errors of usage
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1439 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003320
- Description: One of the issues that have been debated at length in second language acquisition research circles is that of error-feedback and its desirability. Although there is as yet no conclusive evidence concerning its effectiveness in contributing towards the acquisition of a second language, a number of studies that have been conducted bear evidence to its desirability in L2 classrooms. This research then, was concerned with the way teachers of content subjects reacted to their learners' linguistically erroneous responses during oral interaction in their classes. The participants were four teachers who, with their pupils, are second language speakers of English . Three of these were content subject teachers while the fourth one teaches English. The data was collected from a class of Std 5 pupils in a rural school in the Eastern Cape where the lessons of these teachers were observed and audio-taped. Subsequently some of them were transcribed and analysed. The analysis of the data revealed that teachers in content subject classes, who teach through the medium of English showed more concern for content than for linguistic errors despite the fact that they are expected to extend the pupils' chances of second language acquisition.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1995
- Authors: Mntambo, Nomawabo
- Date: 1995
- Subjects: Second language acquisition Language and languages -- Study and teaching English language -- Errors of usage
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1439 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003320
- Description: One of the issues that have been debated at length in second language acquisition research circles is that of error-feedback and its desirability. Although there is as yet no conclusive evidence concerning its effectiveness in contributing towards the acquisition of a second language, a number of studies that have been conducted bear evidence to its desirability in L2 classrooms. This research then, was concerned with the way teachers of content subjects reacted to their learners' linguistically erroneous responses during oral interaction in their classes. The participants were four teachers who, with their pupils, are second language speakers of English . Three of these were content subject teachers while the fourth one teaches English. The data was collected from a class of Std 5 pupils in a rural school in the Eastern Cape where the lessons of these teachers were observed and audio-taped. Subsequently some of them were transcribed and analysed. The analysis of the data revealed that teachers in content subject classes, who teach through the medium of English showed more concern for content than for linguistic errors despite the fact that they are expected to extend the pupils' chances of second language acquisition.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1995
Perceptions of primary school teachers towards the South African Museum as an environmental education resource
- Authors: Harrison, Jo-Anne Elizabeth
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Elementary school teachers -- South Africa -- Attitudes South African Museum Environmental education -- South Africa Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1694 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003577
- Description: This study examines the perceptions of a small group of primary school teachers from Gugulethu in Cape Town, of the various exhibitions and education services currently offered at the South African Museum. Their perceptions of proposed services are also examined in order to find out which of these proposals, as well as existing services, best meet the needs expressed by this group of teachers. An attempt was also made to determine their level of understanding of environmental education and awareness of environmental issues. This study suggested the need for greater emphasis to be placed on the 'hands-on' components of the Museum's education programmes. The need for syllabus related and enriching educational programmes and resource materials was also identified. In this regard, the exhibits perceived to be of greatest benefit to the pupils were those relating either to the syllabus or their culture, whilst exhibits seen to be 'out of the pupils' experience' (eg. Fossils) were perceived as unimportant. The teachers also epressed a strong desire for training sessions to be held at the Museum that would help them improve their knowledge of the displays and programmes. It was found that the teachers understanding of environmental education ranged from syllabus-related definitions to more holistic views. The environmental issues perceived to be of greatest importance were mainly social issues such as poverty, violence, child abuse and street children as well as water pollution and cruelty to animals. The production of posters and resource materials, drama, story-telling and programmes for parents were seen to be among the choices most favoured for the Museum to adopt in promoting environmental awareness in the community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
- Authors: Harrison, Jo-Anne Elizabeth
- Date: 1994
- Subjects: Elementary school teachers -- South Africa -- Attitudes South African Museum Environmental education -- South Africa Environmental education -- Curricula -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1694 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003577
- Description: This study examines the perceptions of a small group of primary school teachers from Gugulethu in Cape Town, of the various exhibitions and education services currently offered at the South African Museum. Their perceptions of proposed services are also examined in order to find out which of these proposals, as well as existing services, best meet the needs expressed by this group of teachers. An attempt was also made to determine their level of understanding of environmental education and awareness of environmental issues. This study suggested the need for greater emphasis to be placed on the 'hands-on' components of the Museum's education programmes. The need for syllabus related and enriching educational programmes and resource materials was also identified. In this regard, the exhibits perceived to be of greatest benefit to the pupils were those relating either to the syllabus or their culture, whilst exhibits seen to be 'out of the pupils' experience' (eg. Fossils) were perceived as unimportant. The teachers also epressed a strong desire for training sessions to be held at the Museum that would help them improve their knowledge of the displays and programmes. It was found that the teachers understanding of environmental education ranged from syllabus-related definitions to more holistic views. The environmental issues perceived to be of greatest importance were mainly social issues such as poverty, violence, child abuse and street children as well as water pollution and cruelty to animals. The production of posters and resource materials, drama, story-telling and programmes for parents were seen to be among the choices most favoured for the Museum to adopt in promoting environmental awareness in the community.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1994
The fellowship experience : an investigation into the shared exploration of children's fiction by teacher and pupils in the senior primary school
- Authors: Haschick, J D
- Date: 1987
- Subjects: Children's stories -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , English literature -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1374 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001440
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1987
- Authors: Haschick, J D
- Date: 1987
- Subjects: Children's stories -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , English literature -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1374 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001440
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1987
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