Exploring approaches to teaching reading skills in English at senior phase in secondary schools in Mbizana district in the Eastern Cape: a case study
- Masilo, Appolonia Nteboheleng
- Authors: Masilo, Appolonia Nteboheleng
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Reading (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Province
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16161 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/204 , Reading (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Province
- Description: During the process of this research, the main objective was to explore the approaches that the teachers use to teach reading in English First Additional Language (FAL) in senior phase at General Education and Training (GET). This was due to the observed weak performance of learners in reading, especially in GET phases. To achieve this, 20 participants tha t consisted of 4 English FAL teachers and 16 learners of grades 8 and 9 were selected. The research focused on teacher perceptions and implementation of language teaching approaches. Learners were involved in the research in order to see whether the used approaches give learners a balanced experience of intensive and extensive programmes. The study found that there were a number of factors that contributed to the learners’ weak performance in reading. These included, among others, lack of balance between intensive and extensive reading programmes, with intensive reading getting more attention than extensive reading; lack of reading material in schools, especially for further exposure, pleasure and amusement; little or no exposure of learners to wider reading; inadequate teacher pre-service and inservice reading programmes; teachers’ misconception of extensive reading; learners’ home environment that does not encourage reading; lack of parental support and community involvement. These all affected negatively the learners’ v development of reading skills. The study made some recommendations for the improvement of teacher education programmes and reading resources in schools and communities. schools.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Masilo, Appolonia Nteboheleng
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Reading (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Province
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16161 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/204 , Reading (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Province
- Description: During the process of this research, the main objective was to explore the approaches that the teachers use to teach reading in English First Additional Language (FAL) in senior phase at General Education and Training (GET). This was due to the observed weak performance of learners in reading, especially in GET phases. To achieve this, 20 participants tha t consisted of 4 English FAL teachers and 16 learners of grades 8 and 9 were selected. The research focused on teacher perceptions and implementation of language teaching approaches. Learners were involved in the research in order to see whether the used approaches give learners a balanced experience of intensive and extensive programmes. The study found that there were a number of factors that contributed to the learners’ weak performance in reading. These included, among others, lack of balance between intensive and extensive reading programmes, with intensive reading getting more attention than extensive reading; lack of reading material in schools, especially for further exposure, pleasure and amusement; little or no exposure of learners to wider reading; inadequate teacher pre-service and inservice reading programmes; teachers’ misconception of extensive reading; learners’ home environment that does not encourage reading; lack of parental support and community involvement. These all affected negatively the learners’ v development of reading skills. The study made some recommendations for the improvement of teacher education programmes and reading resources in schools and communities. schools.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Her master's: the experiences of mature women in postgraduate study
- Authors: Hood, Mary Ann
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Women graduate students -- South Africa , Women scholars -- South Africa , Women -- Education (Graduate)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16159 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/211 , Women graduate students -- South Africa , Women scholars -- South Africa , Women -- Education (Graduate)
- Description: This study explored the experiences of mature women undertaking Master’s degrees at a Historically Disadvantaged Institution of Higher Learning in South Africa. Attaining a Master’s degree is a significant milestone in education and the process may take from one to three, or more, years. The study aims to describe aspects of the women’s experiences of their research journeys and the goal of the study is to present descriptions of these experiences. The methodology is qualitative and uses a critical feminist approach, appropriate to exploring the research questions. A critical feminist stance holds that women experience the world differently to men given the patriarchal structure of society. Emphasis is placed on the primacy of the co-researcher’s perceptions of their experiences. A single method research design was followed using semi-structured interviews. The analysis resulted in the emergence of a number of central themes. Together these reflect the experiences of the co-researchers, although they did not automatically share all the experiences. The findings show that postgraduate study, in the form of a Master’s degree, was found to be transformative, meaningful and worthwhile, although not without difficulties; mainly the demands required of multiple roles within home, community, work, and the university. This study contributes towards the larger body of research within education, in particular in the understanding the experiences of mature women within the field of postgraduate study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Hood, Mary Ann
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Women graduate students -- South Africa , Women scholars -- South Africa , Women -- Education (Graduate)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16159 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/211 , Women graduate students -- South Africa , Women scholars -- South Africa , Women -- Education (Graduate)
- Description: This study explored the experiences of mature women undertaking Master’s degrees at a Historically Disadvantaged Institution of Higher Learning in South Africa. Attaining a Master’s degree is a significant milestone in education and the process may take from one to three, or more, years. The study aims to describe aspects of the women’s experiences of their research journeys and the goal of the study is to present descriptions of these experiences. The methodology is qualitative and uses a critical feminist approach, appropriate to exploring the research questions. A critical feminist stance holds that women experience the world differently to men given the patriarchal structure of society. Emphasis is placed on the primacy of the co-researcher’s perceptions of their experiences. A single method research design was followed using semi-structured interviews. The analysis resulted in the emergence of a number of central themes. Together these reflect the experiences of the co-researchers, although they did not automatically share all the experiences. The findings show that postgraduate study, in the form of a Master’s degree, was found to be transformative, meaningful and worthwhile, although not without difficulties; mainly the demands required of multiple roles within home, community, work, and the university. This study contributes towards the larger body of research within education, in particular in the understanding the experiences of mature women within the field of postgraduate study.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Investigating the learners perceptions on the factors that influence learners to use and abuse drugs: a case study of one secondary school in the Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Pama, Mzingisi Nimrod
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16160 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/186
- Description: The research interest in this study was on learners’ perceptions on the factors that influence learners to use and abuse drugs. This study discussed learner understanding of drug use and abuse, what learners consider as reasons why learners use and abuse drugs and what could be done to discourage this phenomenon. The investigation was carried in the central region of the Eastern Cape in Fort Beaufort District. This district covers the rural areas of Nkonkobe municipality. I made use of qualitative methodology to obtain data from a sample of 56 learners and 12 teachers including the principal of the school. This study is located in one high school in the Fort Beaufort District. Methods used included learner surveys, learners’ focus group discussions, teachers’ focus discussions, learners individual interviews as well as document analysis. A major finding in this study indicates that learners understood what drugs as well as heir effects on those who use and abused them. The learners also unpacked factors that contribute to this phenomenon, which include peer pressure, socialization, stress and others. Teachers and learners also suggested ways in which drug use can be discouraged. Teacher also acknowledged that there was a drug problem amongst learners in their school and that something should urgently be done to discourage this phenomenon.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Pama, Mzingisi Nimrod
- Date: 2008
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16160 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/186
- Description: The research interest in this study was on learners’ perceptions on the factors that influence learners to use and abuse drugs. This study discussed learner understanding of drug use and abuse, what learners consider as reasons why learners use and abuse drugs and what could be done to discourage this phenomenon. The investigation was carried in the central region of the Eastern Cape in Fort Beaufort District. This district covers the rural areas of Nkonkobe municipality. I made use of qualitative methodology to obtain data from a sample of 56 learners and 12 teachers including the principal of the school. This study is located in one high school in the Fort Beaufort District. Methods used included learner surveys, learners’ focus group discussions, teachers’ focus discussions, learners individual interviews as well as document analysis. A major finding in this study indicates that learners understood what drugs as well as heir effects on those who use and abused them. The learners also unpacked factors that contribute to this phenomenon, which include peer pressure, socialization, stress and others. Teachers and learners also suggested ways in which drug use can be discouraged. Teacher also acknowledged that there was a drug problem amongst learners in their school and that something should urgently be done to discourage this phenomenon.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
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