Academic literature on the topic 'Literacy ability testing; literacy study and teaching; language and education'

This study aims to produce "BBB Books (Play, Learn, Language) To Stimulate Literacy Ability in B Groups of Kindergarten in age of 5-6 years old in Ngrambe District", which are valid regarding in effectiveness, efficiency and attractiveness. Literacy is very important for early childhood, because early literacy activities build language skills that are rich in vocabulary, self-expression and understanding. This skill helps children to understand printed words when they start in reading. This study used research and development methods (RND). Research and development in the field of education focuses on the development of designs and planning, whether in the form of design models, or teaching materials to be developed. This research method has stages of procedures carried out in the development of learning books, namely analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. Based on the results of the validation and testing, it result a score according to the aspect to be achieved as follow the effectiveness aspect got 95.55%, the efficiency aspect got 97.22%, and the attractiveness aspect got 94.44%. Which means that BBB (Play, Learn, Language) books are suitable to be used for stimulating the literacy skills of children in age of 5-6 years old. This research contributed for helping to stimulate children's literacy skills, make the children to do evaluative activities and language games easier.

The article describes an adapted version of the innovative technology flipped classroom, which can be used in the practice of teaching Russian as a foreign language, especially in the context of distance learning. The relevance of the study lies in the need to create a methodology that meets the interests of the modern generation of students and is effective in the context of remote educational process. The purpose of the research is to describe the methodology for using the flipped class technology in a foreign language audience with the use of authentic Russian films - screen adaptations of literary works. To achieve this goal, analysis, systematization, generalization, description and other methods were used. The research materials were the feature film It Cant Be! (directed by L. Gaidai, 1975), stories by M.M. Zoshchenko Galosh, Funny Adventure, Wedding Accident, the play Crime and Punishment, files with theoretical and regional information, a file with tasks, a questionnaire. The methodology has been successfully tested with foreign students of non-philological specialties. A hypothesis was put forward, the innovative technology flipped classroom was adapted to teaching Russian as foreign language in the context of distance learning, authentic films-adaptations of Russian artistic texts were selected, and a system of exercises was developed. An experiment was carried out, and then the hypothesis was corrected, taking into account the questionnaire survey and control testing of students. The main results of the study are that the use of the suggested methodology increases the efficiency of the educational process, motivation of foreign students to study the Russian language, literature, traditions of Russian native speakers, literacy of students and their linguistic and cultural competence. It also forms the ability of foreign students to self-study and self-organization, as well as to successfully conduct the educational process in a distance learning environment. The authors of the article consider it promising to use the flipped classroom technology in teaching Russian as a foreign language based on the material of linguocultural and regional studies, with the help of which students will be able to master educational information in accordance with different levels of language proficiency.

Geoscience education researchers have considerable need for criterion-referenced, easy-to-administer, easy-to-score, conceptual surveys for undergraduates taking introductory science survey courses in order for faculty to monitor the learning impacts of innovative teaching. In response, this study establishes the reliability and validity of a 28-item, multiple-choice, pre- and post- EGGS Exam of GeoloGy Standards. EGGS addresses 11 concepts derived from a systematic analysis of the overlapping ideas from national science education reforms: NGSS, AAAS Benchmarks, Earth Science Literacy Principles, and NRC National Science Education Standards. Leveraging best-practices for creating and field-testing items, EGGS emphasizes natural student language over technical scientific vocabulary, leverages illustrations over students’ reading ability, specifically targets students’ misconceptions, and covers the range of topics most geology educators expect general education students to know. EGGS is argued to be valid and reliable with college introductory science survey students based on standard measures, including clinical interviews with students and expert review.

Assessing foreign language learning has been considered an indispensable part of language learning process for a long time, especially for the last two decades. Therefore, there is a growing need for language teachers to be more competent in the area of language testing. Keeping in mind that teacher assessment literacy is a key factor in the success of teaching, this study investigates assessment literacy levels of foreign language teachers, and also it seeks to find out whether year of experience and post-graduate education make any difference in language teachers' assessment literacy. Data were collected from in-service teachers, both working for ministry of education and universities by using "assessment literacy inventory". The results indicate that these foreign language teachers have a very low level of assessment literacy. Besides, contrary to other studies, year of experience and post-graduate studies do not really add on teachers' assessment literacies.

Literacy is the ability to read and write. Being able to read and write is an important skill in modern society. Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students' literacy achievement has been reported as lower than that of hearing students. This research focuses on the literacy skills of D/HH students, aiming to determine their reading/writing skills and propose a theoretical framework that can enhance and improve these skills. This paper provides an introduction on D/HH education, including tools and challenges, an analysis of existing literature related to D/HH education applications, and sign language (SL) applications. The advances that are needed to further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of present reading and writing teaching techniques are further discussed, and a comparative survey conducted in this area is provided. The study explores the significance of Visual Phonics for D/HH as a motivating force for research in reading and writing taxonomies. The objective of this study is to propose a theoretical framework that can enhance and improve D/HH reading and writing skills.

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) need sound Knowledge About Language (KAL), both for their own professional communication and for their teaching practice. In the longer term, enhanced KAL will benefit our graduates in their implementation of the Australian Curriculum. This paper reports on work with First Year PSTs at one Australian university. We present an analysis of students’ response to an intervention designed to develop their KAL, focusing on Phonological Awareness (PA) and phonics. While the designed resources were introduced and discussed in class, students mainly accessed them online afterwards. Student achievement was measured by online testing, and attitudes were obtained from unit evaluation instruments and a survey. We present results documenting their knowledge before and after the intervention, and their attitude toward the content. Most students demonstrated improved confidence and increased knowledge in particular areas post intervention. Nevertheless, their ability to apply their knowledge lagged behind their ability to give definitions.

In Early childhood education, play is considered as the heart of instruction and learning prepare. Play moreover critical in obtaining children language and literacy ability, person with higher level of proficiency have higher opportunity in their life success. This is a qualitative research study analysing teacher's conceptualization of play in the literacy teaching and learning process. An interpretative and descriptive qualitative research is the design of this study. A qualitative study was undertaken because this technique allows researchers with ways and means considering different views of the research subject therefore producing rich, in-depth and elaborate data. This, small research has been conducted in Indonesian settings on the utilize of play in educating proficiency in early childhood instruction classrooms. Information was obtained through one-on-one, one-hour in-depth interviews from a few teachers in five early childhood education institutions. Examination of the information uncovered those early education teachers agree on utilizing play as an instrument in educating literacy concepts

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to highlight ways two novice secondary English teachers negotiated the politics of college and career readiness along with the literacy needs of students, in the age of accountability. Design/methodology/approach This three-year longitudinal qualitative case study focused on two participants in English teacher preparation and their first two years in the classroom. Findings The findings focus on participants’ definitions of college and career readiness as it pertains to their English Language Arts classrooms. Next, the focus is on two themes: tensions these novice teachers experienced as they attempted to build classrooms focused on postsecondary readiness, and the ways in which they worked to bridge the gap between their definitions of college and career readiness and the realities of their classrooms. Research limitations/implications Connections among high stakes testing environments, postsecondary readiness and literacy teacher education are important to the field. Studying the experiences of novice teachers can fill a present gap at the intersection of these concepts. Practical implications Curriculum in teacher education should introduce standards, as well as provide a platform for negotiating and critiquing them. Three focus areas to help pre-service teachers mitigate tensions between minimum skills assessments, college readiness and literacy are personal experience, collaboration and reflective partnerships. Originality/value There has been little to no research done on the tensions between preparing all students to be college and career ready and the minimum skills based priorities that govern many school systems and its impact on novice teachers. This classroom reality is important to literacy teacher education.

Besides imparting knowledge, college English course is also a language carrier for students to understand western culture and a way to improve their comprehensive cultural literacy. Therefore, under the guidance of General Education theory, this paper attempts to integrate the appreciation of English literary translations into College English teaching, so that non-English majors can improve their English language ability, at the same time, they can improve their critical appreciation ability and cultural accomplishment.

The Curriculum Standards for General High School English (2017 edition) (hereinafter referred to as the Curriculum Standards) clearly states that the specific goal of general High school English curriculum is to cultivate and develop students’ core qualities such as language ability, cultural awareness, thinking quality and learning ability after receiving high school English education. The cultivation of core literacy is a hotspot in the current research of basic English education. However, most researches are based on traditional English teaching methods and tend to apply traditional teaching methods to experimental studies in primary and secondary school classrooms, and few of them study how to cultivate students’ core literacy from a theoretical perspective. This article will discuss the cultivation of core literacy of English discipline based on the “post method” theory proposed by B. Kurumaravadivelu. Meanwhile, advice on cultivation of the core literacy of English discipline in high school based on post-method theory will be given.

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.

Current literacy assessments are focused on a single mode of meaning-making (reading and writing, whether oral or written) and assume that literacy and language are "fixed systems"-- comprised of discrete skills that can be taught and measured in isolation. This validation and privileging of a single mode of assessment has resulted in children labeled "At-risk" falling significantly behind those without this label. This study investigates what a teacher can learn from a diverse range of assessment forms and modes. In a fourth-grade self-contained classroom, students engaged in multimodal assessments and created multimodal portfolios. Five students labeled "At-risk" were chosen for a deeper analysis. Students' artifacts, interviews, and observations served as the main data sources. Both narrative analysis and analysis of narrative were utilized to generate a more complete narrative of these five students as meaning makers and communicators. The general findings suggest that these children labeled "At-risk" were, in fact, able to engage in multimodal thinking and communication from a critical stance.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Within the context of development, skills development is one of the central components in the drive to bring about the reconstruction, development and transformation of the South African society. Investment in people is a key strategy in our economic renewal. With estimations of a third of the South African population not having effective basic skills, education is not merely limited to reading and writing, but developing human capacity to playa more active role individually, within communities and within the larger South Africa. Literacy and numeracy are seen as fundamental skills, and without these skills, other skills may not be learned or acquired. Illiteracy rates within rural areas in South Africa are unacceptably high and people deemed "illiterate" within these areas are at risk in that provision of literacy programmes is not readily available. Within this context, a literacy programme was implemented at a farm school outside Durbanville (situated in the Western Cape). The Fundani literacy programme was implemented over a period of 16 months. The participants comprised of farm workers (most of whom were parents of children attending the Attie van Wyk Primary School). Literacy is also said to empower people. Programme evaluation was chosen as research design. The findings of the research are discussed to place it within the context of the research questions, namely whether the intervention (the Fundani literacy programme) would change/influence the literacy ability and empowerment status of the participants. The participants' empowerment status was measured with a standardised questionnaire using a pre-test, post-test and post-past-test design. The participants were also evaluated at the end of the literacy programme as to their literacy and numeracy gains. The research took place in three phases. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used during the research. The first phase consisted of a pre-test on empowerment (this was done by means of a standardised questionnaire during semi-structured interviews). The second phase involved exposure to the Fundani literacy programme, followed by a formal test to measure literacy and numeracy gains as well as a post-test measuring changes in empowerment status. Finally a post-post-test was applied to measure changes in empowerment status three months after the programme had been completed. Although only four participants out of 13 completed the Fundani literacy programme, statistical analysis showed statistically significant improvements in empowerment from pre-test to post-test of the total group. The four participants that completed the programme also showed literacy and numeracy gains. The findings of the study suggest that although there is a high drop-out rate in adult literacy programmes, the longer participants participate in a literacy programme, the greater the improvement in their empowerment status will be. It also became evident throughout the research that women find it difficult to attend literacy programmes as common constraints (such as domestic duties and male resistance) are not easily overcome. As this research used a very small sample size, future studies need to be conducted over longer periods of time, using a much bigger sample. Such programmes/interventions also need to be more functional, which could lead to a greater sense of motivation and empowerment.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Binne die konteks van ontwikkeling is vaardigheidsontwikkeling 'n kritieke dryfveer in die transformasie van Suid-Afrika. Die ontwikkeling van menslike hulpbronne is een van die strategieë om die ekonomie te versterk. Met sowat 'n derde van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking wat nie oor basiese vaardighede beskik nie, is opvoeding nie beperk tot lees en skryf nie, maar omvat die ontwikkeling van die mens in sy geheel om 'n meer aktiewe rol binne homself, die gemeenskap, en Suid-Afrika te speel. Lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede is fundamentele vaardighede waarsonder ander tegniese vaardighede nie maklik aangeleer kan word nie. Ongeletterdheidsvlakke in Suid-Afrika, en veral in die landelike gedeeltes van Suid-Afrika, is baie hoog. 'n Verdere punt van kommer is die onbeskikbaarheid en aanbieding van geletterdheidsprogramme binne die landelike gebiede van Suid-Afrika. Dit is binne hierdie konteks dat 'n geletterdheidsprogram vir plaaswerkers by 'n plaasskool buite Durbanville (in die Wes-Kaap) aangebied is. Die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram is by die Attie van Wyk primêre skool geïmplementeer. Die Fundani program is oor 'n periode van 16 maande gevolg. Die teikengroep was ouers van leerders (van wie die meeste plaaswerkers is) van die Attie van Wyk primêre skool. Die doel van die geletterdheidsprogram was nie net om lees- en skryfvaardighede aan te leer nie, maar om die deelnemers te bemagtig om meer beheer oor hul lewens toe te pas. Programevaluering is gebruik as navorsingsontwerp. Die twee navorsingsvrae verwys na die aard van intervensie en is daarop gemik om te bepaal of die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram wel 'n effek op die geletterdheid sowel as bemagtigingsvlakke van die deelnemers gehad het. Die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus is gemeet met 'n gestandardiseerde vraelys terwyl 'n voor-en-na toets en 'n verdere toets (post-past-toets) ontwerp gevolg is. Die deelnemers is ook aan die einde geëvalueer ten opsigte van verbetering in hul lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede. Die navorsing is in drie fases geïmplementeer. Kwalitatiewe asook kwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om data in te win. Die eerste fase het uit 'n voor-toets bestaan wat die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus gemeet het. Dit is met 'n gestandardiseerde vraelys tydens semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gemeet. Gedurende die tweede fase is deelnemers aan die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram blootgestel. Aan die einde van die program is die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus weer gemeet deur 'n na-toets om verandering in bemagtiging te meet. 'n Formele geletterdheidstoets is ook gedurende fase twee geskryf om verandering in lees-, skryf- en rekenvaardighede waar te neem. Fase drie het uit 'n verdere toets bestaan om die deelnemers se bemagtigingstatus drie maande ná die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram te meet. Alhoewel slegs vier uit die 13 deelnemers die Fundani geletterdheidsprogram voltooi het, was daar wel statisties betekenisvolle verbeteringe van die voor-toets na die na-toets. Die vier deelnemers wat wel die Fundani geletterheidsprogram voltooi het, het aan die einde van die program getoon dat hulle baat gevind het by die program ten opsigte van hullees-, skryf- en rekenvaardige verwerkings. Die navorsing se bevindinge dui daarop dat hoe langer deelnemers aan sulke geletterdheidsprogramme blootgestel word, hoe groter sal die verbetering in hulle bemagtigingstatus wees. Vroue vind dit moeilik om sulke programme te voltooi as gevolg van familie- en gesinsverpligtinge asook vanweë teenkanting van mans binne die gemeenskap. Alhoewel die navorsing van 'n baie klein steekproef gebruik gemaak het, word daar voorgestel dat soortgelyke studies van dieselfde aard oor langer tye met 'n groter steekproef geëvalueer word. Die aard van sulke tipe programme/intervensies behoort meer funksioneel te wees om deelnemers verder te motiveer en te bemagtig.

Thesis (MPhil )--Stellenbosch University, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An increasing number of studies indicate that South African learners' literacy levels are deplorably low. According to one international study, the Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS), conducted in 2006, South African grade 4 learners' literacy levels are the lowest of the 40 countries that participated in the study. The results of the first Annual National Assessment (ANA), conducted in 2011, show that the average literacy performance of grade 3 learners in South Africa lies at 35%. Even though numerous reasons can be presented for these low literacy levels - amongst others, large classes, insufficient teacher training, insufficient educational practices (especially the fact that so little time is spent on reading instruction), and a lack of teaching material - the blame is often cast on the insufficient language proficiency of South African learners. South African learners often receive education in a language which is not their first language. A large number of learners only receive education in their first language for the first three years of their school career and thereafter English usually becomes the language of learning and teaching. It is, however, not only those learners who receive education in their second language who have low literacy skills. Learners who receive education in their first language also encounter problems. The aim of this study was to determine whether a reading intervention programme, designed on the basis of the most recent research on reading, could improve the reading comprehension skills of grade 8 learners in their first language Afrikaans and whether these skills could be transferred to their second language English. The study showed that there was a significant improvement in the participating learners' reading comprehension skills in their first language Afrikaans, as well as in their second language English, even though the reading intervention was only offered in Afrikaans. According to the results of this study, it seems that reading comprehension skills which are acquired in the first language can indeed be transferred to a second language. The implications of these findings for first and second language literacy development are discussed in the final chapter of the thesis.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Toenemende aantal studies dui daarop dat Suid-Afrikaanse leerders se geletterdheidsvlakke kommerwekkend laag is. Volgens een internasionale studie, die Progress in International Literacy Study (PIRLS), wat in 2006 gedoen is, is Suid-Afrikaanse graad 4-leerders se geletterdheidsvlakke die laagste van die 40 lande wat deelgeneem het. Die resultate van die eerste Annual National Assessment (ANA) wat in 2011 gedoen is, wys dat graad 3-leerders in Suid-Afrika se gemiddelde prestasie vir geletterdheid slegs 35% is. Hoewel talle redes vir hierdie lae geletterdheidsvlakke aangebied kan word - waaronder groot klasse, onvoldoende onderwyseropleiding, onvoldoende onderrigpraktyke (veral dat daar te min tyd aan leesonderrig bestee word) en 'n gebrek aan onderrigmateriaal - word die blaam dikwels geplaas op die onvoldoende taalvaardighede van Suid-Afrikaanse leerders. Suid-Afrikaanse leerders gaan dikwels skool in 'n taal wat nie hul eerste taal is nie. Talle leerders ontvang slegs vir die eerste drie jaar van hul skoolloopbaan onderrig in hul eerste taal en daarna word Engels gewoonlik die taal van leer en onderrig. Dit is egter nie net die leerders wat in hul tweede taal onderrig ontvang, wat lae geletterdheidsvlakke het nie. Leerders wat in hul eerste taal onderrig ontvang, ondervind ook probleme. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of 'n leesintervensieprogram, wat geskoei is op die nuutste navorsing oor lees, die leesbegripsvaardighede van graad 8-leerders in hul eerste taal Afrikaans kan verbeter en of hierdie vaardighede oorgedra kan word op hul tweede taal Engels. Die studie het aangedui dat daar 'n beduidende verbetering in die leerders se leesbegripsvaardighede in hul eerste taal Afrikaans sowel as hul tweede taal Engels was, alhoewel die leesintervensie slegs in Afrikaans aangebied is. Volgens die resultate van die studie wil dit voorkom asof leesbegripsvaardighede wat in die eerste taal verwerf word, oorgedra kan word na 'n tweede taal. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge vir die ontwikkeling van geletterdheid in 'n eerste en tweede taal, word in die finale hoofstuk van die tesis bespreek.

The purpose of this research was to explore the ways in which a small, purposefully sampled group of Grade One isiXhosa-speaking children began the process of becoming literate in English as their second language. The research looked specifically for evidence of strategic behaviours in reading and writing which, according to Clay (200 I, 2005), form the foundation for self-extending systems and have the potential to accelerate learning. The research was guided by the principles of Clay's early intervention Reading and Writing Recovery. By Clay's definition, self-extending systems are literacy processing systems that work, that is, they enable children to continue to learn to read by reading and to write by writing. Within this context, the research explored the role of oral language in learning to read and write in English. Consideration was given to the potential for transfer of the principles that underlie Reading Recovery to South African mainstream classrooms in an attempt to raise literacy outcomes for all. This is a particularly urgent need in South Africa where many attempts to tum around poor trajectories of literacy learning do not seem to have the desired long term effects. The results of the research showed that the children began to actively engage in their English literacy learning within a network of strategies, primarily motivated by making meaning of their texts. The findings of the research suggested that a mismatch of needs and instructional procedures was evident here in this formative stage of second language literacy learning. The results suggested that children who were already educationally at risk for a multitude of reasons, were being set back even further by instructional approaches that were unresponsive to their linguistic needs.

Students, educators, and schools across the country have been presented with challenges as a result of rigorous standards and high-complexity tests. The problem addressed in this case study was that teachers in a rural middle school in a southeastern state were preparing students to take a new high-stakes state-mandated assessment in English language arts with very little information about what should be done to best prepare students to perform well. Danielson's work on instructional leaders, Webb's work on alignment of standards and assessments, and Tankersley's research on alignment of instruction and assessment provided the frameworks for the study. The participants were 6 teachers and 2 administrators at a local rural middle school who either taught English language arts or supervised those teachers before the first administrations of the new test. The research questions were designed to gather through interviews, local educators' descriptions of their test preparation methods, activities, the information and training provided to them prior to the new tests, and their views about what was needed to better prepare students. Interview data were coded and analyzed for common themes. Findings were that participants felt they had limited prior information about the tests, that their previous instructional methods were ineffective, and that local teachers needed training in order to design and implement effective reading instruction aligned with test objectives to better prepare students for more rigorous academic tasks. This study and the resulting professional development project for teachers have the potential to affect positive social change at the local level by helping teachers improve literacy instruction aligned with standards and assessments. Consequently, students will be better prepared to access the increased rigor of the standards and the assessments.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of an intervention programme on the reading levels of ten grade two learners. A case study was used as research method. The research group of five boys and five girls between the ages of 7 and 8 years were Grade 2 learners at a Boland primary school. These learners did not meet the Assessment Standards for reading and looking (LO3: 3, 4) The research process consisted of a pre evaluation phase, the intervention and a post evaluation phase. The learner’s reading levels were determined during the evaluation phases. The observation during the intervention was coded and recorded. The group was taught during a period of 10 weeks, 3 times a week for 30 minutes at a time. Ananlysis of data showed improvement of reading levels with regards to fluency, speed, accuracy analysis and self correction. The study thus shows that the intervention was effective for improving reading levels.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van die studie was om die invloed van ‘n intervensie op tien graad 2- leerders se leespeil te bepaal. ‘n Gevallestudie is as navorsingsmetode gebruik. Die navorsingsgroep, bestaande uit vyf seuns en vyf dogters tussen sewe en agt jaar oud, was almal in graad 2 aan ‘n Bolandse laerskool. Die leerders het nie voldoen aan die Nasionale Assesseringstandaarde vir lees en kyk (LU3: 3.4) nie. Die navorsing het uit twee evalueringsfases en ‘n intervensieprogram bestaan. Tydens die evalueringsfases is die leespeil van die leerders voor en na die intervensie bepaal. Tydens die intervensie is waarneming gedoen en met behulp van ‘n koderingstelsel aangeteken. Die navorsingsgroep is oor ‘n periode van tien weke drie keer per week vir 30 minute aan ‘n program blootgestel. Die data-analise het ‘n verbetering getoon ten opsigte van vlotheid, spoed, akkuraatheid, analise en selfkorrigering. Die studie het dus aangetoon dat die intervensie die leespeil van die tien leerders verbeter het.

Many classrooms in South Africa are very diverse in terms of culture, gender, language, and intellectual ability. Thus, educators need to be inclusive in the way they plan for teaching and learning. This chapter attempts to show how teacher educators at one institution of higher education in South Africa implemented inclusive formative assessments in their initial teacher education programme. Traditional assessment practices like examinations, tests, and essays, which dominate many classrooms, have proven to be unable to capture the range and nature of the diverse learning outcomes sought from courses. In this study, students were given different assessment tasks to demonstrate their knowledge of the handwriting skills and pedagogy. Findings of the study show that teacher educators managed to accommodate all the students through their use of inclusive assessments. Teacher educators observed improvement in student's self-esteem, motivation, and engagement.

The aim of the article is to study the advantages of media education technologies in the training of future foreign language teachers due to the fact that the current stage of society highlights the education of the individual who must effectively select and concentrate information, process it and create new, separate useful from unnecessary ways and programs for their solution. Therefore, today it is not enough to use video, audio, press and information and communication technologies when teaching future foreign language teachers only for the development of oral and written speech. It is necessary to pay attention to the development of visual and critical media literacy of students, based on the main objectives of media education. The article considers the problems of formation of professional competence of the future teacher of a foreign language by means of media education. The author analyzes the principles and functions of media education as the main components of professional media education of the future foreign language teacher. The peculiarities of the introduction and rational use of the latest media educational technologies in the professional training of future foreign language teachers are revealed. Their influence on the educational process and the need to update the role of the teacher in modern conditions of pedagogical activity are analyzed. The relevance of the article is determined by the dynamic trends in the introduction of media in the educational process. The integrated use of media education technologies motivates future foreign language teachers to master their profession, gives them the opportunity to acquire and develop new skills and abilities. The inclusion of the study of media education technologies in the initial program of the Faculty of Foreign Languages will promote the rational use of media education in future professional activities, critical evaluation of information, the ability to analyze and recognize media texts, and learn about new trends in teaching their subject. Improving knowledge in the field of media educational technologies, acquiring knowledge of pedagogical development of personality and awareness of the role and place of teachers in the educational process provides an opportunity to intensify and motivate student learning activities and gain initial pedagogical experience.

The article considers the issues of teachers’ development and training and ways of increasing their and their students’ functional literacy that is seen as an indicator of mastering the competencies required in education. The authors explore methods of develop teachers and students’ ability to conduct joint search for solutions to current problems and meet modern challenges in real life situations, which determines practical and theoretical significance of the research. The article aims to study the development of functional literacy of school and university students, changes in teaching methods and ways of improving skills of a modern teacher in a comprehensive school and teaching staff at a pedagogical university.

Although many studies investigate mathematical literacy, there is no consensus on the meaning of the term. The aim of this study is to investigate the concept of mathematical literacy of future teachers. The data are collected by semi-structured interview with thirteen Teacher Education Faculty students. The concept of mathematical literacy can be placed in four categories: 1) the knowledge and ability to communicate in mathematical language; 2) the conceptual understanding of concepts, contents and procedures; 3) the application of mathematics in everyday life; 4) the use of mathematical-logical thinking and problem solving. All interviewed students highlighted the students’ ability to formulate, represent and solve mathematical problems as well as the precise and correct use of symbolical mathematical language as a very important competence for mathematical literacy, while almost half of the interviewed excluded the students’ ability to see mathematics as a useful subject as an important competence. The teachers’ beliefs and knowledge significantly impact students’ development of mathematical literacy. Hence it is important to provide the conditions in which the teachers will be able to understand the concept and develop a richer conception of mathematical literacy.