School for Social Sciences and Language Education

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Open Access
Conditions of some high schools in QwaQwa and their perceived influence on the Grade 12 results
(University of the Free State, 2003) Msimang, Thandaza Lindiwe Sindisiwe; Mahlomaholo, M. G.
This research investigates conditions of some high schools in Qwa Qwa Thabo Mofutsanyana District and their perceived influence on the grade 12 results. It is assumed that these conditions will affect the teachers and learners perceptions negatively. This leads to the schools not functioning well because of the problems that crop up. Teachers seem not to be able to carry their work effectively because of the shortage of books and learning aids for the learners. Students end up not performing well and the blame, which ends up being shouldered by the teachers seem to cause demotivation and poor self-esteem on teachers. To confirm this finding I used qualitative study to conduct my research. Case study was used because I had to focus on four schools and a few individuals in those schools and particular happenings, their perceptions and accounts. This study was used also because I had an integral involvement in the study. Interviews and observation were used while collecting the data. I also visited the four schools to look into the physical conditions in these schools. I observed that school number one and two who have good results both had good physical conditions. These schools both had doors and windows in their classrooms; these are protected by steel doors and steel windows. In school number three and four the schools physical facilities were not good. These schools didn't have doors and windows and their results are always bad should be built which should be furnished well with all required furniture, electricity and running water should be in place. Chemicals and aids for teachers should also be available for school number three running water should be installed in the laboratory, all required chemicals and aids for teachers should be available. For schools two three and four books should be supplied in time so that students may be able to do all required classwork in time and to study at their own pace and time. I also suggest that there should be an intervention for both teachers and students. Teachers in school number three and four need to be given a new status. Providing the teachers with the best teaching and learning environment which meets the needs of the students but also in which the teacher receives emotional and administrative support. Counselling should also be given to these teachers, which would bring back the confidence these teachers once had.
Open Access
Gender stereotypes and education in Lesotho
(University of the Free State, 2006-06) Mosetse, Palesa; Coetzee-Manning, D.
Although women in Lesotho are faced with almost all kinds of inequalities, this study focuses mainly on the inequalities faced by women in the education system. Two differing geographic locations (Maseru and Mokhotlong) were selected to create a comparative basis for the study, especially with regard to women’s cultural experiences. These locations represent the rural areas and the urban areas of the country. The basis for the selection of the research areas was that although women are discriminated against in many aspects, their experiences are likely to differ due to their geographic location. The investigation was done through the use of a triangular approach, where interviews and questionnaires were used in conjunction with an extensive literature study. Theoretical perspectives of contributing socio-cultural factors that perpetuate gender stereotypes in general such as the school, the parents, language, the church and the media, as well as biological factors were investigated in the literature study. This was done to create an understanding of the way in which stereotypes render women to be inferior. Socialisation theories namely the Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Development Theory, Psychoanalysis Theory and the Gender Schema Theory were thus explored. The ideology of patriarchy, which appears to be the umbrella tool used to relegate women to a position of inferiority, was exposed, as well as its counterideology (feminism). The conclusion of this exposition was that one ideology cannot be used to eradicate the effects of another, since all ideologies have the tendency of presenting a distorted view of reality by allowing certain values to dominate our experiences. Feminism was therefore not seen as a solution to patriarchy. Fundamental democratic principles were subsequently explored to provide the starting point for this research. These principles include equality, equity, respect of human rights and justice to all. The implementation of the draft Lesotho Gender Policy (2003) was further investigated and it was found that this policy has not been instrumental in rectifying the subordinate position of women in education in Lesotho. Some of the major findings in this investigation are the following: • The draft Lesotho Gender Policy (2003) remains a policy on paper only and one cannot even describe the current situation in Lesotho as a gap between policy and practice, because “practice” does not exist at all. • Although women in Lesotho have been enlightened with regard to their inferior position, and in most cases they reject the practices and structures of subordination, in practice very little has been achieved to facilitate equality and justice in education in Lesotho. • Patriarchy is still prevalent in Lesotho and is manifested in a culturallydetermined law system, which “legalises” discrimination against women. The effects of this is that women in education do not serve in decisionmaking positions and are subservient to their male counterparts. The implication here is that women, within the Lesotho education system cannot reach their full potential.
Open Access
Remediërende intervensiestrategieë vir Afrikaanssprekende, intermediêre leerders met disleksie
(University of the Free State, 2008-11) Tolmie, S. J.; Van Staden, A.; Badenhorst, M. G.
This study contains a theoretical article and an empirical article to investigate and discuss an intervention programme for dyslectic learners with regard to their reading and spelling problems. The following discussion also serves as summary of the findings and conclusions reached by the researcher in each article. The literature study focuses on the causes of dyslexia by referring to neurological, genetic, teratogenic, and environmental and educational causes. In the discussion of the identification and assessment of dyslexia, the IQ discrepancy theory is discussed. The discussion of the cognitive, academic and behavioural characteristics of dyslectic learners illuminates the identification of these learners for the sake of using the correct intervention strategies. From the literature study, it is clear that dyslectic learners do not benefit by current teaching programmes following the phonological method. Neuro-imaging techniques have shown that dyslectic learners activate the right hemisphere of the brain (which is normally not suitable for language use) to execute phonological instructions. Therefore, better results are obtained when dyslectic learners' strong point, namely their visualisation ability, is used during language exercises. An overview is given of the various kinds of dyslexia, where it has been found in the literature study that a large majority of dyslectic learners have a strong visualisation ability. Researchers differ about the way in which dyslectic learners should be taught, however, and a variety of intervention programmes found in the literature are discussed. This study focuses on the Ron Davis program as an intervention programme, because the programme focuses on the learning preference of the dyslectic learner. It is a multisensory programme that focuses on visual, kinaesthetic and cognitive strategies. In the empirical article, the development and implementation of a remedial intervention programme, which is based on the Ron Davis program, for intermediate Afrikaansspeaking dyslectic learners is investigated and discussed. The research study has been completed at a school for learners with learning disabilities in the Motheo district in the Free State. Dyslectic learners in the experimental group (N = 18) were exposed to the remediation intervention programme that is based on the Ron Davis program, while dyslectic learners in the control group (N = 18) were receiving their normal remedial teaching. Research results in this empirical investigation have demonstrated that the reading and spelling achievements of Afrikaans-speaking intermediate dyslectic learners (experimental group) were significantly better after exposure to the remedial intervention programme that is based on the Ron Davis program than the reading and spelling achievements of the Afrikaans-speaking intermediate dyslectic learners (control group, N =18) that were not exposed to this programme. The conclusion the researcher reached after completing the study is that the word recognition and spelling achievements of Afrikaans-speaking intermediate dyslectic learners can improve significantly by exposing these dyslectic learners to a remedial intervention programme that is based on the Ron Davis program.
Open Access
Adjusting secondary teacher training programmes in Botswana to ensure effective support within inclusive education
(University of the Free State, 2010-10) Mbengwa, Elizabeth Badirwang; Hay, J. F.
Educational support to learners has for many decades followed the traditional modernist approach predominant in special education: learners were classified and categorized according to the medical model of need. The advent of inclusive education towards the end of the twentieth century, with a totally different approach to need and support, created a mammoth challenge to teachers in inclusive classrooms and staff within education support services, especially in developing countries. A leap had to be made from the medical model to a social and ecosystemic model of need, where the focus shifted to a holistic view of support needs, whether it is located in the learner, the family, the peer group, the school or the broader society – or the interaction amongst these systems that should be addressed. It is evident therefore that there is a need for teacher training programmes to undergo transformation that will enable ordinary or general education teachers or educators to function effectively within the inclusive education system. This study investigated whether secondary special or inclusive education teacher training in Botswana has taken the leap towards producing “diplomates” who can effectively support learners in their inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, the study endeavoured to propose a future model for secondary special/inclusive education teacher training. Participants in the empirical investigation included teachers from the two secondary colleges of education (Molepolole – MCE, and Tonota – TCE), teacher trainers, school heads as well as knowledgeable persons in the area of inclusive education and support. Questionnaires and interviews were used for collecting data. International developments on inclusive education teacher training and support were considered while conducting the empirical investigation. Examples of those include: international developments on the model of special or inclusive education teacher training; teacher competencies, knowledge and skills relevant for inclusive education and support; challenges to inclusive teacher training in institutions and factors to facilitate effective teacher performance in the field. Subsequent to studying international perspectives on special or inclusive education teacher training and investigating the status of special or inclusive education teacher training in Botswana secondary colleges, the researcher reached the conclusion that the current teacher training programme has to a large extent not taken the leap towards inclusive education teacher training. The programme would therefore not enable teachers to function effectively within the inclusive system of education. The findings included amongst others that the programme is predominantly focused on the traditional modernist approach – teachers are trained along the medical model. It was also established that there are other factors that contribute to the ineffectiveness of the programme, for example, unavailability and inadequacy of human and material resources and a lack of policy and guidelines on inclusive education and support at institutional and currently at national level (the national policy still being in progress). On the other hand, it has to be acknowledged that the programme has some positive areas that match international developments on special or inclusive education teacher training. These areas are that the programme is studied by all trainees and it is also broad-based. Moreover, there are programme components that are of importance to successful implementation of inclusive education support, such as the Individualised Education Programmes/Plans (IEPs). This study may be used as a basis for evaluating the current special or inclusive education teacher training programmes at the Botswana secondary colleges of education, namely MCE and TCE. It is also envisaged that the proposed teacher training model will be of great assistance during the reviewing and restructuring of these (and other international) programmes.
Open Access
Interrogating the current imagination of early childhood teacher education through dialogical processes
(Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State, 2012) Ebrahim, Hasina Banu; Koen, Mariëtte; Martin, Colwyn
In order to reconceptualise and redesign initial teacher education programmes it is imperative to critically examine what exists. The aim of this article is to shed light on the dialogical processes a team of early childhood teacher educators undertook to make explicit their current understandings of teacher education in an undergraduate Bachelor of Education qualification. The sensitising concepts of dialogue, communication, transformatory learning and reflection informed the study. A qualitative approach enabled through documentary analysis, conversations amongst teacher educators and their narratives were used to produce the evidence. The findings of the study show that dialogical processes unfolded as action-oriented strategies towards achieving a particular goal (i.e., change in teacher education) have the potential to allow teacher educators to reflect on, participate in and trouble existing frames of reference and develop sensitivity to new framings.
Open Access
Understanding the linkage between university students' and instructors use of online resources and their academic attainment in social studies
(Horizon Research Publishing Corporation, 2021) Ajayi, Thomas; Amosun, Peter A.; Ige, Olugbenga A.
Few decades ago, the Internet became a new home for academic research and a spot where teaching and learning materials could be found. A cursory look at previous studies on university instructors’ use of online resources shows intermittent influence students’ academic outcomes in Nigerian schools. Although, several efforts have been put in place to establish a cordial and steady relationship between university instructors’ use of online resources and the students’ academic attainment in Nigerian schools, it seems that there is paucity of studies on the linkage between university instructors’ use of online resources and students’ academic attainment in Social Studies. This research explored the relationship between Social Studies lecturers’ use of online resources and students’ performance in the course. This study adopted descriptive research using correlational design, and purposive sampling technique. 398 students at two Bachelor of Education degree-awarding institutions in Nigeria responded to the questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentage, mean and standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The outcomes of this discourse indicated no significant relationship between Social Studies lecturers’ use of online resources and students’ performance in the course. Additionally, it was evident from the results that the extent to which Social Studies students’ use of online resources in the selected tertiary institutions in Nigeria was high. This paper, therefore, concludes that the use of online resources has no significant relationship with students’ performance in Social Studies. It was recommended that university instructors should grasp a new means in the use of online resources in the classroom in order to foster a good lecturer-students interaction that would eventually results in great academic attainment of students in the course.
Open Access
Managing diversity in schools: the place of democratic education and ubuntuism in South Africa
(AOSIS, 2021) Omodan, Bunmi I.; Ige, Olugbenga A.
South African classrooms were highly diversified. The problem, however, was that although democracy has been a critical characteristic of South Africa for over two decades, it is still a very vague concept to many. A teacher who truly understood democracy knew that it was not just about freedom of self, rather the freedom of all, treating others humanely and with kindness. Making power a variable accessible by all was the only way to which diversities can be ameliorated. Observation and personal experiences showed that there were discriminations of many kinds in some high schools. Therefore, to address these maladies, the importance of democracy in diversity must not be jettisoned because they work hand-in-hand. Ubuntu philosophy was used as a theoretical framework, whilst transformative paradigm piloted the study. Participatory research (PR) was adopted as a research design to enable the people student-teachers to jointly participate in this research. Observation and reflections were used to collect data within the high schools in the Free State province of South Africa. Thomas and Harden’s three steps of thematic analysis was used to analyse data and the result show that language, cultural and personal relativism, learning impairment and comprehensibility were the dominant challenges faced in diversity management in schools. On the other hand, inculcation of classroom relationships and a sense of belonging, training and retraining of teachers and students were found to be perfect solutions that can nip these problems in the bud. The present study, therefore, concluded that the value of teachers’ and students’ development towards diversity management must be addressed.
Open Access
Plans and interventions of South African Grade 1 educators during the 2020 lockdown period
(OpenED Network, 2021) Grobler, Annemie
The extended lockdown in 2020 found South African educators employing innovative strategies to teach and assess Foundation Phase learners. Educators had to make do with reduced hours in the classroom and experienced new challenges in delivering curriculum content to learners that had barely grown accustomed to the formal classroom setup. Empirical research attempted to identify the plans and approaches used by grade 1 educators. The findings may indicate best practices as experienced in this time and help to inform the approach taken during future repetitions of extraordinary circumstances. A theoretical and conceptual framework based on the current constructivist approach adopted by the Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS) guided the empirical research and informed the construction of the questionnaire. The key findings were themed into strategies for presenting teaching and learning, communication, and the impact on schooling. Findings were compared to the premises of the theoretical framework and conclusions drawn. It was noted that educators were hesitant to move their schooling entirely to the virtual learning platform and eager to return to the school environment. Various obstacles posed by the digital divide were flagged as threats to future situations and the involvement of parents was emphasized. The resilience of educators to continue to ply their trade, and their belief in the indomitable spirit of children, may offer conducive circumstances for future innovations in education.
Open Access
Cyber vaticinations: a systematic review of schoolchildren's activities in the cyberspace in thirty years' time
(Horizon Research Publishing Corporation, 2021) Ige, Olugbenga A.; Olulowo, Taiwo Grace; Shawe, Thulebona G.
There are scholarly pieces of evidence attesting to the use of the Internet by children in a manner comparable to adult users. Many children now use mobile phones, laptop computers, and tablet PCs that are connected to the Internet to access the cyberspace and engage in any activity of interest. The Spatio-temporal communications by schoolchildren in cyberspace have reduced television viewing which in the analog era was subjected to parental control. Unfortunately, the technical nature of the Internet makes it difficult for parents to control the contents available to schoolchildren in the cyberspace. This article uses the space transition theory to examine and analyse schoolchildren’s current cyberspace activities relating to cyber dating, cybersex, cyberbullying, and online gambling to infer the dimensions that these activities would take in the next thirty years. Current scholarly articles were explicated on popular engagements of schoolchildren in the cyberspace and analysed to predict the dimensions of these activities in thirty years. This paper is of scholarly value on the vogues that would be prevalent in the cyberspace in the next generation. The emerging trends in the scholarly articles analysed were used to recommend cyber-parenting related measures on training schoolchildren in the next thirty years.
Open Access
Exploring EFAL teachers’ implementation of authentic assessment in selected Rammolutsi secondary schools
(University of the Free State, 2022) Tlhabanelo, Keabetswe Gabriel; Ntsala, S. A.
This study explored how EFAL teachers from Rammolutsi secondary schools in Fezile Dabi district employed authentic assessment. Purposive sampling was used in this qualitative case study of six EFAL teachers. Open-ended semi-structured interviews with six teachers were employed to generate data. Thematic analysis was undertaken to determine themes and subthemes. The findings reveal that EFAL secondary school teachers experience numerous problems when implementing authentic assessment due to a lack of guidelines. This study provided some insights into the preparations and use of authentic assessment as part of their teaching and learning process. Guided by the conceptual framework according to Hargreaves, Earl and Schimdt (2002), the study’s findings reveal that AA significantly increased teachers’ academic achievement and attitude toward educational measurement. Additionally, it is an approach that can serve to forge cooperation between theory and practice, which is a major problem in the field of teacher training in South Africa. Based on these findings, AA procedures can be integrated into teacher education as much as possible. Seminars, workshops, and courses can be organised to help teachers understand and use AA. Future research on it for other levels of education is possible. Future research could look into learners’ viewpoints to see how AA aids their learning. Studies on the effects of AA on various dependent variables are possible.
Open Access
Active learning pedagogy for enriching economics students' higher order thinking skills
(Society for Research and Knowledge Management Ltd, 2023) Sekwena, Gailele L.
This paper advances active learning as a pedagogic praxis in Economics education to enrich students’ critical and higher order thinking skills (i.e., analysis, evaluation, and synthesis). The paper is grounded within Critical Theory (CT) as a theoretical lens, which gives this intellectual piece an impetus to propagate empowerment and transformation as guiding principles. The paper adopted Participatory Action Research (PAR) as a methodological approach to generating data. The two overarching research questions that developed the intellectual elements of this paper are: what are the challenges faced by Economics students in responding to higher order questions? How can active learning pedagogy be used to enrich Economics students’ critical and higher order thinking skills? A thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the discourses generated. Research shows that students find it challenging to respond to higher order questions and that Economics teaching is predominantly skewed towards the conventional lecture approach or the teacher-centred method, which often does not create opportunities for students to be actively engaged in the teaching and learning process, thus leaving them as passive recipients of knowledge. Based on the findings, this paper argues for active learning as a more unconventional pedagogy in Economics teaching to empower students to respond to higher order questions.
Open Access
Exploring the teaching of Grade 10 accounting in Thabo Mofutsanyana district
(University of the Free State, 2023) Sebusi, Mmabatho Boitumelo; Sekwena, G. L.; Motsoeneng, T. J.
The literature revealed significant challenges affecting numerous teachers in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district, such as a lack of pedagogical content knowledge, changes in Curriculum and assessment policy statements, the predominant use of teacher-centred methods, shortage of textbooks in schools and teachers' lack of professional development. A qualitative research approach was used along with the interpretivist paradigm to underpin this study. Semi-structured individual interviews were used as an instrument for collecting data. They were used to explore the views of five Accounting teachers who were purposively sampled in three schools. The study's conceptual framework is from Shulman's (1986) theory on teachers' knowledge. Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is one of the most essential components of teachers' knowledge. This means teachers must have content knowledge and knowledge used for delivering content. Furthermore, teaching needs more than just being able to deliver subject content knowledge to learners. It is more to ensure effective learning, and learners absorb more for later accurate repetition. The study focuses on exploring the teaching of Grade 10 teachers in Thabo Mofutsanyana district. The data generated was analysed thematically. The study's findings revealed that teachers have sufficient pedagogical content knowledge but still use the predominant teaching method when teaching Accounting, which led to poor learner performance in Accounting and enrolment. The researcher concludes that teaching Grade 10 Accounting requires teachers to use teaching methods promoting participation and active learning in class.
Open Access
Exploring strategies of teaching History in English to Non-English Speaking Intermediate Phase Learners in Xhariep
(University of the Free State, 2023) Lekhethe, Kagiso Thapelo; Moreeng, Boitumelo
English is the salient Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) in South Africa from Grade 4 to Grade 12. Scholars have shown that English is one of the factors that have a negative impact on the effective learning and teaching of History, since History is regarded to be demanding linguistically. It requires learners to have acquired a specific language and an academic language demand that are both passive and active. This empirical study sought to explore strategies of teaching non- English speaking Intermediate Phase learners History in English in Xhariep. This study was informed by the social constructivism framework along with the interpretivism paradigm, which guided the qualitative approach. Purposive sampling was adopted to enable collection of relevant data, from which I used 2 teachers and 10 learners altogether, 5 from each of the two schools. Data collection was made through focus group interviews for learners, semi-structured interviews for teachers, participant observation and document analysis for both learners and teachers – where I analysed documents like Learning and Teaching Support Materials, activities and assessments. The findings of this study divulge challenges learners experience, from both the learners’ and teachers’ points of view, by virtue of not understanding the teachers’ talk, not clearly understanding the instructions given in activities and assessments, being unable to understand what they are reading, and finding it difficult to formulate appropriate written and viva-voce responses. Also, it looked at strategies that could be used to mitigate the aforementioned challenges and also recommended, inter-alia, the use of moderate pace to teach, appropriate pronunciation of words, familiar vocabulary to learners and moderate projection. In essence, this study intended to add a new body of knowledge to the existing scholarship on effective learning and teaching of History.
Open Access
Exploring the influence of effective disciplinary strategies on English FAL educators’ self-efficacy
(University of the Free State, 2023) Parau, Ricardo Emmanuel; Grobler, A. G.
In this study, I explored the influence of effective disciplinary strategies on the self-efficacy of English FAL educators, and further aimed at supporting educators on how to utilise effective disciplinary strategies that might enhance an educator’s self-efficacy. In this study, a literature search explored types of disciplinary challenges educators faced in the FET EFAL classroom. The literature survey also comprised literature that investigated how disciplinary challenges affected educator self-efficacy. Furthermore, it examined effective disciplinary strategies that might enhance educator self-efficacy in the FET EFAL classroom. The study aimed to best explain the phenomenon under investigation, namely exploring the influence of classroom discipline and to suggest effective disciplinary strategies that would contribute to enhanced educator self-efficacy in the FET EFAL classroom. The specific theoretical frameworks that were applied in this study were those utilising Skinner’s Behaviourism and Bandura’s Self-efficacy. The study employed a qualitative approach, with focus placed on the interpretivist paradigm. Individual, semi-structured interviews, observation, and open-ended questionnaires were employed to collect data from participants. There were 12 participants in total, who all taught EFAL, in four schools within the Motheo District in Bloemfontein. I used Thematic Analysis through identifying codes and deriving themes from the data. The use of Atlas.ti was employed to ensure reliability. Key findings of the study offered a valuable understanding of the types of behavioural issues found in the FET EFAL classroom and of the influence of disruptive behaviours and challenging classroom environments on the emotional well-being and professional commitment of educators, thereby impacting on their self-efficacy. The study further highlighted the need for establishing discipline through the consistent enforcement of rules and regulations, as well as implementing seating arrangements that discourage disruptive conduct and promote a respectful relationship between educators and learners within the FET EFAL classroom.
Open Access
Enhancing implementation of strategies to employ English as LoLT in intermediate phase Buffalo City classrooms
(University of the Free State, 2023) Njoli, Zikhona; Grobler, A. M.
Language plays a pivotal role in teacher education programs and the educational development of children. In the South African context, English is often used as a First Additional Language (FAL) and becomes the primary Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) from Grade 4 onwards, as outlined in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) by the Department of Basic Education (DBE, 2011). This transition poses significant challenges for both learners and educators. The foundation of language acquisition in a learner's first language (L1) plays a crucial role in their ability to learn a second language (L2), such as English. According to Cummins' Interdependence Hypothesis (Cummins, 2000), skills developed in the first language can transfer to the second language, thereby aiding in the acquisition of L2. This hypothesis underscores the importance of a strong L1 foundation, as the cognitive and academic skills developed in L1 are instrumental in mastering L2. Research by Lightbown and Spada (2013) highlights that successful L2 acquisition is significantly influenced by the learner's proficiency in their L1. Learners with a robust foundation in their native language tend to acquire the second language more efficiently because they can leverage their existing linguistic knowledge and cognitive skills. This perspective is supported by Pretorius and Spaull (2016), who emphasize that learners' reading skills in their home language (HL) serve as a critical basis for developing similar skills in their second language, English. The adoption of English as the LoLT in Intermediate Phase (IP) classrooms, especially from Grade 4, introduces several multifaceted challenges. One of the primary hurdles is learners' difficulties in acquiring proficiency in English, which affects their overall academic performance (Nel & Muller, 2010). This challenge is compounded by the fact that English is used as the LoLT across various subjects, not just in language classes, adding to the complexity (Smith, 2019). The South African educational landscape is unique due to its diverse socio-economic and linguistic context. Many learners come from homes where English is not the primary language spoken. In urban areas, languages such as IsiXhosa are predominantly used, while rural areas may feature a variety of regional languages (Spaull, 2022; Setati, 2020). This limited exposure to English outside the classroom restricts learners' opportunities to practice and improve their language skills (Heugh, 2020). 𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬!
Open Access
Exploring ICT approaches to enhance the reading skills of digital FET learners in the 21st century
(University of the Free State, 2023) Jansen, Monique; Ngubane, N. I.
The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education has gained momentum in the last ten years, globally and in South Africa. However, in South Africa, specifically, there is limited information on the impact of the ICT approaches on the development of reading skills of learners. This study, therefore, explored ICT approaches that can enhance the reading skills of digital learners in the first additional language (FAL) classrooms in the Further Education and Training (FET) in the Motheo District, Free State. It sets out to investigate how teachers use ICT approaches to enhance reading skills of the digital 21ˢᵗ century learners; the challenges faced by teachers in the integration of ICT approaches; and the way in which ICT can be used to enhance reading of FET digital learners. Underpinned by Constructivism Theory and Connectivity Theory, the study adopted a qualitative case study research approach within an interpretivist paradigm. Twelve teachers from three high schools in the Motheo District, Free State, participated in this study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group interviews. A thematic data analysis framework was adopted. The key findings of the study show that, to some extent, the teachers in the three high schools use diverse ICT approaches to enhance reading skills of their learners. Most teachers agreed that the integration of ICT into the teaching of reading skills has a potential to enhance reading skills of learners. Factors such as managing the use of ICT devices in the reading classrooms; digital divide, teacher professional development, and availability of the internet in the schools were identified by the teachers as key to effective use of ICT to enhance reading skills of learners in the three schools. Despite the challenges of integrating ICT into the reading classrooms, the study found that teachers’ and learner’s positive attitudes towards ICT approaches influenced the interest in the use of ICT devices for improving reading skills. This study recommends that ICT approaches should be intergrated into curriculum to foster the migration from the traditional methods of teaching reading skills into the 21ˢᵗ century approaches that respond to the learning needs of the digital 21ˢᵗ century learners in the classrooms. Some schools need to urgently review their school policies which ban the use of ICT devices for learning and teaching purposes and establish ways to manage and monitor the use of these resources in the classrooms.This study adds to the body of information on ICT in education and offers educators, policymakers, and academics significant insights.The study concludes that ICT approaches have a potential to enhance reading skills of digital 21ˢᵗ century learners. Lastly, the study concludes that teacher professional development is key for the maximum integration of ICT for the development of learners’ reading skills.
Open Access
Examining relationships between sub-components of reading in Xitsonga
(Academy Publication, 2024) Khosa, Martha
Reading is developed over time and involves the interaction of both simple and complex skills characterised by a hierarchical sequence of foundational reading skills. However, research has shown that children who do not acquire mastery of foundational reading skills have limited chances of acquiring reading success. This study examines the relations between sub-components of reading in Xitsonga and their impact on Grade 1 learners’ reading ability. It also aims to identify which early reading skills predict later reading accomplishment. Data in this study was obtained from 75 Grade 1 learners in the Limpopo Province. The early-grade reading assessment tool adapted to Xitsonga was used to test the learners’ foundational reading skills: phonological and phonemic awareness, letter-sound knowledge, word reading, oral reading fluency and reading comprehension skills. The results present a compelling relationship between the subcomponents of reading and show that deficits in the development of foundational reading skills negatively impact learners’ ability to read. Regression analysis showed that oral reading fluency was the only significant predictor of reading comprehension. Hence, there is a need for reading to be taught and learned consciously in alphabetic languages to help learners develop their early reading skills, which play important roles in the acquisition of reading.

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