Masters Degrees (Languages and Arts Education)

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Afstands-indiensopleidingsprogramme vir letterkundeonderrig in die Afrikaans t2 konteks:probleme en voorstelle.
(1997) Buthelezi, Phumelele Olivian.; Swanepoel, Eduen.
In hierdie artikel ondersoek ek in die eerste instansie die eienskappe van goeie afstands-indiensopleidingsprogramme. Daarna word die situasie, soos van toepassing op Afrikaans T2 letterkundeonderrig by die Umlazi Kollege vir Verdere Onderwys, beskryf. Ten einde probleme in die onderrigproses te indentifiseer, word een aspek, naamlik die personeelsituasie, aan die hand van vraelyste ondersoek. Vier aspekte kom in hierdie verband ter sprake: 'n persoonlike profiel van dosente, hulle kennis van metodologiese kwessies, asook van literere teorie en hulle/hul studente se leespatrone. Uit die data versamel en die analise wat daarop volg, word bepaalde aanbevelings gemaak om die situasie te verbeter. SUMMARY In this article I firstly look at the characteristics of quality distance in-service training programmes. Secondly I describe the situation pertaining to the teaching of Afrikaans L2 literature at Umlazi College for Further Education. In order to identify problems in the teaching process, one aspect, namely the situation of lecturing staff, is investigated by means of questionnaires. In this regard I focus on four aspects: a personal profile of lecturers, their knowledge of methodology, as well as literary theory and their/their students' reading patterns. Certain recommendations flow from the data gathered and the analysis thereof.
Albert Sumbo-Ncube : AmaNdebele oral historical narrative and the creation of a popular hero.
(2000) Hurst, Christopher.; Lenta, Margaret Mary.
In 1998 I conducted a series of interviews with Zimbabweans who recounted, often using English, their memories of Albert Sumbo-Ncube. From these I have selected and transcribed five interviews with ZIPRA ex-combatants in which they tell the story, as they remember and elaborate on their memories, of Sumbo's escape from Rhodesian police custody at the Victoria Falls in 1977 during the Zimbabwean liberation struggle. The interviews represent Sumbo as a hero and reveal the folk hero creation process at work. This hero figure was created by people who needed an effective figure of oppositional propaganda and who did not have access to the technology and resources of the Rhodesian government. Their narratives were communicated orally and they fused material found in the Rhodesian government-controlled newspapers with an amaNdebele oral tradition. I shall draw on Hobsbawm's (1972) notions of the social bandit and Robens's (1989) study of the folk hero creation amongst post-slavery African-Americans in order to understand the ZIPRA guerrillas' hero creation. The Sumbo folk hero creation served to promote an ideal self for the Zimbabwean guerrillas and their recruits. Sumbo's daring and his ability successfully to defy authority evoked admiration amongst the guerrillas in the 1970s, and in 1998 revives for them the idealism of the struggle. In Zimbabwe the 'hero' has become a contested category, because of the government's will to control the historical representation of the liberation struggle by promoting an official history with official categories of heroes. Working with Barber's notion of popular African arts (1987 and 1997), I argue that a folk hero can be redefined as a 'popular hero' when created by a proletariat and expressed by means of a popular art form. The interviewees use a specific form, the oral historical narrative, to preserve and transmit the Sumbo hero figure. I argue that though this oral historical narrative is less fixed in form and occasion than praise poetry, songs and genealogies, it nevertheless possesses identifiable and recurrent characteristics and I have established a number of criteria for identifying oral historical narrative as a genre. In order to avoid taking a generalised and essentialising approach to the notion of 'African culture', I have drawn on theory that is as specific as possible to the understanding of oral historical narratives within the context of siNdebele speakers in Zimbabwe. I have drawn on research published by Hofmeyr (1993) and Scheub (1975) because they focused on Nguni-speaking societies. Their research is further supported by my own research conducted in the rural area of Tsholotsho in Zimbabwe. The analysis of the oral historical narrative genre used by the interviewees demonstrates that significant formal and performance skills occur in this type of narrative which takes place within apparently informal conversations.
Attitudes towards the implementation of isiZulu as a subject in selected Durban high schools in 2006 and its implications for language planning and policy in South Africa.
(2008) Govindasamy, Fiona.; Geyser, Annelie.
This study examines the attitudes of learners, teachers, governing body members, principals and parents towards the implementation of isiZulu as a subject in selected Durban High Schools and its implications for language planning and policy in South Africa. The learners selected for the purposes of this study were in grade 8, 9, 10 and 11. Combinations of quantitative (interviews) and qualitative (questionnaires) research methods are used to research the topic. Questionnaires were administered to learners, teachers and parents. Interviews were used to complement data obtained from the questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with learners, teachers, governing body members, principals and parents. An important finding of this study is that the majority of learners, teachers, principals, governing body members, and principals have expressed positive attitudes towards isiZulu and view it as an important language in KwaZulu-Natal. Most isiZulu language learners, parents and teaches view isiZulu as important for their culture and identity. The majority of non-isiZulu speakers perceive isiZulu as a language for wider communication in KwaZulu-Natal. The study found that there is a need for more support from the Department of Education to be more actively involved in the promotion of isiZulu in schools. There is also a shortage of trained teachers and teaching material in isiZulu. This study also established that some governing body members have limited knowledge of language policies at their schools. Most learners, teachers, principals, governing body members and parents expressed that it would be better for learners if they started learning isiZulu from primary school instead of high school. Some schools articulated that there appear to be different standards of isiZulu expected from schools and the Department of Education. The findings led to the following recommendations which are aimed at enhancing and promoting the status of isiZulu in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa as a whole. • The Department of Education needs to be more involved in the promotion of isiZulu in KwaZulu-Natal • More educators have to be trained in the teaching of isiZulu • More educational material in isiZulu needs to be created and provided • IsiZulu needs to be invested with more intensively • The status of isiZulu in primary schools needs to be investigated • The role of governing body members needs to be evaluated • A common standard for isiZulu needs to be established
The binary opposition of right and left in Zulu society and culture.
(1991) Buthelezi, F. N. S.; Argyle, W. John.
No abstract available.
Challenges and opportunities in the implementation of the foundations for learning with special reference to the literacy learning programme in disadvantaged contexts.
(2011) Gouws, Joan.; Mashiya, Joyce Nontokozo.
This study explores Foundation Phase (FP) teachers’ experiences of the implementation of the Foundations for Learning (FFL) (South Africa Government Gazette, No 30990 2008) in the Literacy Learning Programme (LLP) (2008). FFL is the new curriculum policy for FP that consists of Numeracy and Literacy Learning programmes. This policy was introduced to address the challenges teachers had with the previous curriculum policy, Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). The aim of this study is to find out how FP teachers experience the implementation of the FFL. This is a qualitative study located within the interpretive paradigm. Informants were purposively selected from two primary schools located in a rural and a township area in KwaZulu-Natal. Eight FP teachers teaching grades R-3 participated in two focus group interviews. To generate data from these informants, semi-structured interviews, observations and documentary analyses were used as instruments. Findings reveal that teachers had to make changes to their teaching approach as a result of the implementation of the FFL and they experienced feelings of being swamped by all the changes that seemed to be too much to understand. Teachers reported difficulties in understanding and accepting new processes, procedures and expectations associated with educational changes. It is clear that it is impossible to successfully implement change in an education system if serious investments are not made in the professional development of teachers (Hargreaves, 2003). Without sufficient, training, guidance and mentoring in the implementation of the FFL in the LLP, teachers feel de-motivated and anxious as they do not understand the FFL document and thus feel threatened by the way they taught in the past. Teachers fail to understand the requirements set out in the FFL document because the prescriptions are too vague. The study recommends a closer relationship with the Department of Education (DoE) for guidance, regular monitoring, mentoring, workshops and training to be conducted by the DoE. In addition, experienced and perhaps competent FP educators, lecturers and non-governmental organizations, e.g. Read Educational Trust could assist in the implementing strategies to ensure effective implementation of the FFL campaign in the LLP. The implications of the findings from this research should be useful to educators, curriculum development specialists, textbook writers and teacher trainers to gain a better understanding of the needs, understandings, challenges and opportunities teachers experience in the implementation of the FFL in the LLP.
Characteristics, modifications and concerns: ritual initiation among KwaBhaca males.
(2000) Ngaloshe, Christina Nosabata.; Sienaert, Edgard Richard.
This study investigates the distinguishing characteristics and the modifications to the traditional male initiation ritual as practised in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape. The concerns surrounding the incidence of death and maiming from related traditions is also investigated. The study reveals that • the male initiation ritual is still highly regarded in KwaBhaca; • the male initiation ritual itself is still performed strictly traditionally in KwaBhaca; • the male initiation ritual as practised in KwaBhaca has been successfully performed with minimal negative incident attributable to the performance of traditional circumcision; • where there is incidence of a negative reaction, this is usually attributable to a prior health condition of the initiate, and in these circumstances, the initiate is referred to a medical doctor, on condition that the medical doctor is himself an initiate, and that the consultation will be conducted in a place deemed to be safe from spiritual contamination • incidences of maiming and death can be attributed to a number of causes, associated with poor practice and unacceptable conduct; • boys who do not undergo circumcision in the traditional fashion are not regarded as men and remain boys in the eyes of the community. This means that they have to forego participation in important socio-spiritual ceremonies; • there is a necessity to share the experience of the successful traditional circumcision process to avoid further misadventure, maiming and death; • it is not the mechanics of the process of traditional circumcision that endangers lives, but the poor practice of the iingcibi (traditional surgeons) and other significant role-players including the initiates; • The traditional teaching that accompanies the ritual of circumcision is as important, if not more important, than the ritual itself. The study concludes with a series of recommendations aimed at rehabilitating and supporting the continuation of this important and venerated tradition.
Compliments and caveats : an 'implicated' view of Zulu personal naming as a retaliatory function in the Emaqwabeni and Kwaluthuli areas of Kwazulu-Natal.
(2000) Gumede, Mzuyabonga Amon.; Conolly, Joan Lucy.
Abstract not available.
Concept de postcolonialité dans Aya de Yopougon de Marguerite Abouet par le biais de l’analyse d’une sélection des planches.
(2015) Ntando, Joel Bonsango.; De Meyer, Bernard Albert Marcel Sylvain.
The student’s primary motivation for engaging in this research project was to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the analysis of comics particularly those of Africa. The study focuses on Aya de Yopougon because of its success and historical richness. In the latter comic, two parallel worlds are presented: the Ivory Coast and France after 1960. Furthermore, this project will try to illustrate the relationship that may exist between postcoloniality and notions such as colony, colonization, and postcolonialism. Finally, this work will enrich our understanding of the concept of postcoloniality in societies through comic panels.
A critical assessment of the role and governance of Muslim community radio in South Africa : the case of Radio Al-Ansaar.
(2006) Mall, B. Ayesha.; Teer-Tomaselli, Ruth Elizabeth.
Community participation is a fundamental element of community radio. Therefore in countries where this form of radio exists, community participation is one of its most important licence criteria. It is no different in South Africa. Community radio in this country is a relatively young form of radio, just over a decade old, and is based on models in countries where community radio is a long established institution. Many of the South African community radios are faith-based stations. However, existing research on community participation in such radios are based mainly on Christian stations. The focus of this paper is on Muslim community radio. The study evaluated the extent of community participation in the ownership, management, programming and other aspects at Radio Al-Ansaar, a Muslim community radio based in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. As this radio serves a Muslim constituency characterised by ideological, racial and class divisions, the study sought to find out if optimal and meaningful community participation from all sectors of the community is actualised. Furthermore, given this diversity in the Muslim community, the paper examined if Al-Ansaar, through its programmes, induces transcendence of or accentuates differences through discourse of divergent ideologies, views and beliefs among Muslims. In addition to the examination of the level of community participation in Radio Al- Ansaar, the paper assesses the economic viability of the station. It highlights the significance of advertising as an important revenue stream and assesses the prospects for financial sustainability within the context of the hegemonic influence of vested mercantile interests. The evaluation of the Al-Ansaar project took place against the stipulations of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) and against the backdrop of key Islamic precepts. Furthermore, in the analysis of the various elements mentioned, cognisance was taken of the perceptions of the varied individuals associated with the station.
A critical explorative investigation into the operation of memory in human expression and artificial intelligence : a Joussean perspective.
(2000) Moodley, Nareen.; Sienaert, Edgard Richard.
There is a supposition that with the current progress in artificial intelligence (AI), machines that surpass the cognitive functioning of human beings is imminent. There is no doubt that singular human functions can be performed more efficiently by machines. however. the complexity of human functioning involves the simultaneous cognizance of information received through the various senses. The complexity of human functioning is best reflected in the perceptions of Marcel Jousse in The Anthropology of Geste and Rhythm (I997). Whilst proponents of AI envisage the cognitive functioning of the computer surpassing human cognitive functioning, they fail to acknowledge that human cognitive functioning extends beyond mere information processing and expression of predictable responses. The complexity of human expression is influenced by a variety of sensory environmental stimuli as well as previous experience. The fundamental 'law' of the indivisibility of the psycho-physiological complexus of the human composite identified by Jousse, indicates that human memory emanates from human interaction with the environment. The computer is incapable of interacting with the environment in the way that the human being interacts, which implies that it cannot replicate human memory. This study argues that: • The human being operates simultaneously as a psychological, physiological and biological being, which implies that human memory, is simultaneously biological, psychological and emotional. • Human memory arises out of mimism and is biologically rhythmed, and that this rhythm operates in synchrony with the universal cosmoiogicai rhythms. • Computer rhythms do not operate in synchrony with universal cosmological rhythms. which implies that the operation of its memory is very different to that of the human being. Therefore the computer will not be able to replicate human functioning.
Degrees of transgression: the writing of South African Black Women Writers Miriam Tlali, Ellen Kuzwayo, Sindiwe Magona and Zoe Wicomb.
(1996) Nattrass, Andrea Joy.; Attwell, David.
This thesis examines the English autobiographical and fictional writing of four black South African women writers: Miriam Tlali, Ellen Kuzwayo, Sindiwe Magona and Zoe Wicomb. The introductory chapter provides a theoretical overview of the principle strands of feminism available to the South African feminist critic - French feminism, with its theoretical emphasis and "symptomatic" interpretation of texts; the American brand of "h'beral" feminism which tends to embody a more socio-historical, empirical approach; Materialist feminism which emphasises socio-economic conditions in the course of its analysis; and "womanism,11 an alternative to "western" feminism which .fili.ds considerable support in African and Afi:ican-Afireficm feminist 􀁩cir-Jes. These different theories are examined in order to formulate a mode of analysis to be applied to the writing of the four black South African women, an approach which draws on aspects of all these theories and takes cognisance of other factors unique to the South Afiican situation_..in ord to most productively illumina e those aspects of the writers' work chosen for discussion. Following this opening chapter the thesis goes on to explore the writing of each of the four black South African women in tum. Each chapter contains an introductory section which provides biographical background on the writer under discussion as well as some insight into that individual's perspectives and opinions, usually drawn from their interviews, speeches and critical essays. This is followed by an analysis of their writing which deals with each book in tum: Tlali's two novels and short story collection, Kuzwayo's autobiography and collection of "oral" narratives, the two "volumes" of Magona's autobiography and her short fiction anthology and, finally, Wicomb's short fiction cycle and two individually published short stories. There are several issues with which this thesis is concerned in the course of analysing the writing of these women. These include an exploration of the positioning of black women through the interaction of the discourses of race, class and gender; a focus on how the various writers reflect on or construct a sense of their own identities; an examination of the situations in which they CDmplicate and/or transgress the dominant patriarchal societal attitude􀀆, riorities and codes of behaviour wliich they are "expected" to adhere to􀁘 as well as a concentration on the writers' sense of the lives and needs of other black women in tlieir communities. Such concerns are accompanied by a pervasive interest in attempting to identify and examine the tensions, ambiguities and contradictions which emerge (insidiously or dehberately) at various moments in the texts of these writers. The chapters are organised to chart what is perceived to be a progression among the various writers, in part marked by their increasingly sophisticated and more overtly feminist treatment of themes and issues concerning the "fictional" and "rel!t identities and/or lives ofblack women within South African society.
Developing reading strategies in higher education through the use of integrated reading/writing activities : a study at a university of technology in South Africa.
(2006) Bharuthram, Sharita.; Balfour, Robert John.
Higher education in South Africa faces severe challenges due to the under preparedness of many students entering the system. Research (Perkins 1991; Pretorius 2000, 2005; Balfour 2002) has shown that many students who enter higher education do not have the required academic literacy knowledge and strategies to engage meaningfully with the relevant texts in their disciplines. A major obstacle to students’ success is their limited reading strategies. A significantly large number of students are not able to read at the appropriate grade and/or age level. Yet, reading is one of the most important academic tasks encountered by students. This thesis focuses on the use of reading strategy interventions together with integrated reading/writing activities to enhance reading comprehension. The study is located at the Durban University of Technology, using as participants the students who were registered on the first year extended Dental Technology programme in 2004. The interventions are implemented through an action research project. The piloting phase of the interventions reveals the need for an understanding of the students’ backgrounds in, amongst others, their reading and writing practices, attitudes, approaches to learning, and motivational factors. Consequently, the action research project was conducted in parallel with an ethnographic inquiry into students’ reading worlds and practices. Given that reading and writing are complementary processes whereby the enhancement of the one has a positive effect on the other, the ethnographic inquiry also explores students’ attitudes and practices towards writing. Using the ideological model (Street 1984) and, in particular, the new literacy approach to teaching and learning as a framework for the thesis, I argue that the students’ early childhood and schooling experiences of reading and writing impact on their current attitudes and practices. I further suggest that for children from disadvantaged backgrounds learning and retaining literacy is more difficult than for children from advantaged, middle class backgrounds. The ethnographic inquiry involved a series of interviews with students, as well as a questionnaire to ascertain students’ attitudes and practices towards reading and writing. In addition, a questionnaire was designed for lecturers to obtain their attitudes and practices towards reading and writing in their disciplines. A major finding of the ethnographic inquiry was that the majority of participants in the study come from a background that can be described as traditionally oral in the sense that it is one in which very little or no emphasis is placed on reading. For some participants story telling was a more common form of interaction or communication with the elders. Also, the majority of participants come from lower socio-economic backgrounds where the purchasing of reading materials is considered a luxury. In addition, for many of the English additional language students, their school environment and experiences were not adequate enough to foster the need for reading and/or any engagement in reading. Based on my research, as well as the findings of other researchers, I argue that reading strategy interventions are essential in order to raise awareness and promote the use of reading strategies so as to enhance the learning (reading) process. The review of literature on reading development and the findings from the interviews indicate that the explicit teaching of reading strategies is essential for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds (Heath 1983; Delpit 1986; Cope and Kalantzis 1993). To this end the action research component of the study was implemented through the explicit teaching of three reading strategies, namely, identifying the main idea in a paragraph, using context clues to guess the meaning of unknown words in a text, and summarization. The focus of the intervention was on the process and on raising students’ levels of metacognitive awareness. The approach is novel in two ways. First, via the process approach to reading the chosen reading strategies were initially taught independently to the students using the explicit explanation approach which involved scaffolded tasks involving explanations, modeling (using the think-aloud protocol), practice, and transfer exercises. Thereafter, using the cognitive apprenticeship approach, students were taught to use all three strategies simultaneously during reading. Second, discipline specific materials were used as reading sources during the interventions which were conducted with integrated reading/writing activities. Data was collected by means of a language proficiency pre-and post-test, a reading strategy pre-and post-test, worksheets, student reflective pieces, portfolios, and observations. An analysis of the pre-and post-test data showed that the reading strategy interventions were highly successful. Students performed better in the reading strategy post-test than in the pre-test. Furthermore, their performance was better than that of a control group of students who were registered for the first year mainstream programme and who wrote only the reading strategy post-test. A marked improvement was also noted in the language proficiency post-test. These results stress the need for the teaching of reading strategies through integrated reading and writing activities.
Development of a proposal for media education and curriculum interventions for teacher education/colleges of education in KwaZulu- Natal province.
(1996) Tshoko, Luvuyo.; Prinsloo, Jeanne.
This research focuses on and responds to the neglect of Media Education within teacher education proposals. It is premised upon the importance of Media Education in a democratic society, particularly its role within the curriculum development. Most importantly this research study is aimed to create an informed basis from which to influence both curriculum planners and policy makers of colleges of education to include Media Education as a core component of the programme for student teachers at those colleges of education. As the starting point of this research, the following definition is accepted: Media Education (as the word suggests) attempts to educate about media, to construct a critical approach to information offered by the media, to contextualise those agencies that produce media. The role attached to Media Education is to develop and nurture critical abilities of learners, to nurture autonomous thinkers who approach information not as transparent, but as constructions that are selective and partial (Prinsloo 1994: 19). Research was conducted at Umbumbulu College of Education to seek information about the understanding of Media Education of lecturers at the college. The results of the survey indicated that: • There is a lack of understanding and familiarity with Media Education by lecturers. • Lecturers constantly confuse Media Education with the use of media as a teaching resource. • Lecturers have not been exposed to literature and texts which are related to Media Education. • In terms of the role of Media Education in developing critical understandings of media, lecturers experienced difficulty with the concepts of 'critical understandings' and critical thinking. • Within the college there is no coherent strategy in the form of modules, worksheets, and syllabi that are specifically designed for Media Education. In view of the above, this research proposes a development of a Media Education curriculum to be developed as a speciality subject which can be taught along with other fields of study at a teacher training college. This initiative locates Media Education as an intervention that proposes critical pedagogy. To enable this, lecturers and curriculum developers of the college need to recognise the value of Media Education and to familiarise themselves with Media Education as this is a new field of study within traditional black teacher institutions. The research finally recommends both ongoing professional development of college lecturers interested in Media Education as well as collaboration with other educators who have expertise in and knowledge of Media Education. It proposes that Media Education be offered at all levels of study within the college, from Pre-Primary level to Secondary level of study as a speciality course in its own right.
Difficulties to completing English homework : perspectives of six Grade seven learners from a township school.
(2014) Zondo, Joseph Thembinkosi.; Stuart, Jean.
This small scale case study focused on the difficulties experienced by the six Grade seven learners from a selected township school when they were writing their English homework. Literature suggests a gap in findings on the perspectives of learners. The study utilized six Grade seven learners who had failed to complete their English homework which they had been given the previous day by their English language educator. The participants had been given a comprehension test on the previous day that they had started in the classroom and they were expected to finish it at home as their homework. Three boys and three girls were chosen from three different Grade seven sections as participants for the study. The data for this study was obtained by the semi structured interviews. The semi structured interviews were informed by drawings which were used by the learners to help them remember some of the things that they might have forgotten if there were no drawings to broaden responses to the questions. These interviews were conducted in a secluded class to avoid disturbances by the other learners. The interviews took place during one week and they were conducted for thirty minutes after school. A tape recorder was used to record the data which was later to be transcribed and analyzed. This study revealed through its findings that the learners experienced a number of difficulties when they were writing their English homework and as a result they could not finish it. Some of the findings that emerged from this study were amongst others, the lack of space at home to write homework, lack of someone to help with homework, and the house chores that have to be done by the learners when they come back from school. Findings of this study suggest that as English educators we need to give our learners an opportunity to speak out about some of the challenges or difficulties they experience when they are writing their English homework. Moreover, we need to teach our learners to plan their time properly so that they have enough time to write their homework when they come back from school since there are things that they have to do when they come back from school which cannot take a backseat or be done by their parents like the house chores. Finally, findings in this study suggest the importance of the open lines of communication between the parents the educators. This open line of communication could help close the gap that is between the educators and the parents and it can also help everybody understand what is expected from them when it comes to the issuing and the monitoring of schoolwork. This may help the educators communicate with the parents about their children’s homework and what is expected from them.
The effectiveness of cooperative learning in an English first additional language classroom.
(2013) Ngubane, Nomalungelo Isabel.; Pillay, Ansurie.; Mthembu, Andrias Bheki.
The purpose of this action research study was to investigate whether the implementation of cooperative learning strategies improved learner-learner interactions and teacher-learner interactions and enhanced the relationships between the teacher and learners and amongst the learners in an English First Additional Language (EFAL) grade 10 classroom in a township secondary school. The sample population, of forty learners, was from one class of grade 10 EFAL. Cooperative learning strategies were implemented into the EFAL curriculum and learners were observed throughout the study on how they used cooperative learning. In addition, interviews were used to determine learners’ perceptions and experiences of using cooperative learning. The results indicated that learner-learner and teacher-learner interactions improved when EFAL learners were engaged in cooperative learning activities. The results from this study concluded that cooperative learning, when used effectively in an EFAL classroom, enhanced interactions, developed positive relationship between the teacher and learners and amongst learners, supported EFAL skills, and improved learners’ motivation towards their learning.
Empowerment through expression : the land dispossession story of the Marburg Black Lutheran community in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2000) Yeni, Clementine Sibongile.; Conolly, Joan Lucy.
Abstract not available.
"Evam me sutam" : a critical evaluation and interpretation of oral features of the Brahmajala Sutta.
(1992) Govender, Selva.; Sienaert, Edgard Richard.
Why the Buddhist Pali Canon? Why the Brahmajala Sutta? Will this dissertation contribute anything new and valuable towards Orality-Literacy Studies? It was with much anxiety and apprehension as well as intimidation in remembering the words of Jousse (1990): "A man who writes a book deriving solely from other books contributes nothing new." ...... that the choice of this topic became finalised. The Brahmajala Sutta commences with the words: "Evam me sutam" (Thus I have heard) It is the written representation of an oral form that came into existence as the culmination of an established authentic oral tradition that had its origins in the 5th Century B.C. It became preserved in written form in the 1st Century B.C. with the purpose of canonizing the Discourses of Gotama Buddha. These were and still are oral elements transmitted orally and the written text abounds with such as mnemotechniques, repetitions, refrains, sound and rhythmic patterns, silences and pauses that are germane to the content and comprehension of the sutta (discourse). This text which has survived many centuries holds much fascination as it attaches a meditative dimensions to the Orality-Literacy continuum since the meditative repetition of its verses aims at the spiritual transformation and enhancement of the individual. Le Roux (1991: 48) asks, "Is it possible to rekindle a live relationship with this ancient text, which is now only available in printed form?" In answering her question she states, "It is possible when the present day reader realises that this sutta has a dynamic vitality of its own, that it is able to challenge, communicate and demand a response from the interpreter. Inevitably, the reader is drawn into an involvement with the message of the sutta which Ricoeur (1967:354) calls, "a passionate, though critical relation with the truth value of each symbol." When the two horizons meet, that of the present day reader and the ancient text itself, understanding becomes a reality. That is possible notwithstanding immense differences in time, language and religio-philosophical beliefs." This dissertation is not intended to be an exegetical analysis of the Brahmajala Sutta, for which, in any case, it affords neither scope nor range. What it seeks to do is to explore how the text came to be fixed in its present form, as well as to appreciate the processes that lie behind its formulation, and most important of all, to attempt to understand what intrinsic qualities it possesses that give it its "dynamic vitality." In the first three chapters, the text is placed against the historical, sociological and cultural contexts of the Buddhist Pali Canon. This information is essential as it provides the background necessary for the comprehension of important aspects of the sutta. Chapter Four locates the position of the Brahmajala Sutta within the giant corpus of material embraced by the Buddhist Pali Canon and Chapter Five presents the structural formulation of the text. In Chapters Six and Seven, the oral compositional process with its use of formulaic devices comes into focus within a semantic, morphological and phonological analysis. I emphasise that since I consider my knowledge of the Pali Canon to be relatively limited, I have had to rely on the works of the many eminent researchers whose names appear in the Bibliography, for the information contained in the first three chapters.
Experiences of the South African high school classroom : a case study of high school English classroom experiences of student-teachers of English at a University in KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Anyanwu, Munachiso Anselm.; Pillay, Ansurie.
The purpose of this study was to understand student teachers’ experiences of the high school English classroom, and the impact, if any, of their experiences on their decision to become teachers, especially teachers of English. It is said that the quality of an education system is boosted by the quality of its teachers. Therefore, the purpose of my study is, furthermore to explore if student teachers’ perceived ability to function and perform as expected in tertiary studies is informed by their experiences of high school, and if their experiences of high school have anything to do with their decisions to become teachers. The respondents in this study were third year English Major students of the School of Education at a University in KwaZulu-Natal. With its emphasis on experiences, the study utilised a phenomenological framework. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, the study used a qualitative case study method. Data were collected through questionnaires, individual semi-structured interviews and written narrative accounts. This study found that student teachers of English at a university had both negative and positive high school experiences, not just of schooling but of learning English. These experiences were subjective as it was predicated on each individual’s unique circumstance and context. Each context was found to be as unique to the individual as it is his/her experience. This study also found a disparity between student teachers’ experiences of urban schools and rural/township schools. While most urban schools enjoyed better facilities, quality teachers and teaching, township and rural schools were dilapidated and lacked quality, both in teaching and infrastructure. It also found that these experiences have impacted both positively and negatively on their current learning experiences at the university. The findings revealed that the experiences student teachers had had at high school often prompted them to become teachers. This study therefore concludes that high schools play a vital role in the future life of students, either in their academic life or in careers. It thus becomes imperative that high schools recognise their impact on students’ lives.
An exploration of my teaching practices when teaching writing to high school learners: a novice teachers’ self-study.
(2021) Brijmohun, Seshen.; Campbell, Bridget.
The purpose of this study was to explore my experiences of teaching and learning of writing, as a novice teacher. My research questions were: What are my learning experiences of writing? What are my teaching experiences of writing? and How can knowing my experiences of writing enhance my teaching of writing? My study was guided by three key concepts, which are Socioculturalism, Pedagogy, and Culturally Responsive Teaching. Pertinent literature which underpinned this study, included the nature of being a life-long learner, the preparedness of novice teachers, how writing affects confidence and the teaching of writing. Taking a self-study approach enabled me to compose and analyse my experiences of teaching and learning of writing to become cognisant of the constructive and undesirable influences on my Pedagogy, with the hope of building a more effective, and meaningful Pedagogy. This methodology was apt for my study as I delved into my own experiences of learning, how I was taught writing and my own teaching of writing. In doing so was critical of how I was taught writing as well as my past and current teaching practices. I acknowledged that there is room for improvement and worked with critical friends to alter my practices. Data generation strategies stemmed from reflective practice and were inclusive of narrative journaling, lesson reflections, source document retrieval and critical friend conversations and peer reviews. As the study progressed, I explored various ways in which to improve my teaching of writing from what I had learned through revisiting and adjusting my teaching practices. Learning from my past and present experiences, enabled me to adapt my current teaching practices and to explore ways of being more responsive to my learners. The themes that emerged, through thematic analysis, are parental involvement, a supportive teaching and learning environment, pedagogic practices, and the use of teaching resources when teaching writing. This self-study journey has not just made me an improved teacher of writing, but more culturally relevant teacher overall. Being a meaningful teacher denotes that I need to be au fait with my learners, their lived experiences and the environments with which they are familiar, as well as how to communicate with them within a setting of supportiveness. New challenges mean fresh possibilities will continually arise and I will never stop questioning and trying to improve upon my Pedagogy.
An exploration of reading strategies implemented by teachers teaching isiZulu home language in grade 1.
(2013) Cofu, Duduzile Patricia.; Sheik, Ayub.
This study explores the strategies implemented by grade one isiZulu Home Language (HL) teachers when teaching reading. One of the fundamental skills of education for learners involves the development of reading in the early stages of schooling. The CAPS document was recently introduced in order to help introduce teachers to a variety of explicit strategies in the teaching and assessment of reading. However, practitioner experience and research indicate that most teachers find it difficult to implement the strategies suggested for a variety of reasons. The study adopted the qualitative approach based on an interpretive approach. The objective of choosing the qualitative method for data collection was to get deeper insight into how teachers teach reading to learners. The strategies employed to gather data with efficiency and minimum bias involved the adoption of the semi-structured interview. This research used the semi-structured interviews with three grade one teachers in the Pinetown district as respondents. Research findings indicate that teachers have significant difficulties in implementing the reading strategies to achieve the levels of competencies as required by the CAPS document. The respondents in this research found that they were significantly challenged when it came to implementing the recommended CAPS strategies to learners. It was also observed that there are distinct gaps in the teaching of reading to learners in the foundation phase. Moreover, teachers struggled with the interpretation of the reading methods as laid out in the policy framework. In order to address these problems it is recommended that teachers in the schools be trained thoroughly on how to implement strategies recommended by the Department of Education as stipulated in the CAPS document. The respondents realized that they needed extensive knowledge and specialised skills which were not offered during the training. All the three teachers taught the different aspects of the language in isolation, and not in the integrated approach as espoused in the CAPS. The findings also suggest that support from school management in mentoring is required to assist teachers to implement the strategies with efficiency and understanding.

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