Abstract
D.Ed. (Educational Psychology)
The general preference for English as language of teaching and learning (LoLT)
poses a formidable learning barrier to many English Second Language (ESL)
learners in South African schools. Addressing this barrier is the responsibility of the
whole-school with the support of the Department of Education. In particular, school
based support teams (SBST) are tasked with the support of learners who experience
reading barriers in an inclusive mainstream school.
This thesis concerns the implementation of a whole-school intervention at a primary
school in a disadvantaged community in Gauteng, South Africa, where ESL learners
experience severe barriers to reading acquisition.
The aim was to provide support to the whole-school to address reading barriers in an
inclusive environment. Objectives were to identify the elements of whole-school
reading; to develop and implement an integrated whole-school reading intervention;
to train educators to address learners' reading barriers; and to provide guidelines to
the Inclusion and Special Schools Unit (provincial level), District Based Support
Team (DBST) and the school, to address reading barriers in future.
A literature study reviewed themes regarding inclusion, support structures and
whole-school development. Literature dealing with essential elements of wholeschool
reading, approaches and strategies provided a theoretical framework for the
implementation of whole-school reading. A qualitative study within an interpretive
paradigm using practitioner action research was conducted. The research site was a
primary school in a disadvantaged area in Gauteng, which had referred ESL learners
to the local Inclusion and Special Schools Unit for support. Action research was
selected because of its fundamental principle of participant empowerment through
participation, collaboration, acquisition of knowledge and social change. Data was
gathered from staff and learners and analysed during the phases of the action
research process. Data collection included learner and educator questionnaires,
discussions, observations, field notes, pre- and post baseline scholastic assessment,
focus group interviews and the researcher's reflections. Findings indicated that SBST's need support in order to address reading barriers.
ESL learners do not receive sufficient exposure to English to develop reading skills.
Intermediate phase educators have not been trained to teach learners to read and
improve their reading skills. Whole-school reading intervention was thus valuable in
providing training and support structures for the school to address reading
difficulties.