A needs analysis for a discipline-specific reading intervention
- Authors: Mai, Magdaline M.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Affective factors , Reading comprehension , Reading challenges
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/224392 , uj:22604 , ISSN: 1916-4742 , Citation: Mai, M.M. 2016. A needs analysis for a discipline-specific reading intervention.
- Description: Abstract: This paper reports on a needs analysis that sought to explore students’ reading challenges as an initial step in designing an appropriate reading intervention programme for first-year Sociology students. The aim of the paper is to create the conditions for the production of an effective reading intervention programme by determining the needs of the students in the first-year Sociology class. A survey using an open-ended questionnaire was used to explore students’ reading challenges. The responses were analysed using content analysis. The analysis showed a variety of learner needs and revealed that most of the students have difficulty in reading their first-year Sociology texts. Comprehension was the main challenge, but other specific areas such as vocabulary, length of texts, language, and affective issues such as motivation and interest were also mentioned. The findings show that this cohort of first-year Sociology students had reading challenges that involve cognitive, language and affective issues. Based on the results of the needs analysis an intervention programme that addresses cognitive, language and affective issues is recommended for this cohort of students.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mai, Magdaline M.
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Affective factors , Reading comprehension , Reading challenges
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/224392 , uj:22604 , ISSN: 1916-4742 , Citation: Mai, M.M. 2016. A needs analysis for a discipline-specific reading intervention.
- Description: Abstract: This paper reports on a needs analysis that sought to explore students’ reading challenges as an initial step in designing an appropriate reading intervention programme for first-year Sociology students. The aim of the paper is to create the conditions for the production of an effective reading intervention programme by determining the needs of the students in the first-year Sociology class. A survey using an open-ended questionnaire was used to explore students’ reading challenges. The responses were analysed using content analysis. The analysis showed a variety of learner needs and revealed that most of the students have difficulty in reading their first-year Sociology texts. Comprehension was the main challenge, but other specific areas such as vocabulary, length of texts, language, and affective issues such as motivation and interest were also mentioned. The findings show that this cohort of first-year Sociology students had reading challenges that involve cognitive, language and affective issues. Based on the results of the needs analysis an intervention programme that addresses cognitive, language and affective issues is recommended for this cohort of students.
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Pictorial information in reading comprehension: a comparative study in two rural schools
- Authors: Bopape, Makgale Joas
- Date: 2010-11-22T10:04:41Z
- Subjects: Pictures in education , Visual education , Reading comprehension , Education (Primary)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7019 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3526
- Description: M.Ed. , The research problem addressed in this project focuses on the role of pictorial information in reading comprehension of grade six pupils in rural primary schools in the Northern Province. The investigation was carried out with the aim of identifying and exploring the possible influence pictures might have in helping to contextualise the reading text. The inquiry was conducted by means of a quasi experimental design study, which included both quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection. The research population was divided into experimental and control groups. The over-riding rationale which initiated the investigation came about as a result of the observation that young children are able to interpret and understand television programmes communicated to them through the medium of second languages. Teaching reading comprehension to pupils in a rural environment was assumed to need additional teaching and learning media than the teacher's oral instruction plus the verbal text to help pupils to contextualise and understand the written text. The hypothesis underlying the study is that the use of pictures in reading comprehension can improve pupils' reading performance as well as facilitate the learning of English second language within a particular context at the same time. The literature review in this investigation was confined to the role of schema or background knowledge in relation to understanding of reading content and also a brief review of socio-cultural influences on the reading process. The literature review stresses the pedagogical significance of relevant schema and culturally based reading text as well as the role of pictorial information assisting text comprehension. Data collection took place in the classroom set-up. The data were collected from three major sources namely test scores, interviews and observation. The investigation indicated that there appeared to be some positive relationships between the use of pictures in reading comprehension and reading performance for grade six pupils in the experimental group. The findings of the investigation can be used as a stepping stone towards implementing communicative teaching strategies as well.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Bopape, Makgale Joas
- Date: 2010-11-22T10:04:41Z
- Subjects: Pictures in education , Visual education , Reading comprehension , Education (Primary)
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7019 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3526
- Description: M.Ed. , The research problem addressed in this project focuses on the role of pictorial information in reading comprehension of grade six pupils in rural primary schools in the Northern Province. The investigation was carried out with the aim of identifying and exploring the possible influence pictures might have in helping to contextualise the reading text. The inquiry was conducted by means of a quasi experimental design study, which included both quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection. The research population was divided into experimental and control groups. The over-riding rationale which initiated the investigation came about as a result of the observation that young children are able to interpret and understand television programmes communicated to them through the medium of second languages. Teaching reading comprehension to pupils in a rural environment was assumed to need additional teaching and learning media than the teacher's oral instruction plus the verbal text to help pupils to contextualise and understand the written text. The hypothesis underlying the study is that the use of pictures in reading comprehension can improve pupils' reading performance as well as facilitate the learning of English second language within a particular context at the same time. The literature review in this investigation was confined to the role of schema or background knowledge in relation to understanding of reading content and also a brief review of socio-cultural influences on the reading process. The literature review stresses the pedagogical significance of relevant schema and culturally based reading text as well as the role of pictorial information assisting text comprehension. Data collection took place in the classroom set-up. The data were collected from three major sources namely test scores, interviews and observation. The investigation indicated that there appeared to be some positive relationships between the use of pictures in reading comprehension and reading performance for grade six pupils in the experimental group. The findings of the investigation can be used as a stepping stone towards implementing communicative teaching strategies as well.
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An evaluation of the Unisa reading course for science students
- Authors: Lephalala, Mirriam Madikwe
- Date: 2014-11-19
- Subjects: Reading - Education (Higher) - South Africa , Science - Study and teaching (Higher) - South Africa , Reading comprehension
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:12927 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12815
- Description: M.A. (Applied Linguistics) , Please refer to full text to view abstract
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- Authors: Lephalala, Mirriam Madikwe
- Date: 2014-11-19
- Subjects: Reading - Education (Higher) - South Africa , Science - Study and teaching (Higher) - South Africa , Reading comprehension
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:12927 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/12815
- Description: M.A. (Applied Linguistics) , Please refer to full text to view abstract
- Full Text:
An evaluation of a writing skills intervention on the performance of first year students in the subject Tourism Development at the University of Johannesburg
- Authors: Van der Merwe, Ilze
- Date: 2011-06-22T10:30:59Z
- Subjects: Language arts correlation with content subjects , Reading comprehension , Literacy study and teaching , Tourism study and teaching
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3692
- Description: M. Ed. , This study was undertaken to evaluate a writing skills intervention so as to establish whether students’ performance in the subject Tourism Development had improved between a pre- and post test. The researcher, as lecturer of a group of first year students in the subject Tourism Development noticed the lack of (and need for developing) effective writing skills on the part of most of these students. Writing is an integral part of university students’ studies in that it enables them to complete assignments and write tests and examinations. The researcher had, during previous years, noticed that insufficient writing skills affected first year students’ overall academic performance in the subject Tourism Development. This prompted an inquiry into an intervention where writing skills were infused into the teaching methodology of the subject Tourism Development. A mixed method qualitative and quantitative research approach was used to collect and analyse data. The quantitative pre-experimental design served as the dominant data collection and analysis process, which was followed by a separate qualitative descriptive data collection and analysis process. Quantitatively, the existing marks gained for the students’ pre-assignments and first- and second assessments (before and during participation in the writing skills intervention), as well as the marks achieved by the students for their post-assignments and finalassessments (written after receiving writing skills development), were collected for comparison. The mark changes between the pre- and post-assignment marks, as well as between their first-, second- and final assessments were calculated to determine whether any percentage mark changes occurred between the assignments and assessments. Qualitatively, the participant students’, participant tutors’ and lecturer’s experiences of the writing skills intervention were collected from student reflection essays, minutes of a meeting (containing the tutors’ feedback) and the lecturer’s journal, from which applicable themes were derived. The findings indicate a change in the pre- and post assignment scores as well as in the first-, second- and final-assessment scores. The improvement in academic performance in the subject Tourism Development was confirmed and triangulated by the qualitative data. The recommendation was that writing skills development presented within the specific domain, in other words infused within the subject Tourism Development, should become common practice.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Van der Merwe, Ilze
- Date: 2011-06-22T10:30:59Z
- Subjects: Language arts correlation with content subjects , Reading comprehension , Literacy study and teaching , Tourism study and teaching
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7097 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3692
- Description: M. Ed. , This study was undertaken to evaluate a writing skills intervention so as to establish whether students’ performance in the subject Tourism Development had improved between a pre- and post test. The researcher, as lecturer of a group of first year students in the subject Tourism Development noticed the lack of (and need for developing) effective writing skills on the part of most of these students. Writing is an integral part of university students’ studies in that it enables them to complete assignments and write tests and examinations. The researcher had, during previous years, noticed that insufficient writing skills affected first year students’ overall academic performance in the subject Tourism Development. This prompted an inquiry into an intervention where writing skills were infused into the teaching methodology of the subject Tourism Development. A mixed method qualitative and quantitative research approach was used to collect and analyse data. The quantitative pre-experimental design served as the dominant data collection and analysis process, which was followed by a separate qualitative descriptive data collection and analysis process. Quantitatively, the existing marks gained for the students’ pre-assignments and first- and second assessments (before and during participation in the writing skills intervention), as well as the marks achieved by the students for their post-assignments and finalassessments (written after receiving writing skills development), were collected for comparison. The mark changes between the pre- and post-assignment marks, as well as between their first-, second- and final assessments were calculated to determine whether any percentage mark changes occurred between the assignments and assessments. Qualitatively, the participant students’, participant tutors’ and lecturer’s experiences of the writing skills intervention were collected from student reflection essays, minutes of a meeting (containing the tutors’ feedback) and the lecturer’s journal, from which applicable themes were derived. The findings indicate a change in the pre- and post assignment scores as well as in the first-, second- and final-assessment scores. The improvement in academic performance in the subject Tourism Development was confirmed and triangulated by the qualitative data. The recommendation was that writing skills development presented within the specific domain, in other words infused within the subject Tourism Development, should become common practice.
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'n Ondersoek na die waarde en rol van metakognitiewe leesstrategieë vir leesbegrip en moontlike onderrigimplikasies
- Authors: Botha, Suzette
- Date: 2012-09-05
- Subjects: Reading comprehension , Reading , Metacognition
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7011
- Description: M.A. , In a reading tradition that developed in some schools the concept of reading comprehension was based on the mastery of a hierarchy of individual subskills that the reader had to master. When the reader mastered these skills he/she was regarded as a good reader that could read with comprehension. The reader's role could be described as a passive participant that merely reproduced the information found in the text. The reader wasn't involved in the active construction of the meaning of the text by comparing or integrating the new information to existing background knowledge or schemata. A cognitive perspective on the reading comprehension process reflects the active role that a reader's cognition plays during the process of reading comprehension. Metacognitive awareness of the nature of the reading process, in combination with explicit knowledge in the use of metacognitive reading strategies, enables the reader to monitor and control the comprehension process in order to select and apply appropriate strategies to construct the meaning of the text. Other factors that could also influence the construction of meaning are the nature of the reader's background knowledge and schemata — or the lack thereof. The role that the teacher plays (could play) in the improvement of a reader's comprehension ability, is very important. Readers must be exposed to various metacognitive reading strategies that can be applied to different types of texts. Explicit explanation and modelling as to what, how, where and when strategies can be used, are essential aspects of the teacher's instruction method. The teacher thus needs to employ direct instruction methods to improve the reader's metacognitive awareness of the reading process and reading strategies that can be used. The implication therefore, is that it is essential that teachers be exposed to and trained in the use and application of direct instruction methods and metacognitive strategies. Only then are they well equipped and well trained to be involved in the training of reading and readers.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Botha, Suzette
- Date: 2012-09-05
- Subjects: Reading comprehension , Reading , Metacognition
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:9589 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/7011
- Description: M.A. , In a reading tradition that developed in some schools the concept of reading comprehension was based on the mastery of a hierarchy of individual subskills that the reader had to master. When the reader mastered these skills he/she was regarded as a good reader that could read with comprehension. The reader's role could be described as a passive participant that merely reproduced the information found in the text. The reader wasn't involved in the active construction of the meaning of the text by comparing or integrating the new information to existing background knowledge or schemata. A cognitive perspective on the reading comprehension process reflects the active role that a reader's cognition plays during the process of reading comprehension. Metacognitive awareness of the nature of the reading process, in combination with explicit knowledge in the use of metacognitive reading strategies, enables the reader to monitor and control the comprehension process in order to select and apply appropriate strategies to construct the meaning of the text. Other factors that could also influence the construction of meaning are the nature of the reader's background knowledge and schemata — or the lack thereof. The role that the teacher plays (could play) in the improvement of a reader's comprehension ability, is very important. Readers must be exposed to various metacognitive reading strategies that can be applied to different types of texts. Explicit explanation and modelling as to what, how, where and when strategies can be used, are essential aspects of the teacher's instruction method. The teacher thus needs to employ direct instruction methods to improve the reader's metacognitive awareness of the reading process and reading strategies that can be used. The implication therefore, is that it is essential that teachers be exposed to and trained in the use and application of direct instruction methods and metacognitive strategies. Only then are they well equipped and well trained to be involved in the training of reading and readers.
- Full Text:
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