Academic Support and Academic Progress: English-Second-Language Speakers in a Faculty of Commerce at a University in South Africa

1991 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Agar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Academic Support ◽  
Academic Progress ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
English Second Language

scholarly journals Examining oral reading fluency among Grade 5 rural English Second Language (ESL) learners in South Africa? An analysis of NEEDU 2013

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Draper ◽  
Nic Spaull
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Oral Reading ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oral Reading Fluency ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
English Second Language

The ability to read for meaning and pleasure is arguably the most important skill children learn in primary school. One integral component of learning to read is Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), defined as the ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with meaningful expression. Although widely acknowledged in the literature as important, to date there have been no large-scale studies on ORF in English in South Africa, despite this being the language of learning and teaching for 80% of ESL students from Grade 4 onwards. We analyze data provided by the National Education and Evaluation Development Unit (NEEDU) of South Africa, which tested 4667 Grade 5 English Second Language (ESL) students from 214 schools across rural areas in South Africa in 2013. This included ORF and comprehension measures for a subset of 1772 students. We find that 41% of the sample were non-readers in English (<40 Words Correct Per Minute, WCPM) and only 6% achieved comprehension scores above 60%. By calibrating comprehension levels and WCPM rates we develop tentative benchmarks and argue that a range of 90-100 WCPM in English is acceptable for Grade 5 ESL students in South Africa. In addition we outline policy priorities for remedying the reading crisis in the country.

scholarly journals Phonemic awareness of English second language learners

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Le Roux ◽  
Salome Geertsema ◽  
Heila Jordaan ◽  
Danie Prinsloo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Literacy Skill ◽  
Low Literacy ◽  
English Second Language ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Word Discrimination

Background: The PA skills of phonological blending and segmentation and auditory word discrimination relate directly to literacy and may be weak in English second language (EL2) learners. In South Africa, literacy skills have been found to be poor in especially EL2 learners.Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of vowel perception and production intervention on phonemic awareness (PA) and literacy skills of Setswana first language (L1) learners. These learners are English second language (EL2) learners in Grade 3.Method: The present study employed a quasi-experimental, pre-test–post-test design.Results: The findings of low–literacy skill levels concurred with previous investigations. However, post-test results of intervention in PA seemed to improve the literacy skills of EL2 learners.Conclusion: PA skills should be a crucial part of the literacy curriculum in South Africa.

scholarly journals Fillers as Communication Strategies Among English Second Language Speakers in Job Interviews

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Wan Nurhafiza Fatini Wan Hassan ◽  
Suryani Awang ◽  
Normah Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Job Interviews ◽  
English As Second Language ◽  
Communication Breakdown ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
English Second Language

Good mastery of English in job interviews does not only give an added value to the second language (L2) interview candidates but also increases the chances to be employed. However, not all English as Second Language (ESL) speakers are competent in using the language. In this regard, communication strategies (CS) are useful for L2 speakers in overcoming the difficulties in communicating their intended messages. The objective of this study is to examine the use of fillers as CS by interviewing candidates of academic staff recruitment at Universiti Teknologi MARA Machang, Kelantan, in Malaysia. The data of this qualitative study were obtained from observations through video-recorded oral interactions between candidates and panellists during interview sessions. The NVivo software (version 12) was used to help the researcher in analysing the oral data. The results revealed that the use of fillers stipulated in Dörnyei and Scott’s (1997) taxonomy of CS was extensively used by ESL speakers in real job interviews as a processing time pressure-related strategy when the speaker was trying to fill in the gaps between their limited resources and message conveyance in L2. In conclusion, fillers are useful to L2 speakers by helping them to maintain conversations and prevent communication breakdown.

The Development of Polysemy and Frequency Use in English Second Language Speakers

2010 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 573-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Crossley ◽  
Tom Salsbury ◽  
Danielle McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
English Second Language

An investigation into the early literacy skills of English second language learners in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-154
Author(s):  
Aileen Manten ◽  
Mia le Roux ◽  
Salomé Geertsema ◽  
Marien Graham
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Early Literacy ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Early Literacy Skills ◽  
English Second Language ◽  
Literacy Success ◽  
The Impact

This study employs the Comprehensive Emergent Literacy Model (CELM) theoretical framework, as it refers to the impact of context on learning early literacy skills. It is relevant to this study as the participants were English second language learners from cultures, communities, and demographics different from those of English first language speakers in South Africa. Early literacy skills, specifically phonological awareness (PA), are predictive of later literacy success. Many English second language (EL2) learners are unable to develop language and early literacy skills. Foundational skills such as general PA skills, often need explicit instruction to prepare the learners to learn to read in English. Twenty-one EL2 Grade 1 learners in an English medium private school in South Africa were selected as participants. Early literacy skills were assessed at the beginning of Grade 1. Reading, spelling, and reading comprehension skills were assessed after two terms in Grade 1 to determine if there is a correlation between early and later literacy skills. Results indicated significantly strong positive correlations between early literacy and later literacy skills. These results and previous research suggest that EL2 learners must be exposed to high-quality early literacy skills as early as possible to provide them with a foundation for future literacy success.

scholarly journals Examining oral reading fluency among Grade 5 rural English Second Language (ESL) learners in South Africa? An analysis of NEEDU 2013

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Draper ◽  
Nic Spaull
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Reading Fluency ◽  
Oral Reading ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oral Reading Fluency ◽  
Esl Students ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
English Second Language

The ability to read for meaning and pleasure is arguably the most important skill children learn in primary school. One integral component of learning to read is Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), defined as the ability to read text quickly, accurately, and with meaningful expression. Although widely acknowledged in the literature as important, to date there have been no large-scale studies on ORF in English in South Africa, despite this being the language of learning and teaching for 80% of ESL students from Grade 4 onwards. We analyze data provided by the National Education and Evaluation Development Unit (NEEDU) of South Africa, which tested 4667 Grade 5 English Second Language (ESL) students from 214 schools across rural areas in South Africa in 2013. This included ORF and comprehension measures for a subset of 1772 students. We find that 41% of the sample were non-readers in English (<40 Words Correct Per Minute, WCPM) and only 6% achieved comprehension scores above 60%. By calibrating comprehension levels and WCPM rates we develop tentative benchmarks and argue that a range of 90-100 WCPM in English is acceptable for Grade 5 ESL students in South Africa. In addition we outline policy priorities for remedying the reading crisis in the country.

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