Storytelling Initiatives and Reading in Schools in South Africa: A Case from Limpopo Province

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Maredi Mojapelo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
School Level ◽  
Literacy Teachers ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Support Materials ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Reading Culture

Reading is a competency that learners need to acquire from primary school level to enable them to filter through the entire education system. Storytelling is regarded as a teaching resource that literacy teachers can use to stimulate learners to love books, to read and to acquire reading habits and skills. However, in South Africa, it is a stark reality that primary school learners perform poorly in reading, writing and numeracy in comparative and standardised international and national assessments. The lack of exposure to quality reading materials at home and at school has been cited as one of the challenges learners are facing in acquiring reading habits, reading skills and a reading culture. The aim of this study was to investigate storytelling initiatives in primary schools to enhance reading literacy and a culture of reading in learners. To collect in-depth data from 10 Grade 4 or 5 literacy teachers who were selected through purposive sampling, a qualitative research approach was adopted. This approach enabled the researcher to visit literacy teachers physically in 10 primary schools to get first-hand information. Ten primary schools were selected through convenience sampling. The findings indicate that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) encourages storytelling as a weapon to resuscitate and encourage learners to acquire reading skills and to read with confidence in front of their fellow learners from other schools during reading competitions. The study recommends that apart from learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), the DBE needs to procure additional quality reading materials, such as storybooks, including talking books, video games, magazines and newspapers, for distribution to all schools to enable learners to develop reading habits and to inculcate a reading culture in them.

scholarly journals PINTAR BACA: ENRICHING PUPILS’ READING THROUGH STORIES OF ORIGINS OF NAMES OF PLACES IN SINGAPORE

2020 ◽  
pp. 93-118
Author(s):  
Siti Faridah Omar
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
School Level ◽  
Learning Tools ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
Language Mastery

Reading is one of the basic skills needed to be enhance at the primary school level. Early research shows that pupils lack the interest in reading and this affected their ability to grasp vocab and understanding. Thus, Pintar Baca cards were introduced to help increase interest and level up pupils’ ability to understand the texts read. The Pintar Baca cards comprises of teaching and learning tools published by the Malay Language Centre of Singapore. These resources were designed to help primary school pupils improve their language mastery through reading. These cards were developed for Primary 2 to 4 and consists of 12 stories on the names of origins of places of Singapore. It is hoped that through these historical stories, we are able to instil interest and strengthen pupils’ knowledge on the historical background of some places in Singapore in a simpler and more interesting way. In addition, each story comes with a set of comprehension questions which can develop pupils’ understanding on the reading materials. A trialling session was done at 9 primary schools involving around 189 pupils. A thinking routine strategy were applied in the teaching and learning during the trialling sessions to support the use of the Pintar Baca cards. Research findings showed an increase in reading interest amongst pupils. In addition, the application of the thinking routines has helped improve pupils’ understanding of the contents of the stories and their language mastery.

Lees om te Leer om te Lewe: Reading Habits of Students at the University of Limpopo, South Africa

Mousaion ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lefose Makgahlela ◽  
Amogelang Molaudzi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Poor Reading ◽  
Reading Interests ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Reading Culture ◽  
The University

The importance of reading cannot be overstated. The persistent lack of a reading culture in South Africa has been reported by many scholars. Following the growing concern for the lack of reading habits of South Africans in general and students at the institutions of higher learning in particular, this quantitative study investigates the reading habits of students at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. The data were collected using a questionnaire which was completed by 98 students in the School of Education and Programme of Information Studies. The students were identified on the basis that they are being trained to encourage and promote the culture of reading in their work. Microsoft Excel was used to capture, calculate and organise the collected data for analysing. The major findings of this study were that the majority of the students at the University of Limpopo have poor reading habits and that they read for academic purposes only and not for pleasure. The study also revealed that the students were not reading for pleasure as a result of the unavailability of reading materials at the university. It is recommended that the library of the University of Limpopo introduce reading materials to accommodate students to read for pleasure and recreation. The development of lifelong reading interests and reading habits is a constant process which begins in the home, improves systematically in the school and is carried on in later life. Therefore, reading is not just for school, it is for life, as people have to “read to learn to live”.

scholarly journals A Study on Reading Habits of Primary School Children in Lhuentse District

2021 ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Karma Tshering
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Reading Habit ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Poor Students ◽  
Reading Culture

The issue of reading, especially book reading has received much attention from different quarters in recent times because of the downward trend it is experiencing, especially among the young generation. The researcher realized that student's reading culture particularly developing reading habits were observed to be very poor. Students neither acquired skills of reading nor develop habits of reading. These experiences and observations have motivated me to carry out research to enhance reading skills in reading and promote reading habits for children. This research is to study on Reading Habits of Primary School children under the Lhuentse District. Reading habit and its impact on children of the respondents have been analyzed to find out how reading habit is affected by various elements. Based on the findings of a questionnaires-based survey, the paper also attempts to put forward some suggestions for improving the reading habits of the children.

scholarly journals Principles and Implementation of Reading Activities in Primary School English Class

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Jinxiu ◽  
Zeng Zhengping
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Primary School Students ◽  
School Students ◽  
English Class ◽  
English Reading ◽  
Good Reading ◽  
Skills Use ◽  
Reading Activities

<p>Reading is an important skill in learning English. However, reading class is not emphasized in some primary schools in China, and there are various problems with the reading activities, which inadequately just focus on teaching of words, sentences separately from texts. This paper aims to bring out a whole system of principles in designing flexible English reading activities to help students form a good reading habit, apply reading skills, use language learned pragmatically and be familiar with the cultures covered in read materials. At last, some examples are offered to demonstrate how to implement these principles so as to enhance reading for Primary school students effectively.</p>

scholarly journals Improving reading strategies and assessments used by educators to enhance learner academic success

Per Linguam ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veena Loopoo ◽  
Robert Balfour
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Reading Skills ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Early Years ◽  
School Level ◽  
Learning To Read ◽  
Professional Success ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
Assessment Strategies

Learning to read is a crucial component of early education. Theorists have found a strong connection between reading skills and the level of academic and professional success enjoyed by an individual. The way an individual learns to read is crucial to achieving academic success; therefore, the methods used to teach reading need to be effective for optimal success. A substantial body of research demonstrates that literacy is fundamental to success in the formal education system and in most cases, the principal site for learning to read and write is assumed to be the primary school, usually in the early years. While there are many perspectives and methods used at school level, teachers will only succeed when they teach explicit strategies to decode words and their meanings and comprehension instruction. Using a mixed-methods approach, this article aimed to identify and explore teaching and assessment strategies employed by educators in Grade R at primary school level pertaining to the teaching of literacy. It emerged that although certain strategies do seem to promote greater acquisition of literacy, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to using literacy to promote the likelihood of achieving academic success.

scholarly journals A snapshot of the use of reading methods in primary schools in three provinces of South Africa

Per Linguam ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
Anna Johanna Hugo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Intermediate Phase ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Know How ◽  
Reading Methods ◽  
Teaching Of Reading

The teaching of reading is not as easy as it may seem. It requires specific knowledge and the use of reading methods by teachers. Learners’ reading needs and learning styles also have to be considered. According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) results for 2016, the reading abilities of South African learners are far below the international standard as set out by PIRLS. There is a lack of research about the strategies and methods that primary school teachers use to teach reading. In this article, the feedback regarding reading methods – gathered from 36 primary school teachers in three provinces – is discussed. The data revealed that most of the Grade 1 to 7 teachers who participated in the research knew and used some of the six reading methods under discussion. However, the results did not indicate how well the teachers applied these methods and how versatile they were in using the different reading methods. The data revealed that Foundation phase teachers used some of the methods statistically significantly more often than the comparison group of Intermediate phase teachers in a nonexperimental static-group observational design study. According to Spaull (McBride 2019:1), a well-known researcher in South Africa, one of the three main reasons why Foundation phase readers are struggling with reading is that their teachers do not know how to teach reading systematically. Teachers do not know how to change and adapt the methods that they use to teach reading and not enough research has been done to address the problems with the teaching of reading in the classroom specifically. Often the reading problems experienced in the Foundation phase are carried over to the Intermediate phase.

scholarly journals Impacts of the Primary School Free Breakfast Initiative on socio-economic inequalities in breakfast consumption among 9–11-year-old schoolchildren in Wales

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1280-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham F Moore ◽  
Simon Murphy ◽  
Katherine Chaplin ◽  
Ronan A Lyons ◽  
Mark Atkinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
School Level ◽  
Breakfast Skipping ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
Dietary Behaviours ◽  
Interaction Term ◽  
Economic Inequalities

AbstractObjectivesUniversal interventions may widen or narrow inequalities if disproportionately effective among higher or lower socio-economic groups. The present paper examines impacts of the Primary School Free Breakfast Initiative in Wales on inequalities in children's dietary behaviours and cognitive functioning.DesignCluster-randomised controlled trial. Responses were linked to free school meal (FSM) entitlement via the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank. Impacts on inequalities were evaluated using weighted school-level regression models with interaction terms for intervention × whole-school percentage FSM entitlement and intervention × aggregated individual FSM entitlement. Individual-level regression models included interaction terms for intervention × individual FSM entitlement.SettingFifty-five intervention and fifty-six wait-list control primary schools.SubjectsApproximately 4500 children completed measures of dietary behaviours and cognitive tests at baseline and 12-month follow-up.ResultsSchool-level models indicated that children in intervention schools ate a greater number of healthy items for breakfast than children in control schools (b = 0·25; 95 % CI 0·07, 0·44), with larger increases observed in more deprived schools (interaction term b = 1·76; 95 % CI 0·36, 3·16). An interaction between intervention and household-level deprivation was not significant. Despite no main effects on breakfast skipping, a significant interaction was observed, indicating declines in breakfast skipping in more deprived schools (interaction term b = −0·07; 95 % CI −0·15, −0·00) and households (OR = 0·67; 95 % CI 0·46, 0·98). No significant influence on inequality was observed for the remaining outcomes.ConclusionsUniversal breakfast provision may reduce socio-economic inequalities in consumption of healthy breakfast items and breakfast skipping. There was no evidence of intervention-generated inequalities in any outcomes.

scholarly journals Refractive status primary school school children in Mopani district, Limpopo Province, South Africa

2006 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-133
Author(s):  
R. G. Mabaso ◽  
A. O. Oduntan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Vision Screening ◽  
Vision Correction ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Right

This article reports part of the findings of a study carried out to determine the causes, prevalence, and distribution of ocular dis-orders among rural primary school children in Mopani district of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Three hundred and eighty eight children aged 8 to 15 years were randomly selected from five randomly selected schools. Non-cycloplegic retinoscopy and auto-refrac-tion were performed on each child. The preva-lence of hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism was 73.1%, 2.5% and 31.3% respectively. Hyperopia (Nearest spherical equivalent power (FNSE) ranged from +0.75 to +3.50 D for the right and left eyes with means of +1.05 ± 0.35 D and +1.08 ± 0.34 D respectively.Myopia (FNSE) ranged from –0.50 to –1.75 D for the right eye and –0.50 to –2.25 D for the left eye with means of –0.75 ± 0.55 D and –0.93 ± 0.55 D respectively. Regression model for myopia, shows that age had an odds ratio  of 1.94 (1.15 to 3.26), indicating a significant increased risk of myopia with increasing age. Correcting cylinders for the right eyes ranged from –0.25 to –4.50 D (mean = −0.67 ± 0.47 D) and for the left eyes from –0.25 to –2.50 D (mean = −0.60 ± 0.30 D). With-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism (66.5%) was more common, followed by against-the-rule (ATR)astigmatism (28.1%) and oblique (OBL) astigmatism (5.4%). With-the-rule astigmatism was more common in females than males; ATR astigmatism and OBL astigmatism werecommon in males. Regular vision screening programmes, appropriate referral and vision correction in primary schools in Mopani district are recommended in order to eliminate refractive errors among the children.

scholarly journals Prevalence of bullying victimisation among primary school children in South Africa: a population-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donnay Manuel ◽  
Sabirah Adams ◽  
Mulalo Mpilo ◽  
Shazly Savahl
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Children ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
North West ◽  
Bullying Victimisation

Abstract Objectives Bullying victimisation (BV) among children in South Africa has been identified as a major public health concern. While several studies report on the prevalence rates of BV, there is currently a dearth of research that reports on the prevalence of BV among a national sample of primary school children. This study determines the prevalence rates of BV among a nationally representative sample of school-going children in South Africa across provinces, age, and gender. The sample comprised 7067 children (boys = 45.6%; girls = 54.4%) between the ages of 10–12-years attending 61 primary schools across the nine provincial regions of South Africa. Results In terms of ‘being hit’ by other children, percentages range from 22.55% (North West) to 33.34% (Free State). Children in Gauteng (33.59%) and Limpopo (38.54%) had the highest percentage of children being ‘left out’ or excluded. Additionally, across all provinces more than 30% of children reported that they had been ‘called unkind names’. Across gender, boys are more likely to experience all three forms of BV (being hit, left out, and called unkind names). The findings further indicate that 10-year-olds reported being ‘hit’ and ‘left out’, whereas a greater percentage of 12-year-olds reported ‘being called unkind names’ (44.28%).

A survey of life-long reading habits among UiTM undergraduates

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Kum Yoke Soo ◽  
Evelyn Sharmannie ◽  
Ahmad Azman
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
English Language ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Reading Habits ◽  
Reading Materials ◽  
Reading Culture ◽  
Internal And External Factors

This study intents to look at the English Language reading habits of Universiti Technologi MARA Johor undergraduates for the purpose of finding out the reading culture among the undergraduates and the strategies to enhance life-long reading habits. It will thus look at the internal and external factors such as self-motivation, availability of reading materials, role of peers, role of motivators (i.e. family, teachers, government, media) and competition from modern devices (i.e. computer, video games, television etc) that challenges the acquisition of life-long reading habits.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document