Using research to enable teachers in the foundation phase to understand why their learners could struggle to develop home language abilities

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 285-303
Author(s):  
Anna Hugo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Right

Home language abilities are important upon entering school, when children learn now concepts and skills such as reading, writing and mathematics. The home language also lays the foundation for the development of a second language. In terms of the Constitution ofthe Republic of South Africa, the use of the 11 official languages of South Africa has to be advanced and thus the right to be taught in one’s home language from Grade R to Grade 3 is protected in the South African policies. The author opines that children’s home languages are not always developed correctly and according to the standardised form of the various home languages. The importance of home language development will be discussed in this article and also the factors to be found in the home environment and in the school situation that could hinder and delay home language development. Keywords: home environment, home language, home language development, parents’ influence, school environment, standardised  form of a language, teachers.

Children's attitudes toward arithmetic

1966 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-208
Author(s):  
Mildred Brown Abrego
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
Educational System ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Good Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Whole Child ◽  
Children's Attitudes ◽  
The Right

In the educational system of the United States the education of the whole child has been important. Home environment, school environment, heredity, and good health-physical and mental-have played their part in the maturation of the student. All of these influences can aid learning, but without the right attitude the child's full potential of growth in knowledge cannot be realized.

Leadership and Stakeholder Involvement in Creating a Non-Violent Early Childhood Development (ECD) School Environment in South Africa

2019 ◽  
pp. 233-251
Author(s):  
Matshediso Rebecca Modise
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Free Environment

This chapter seeks to consider strategies and means that early childhood development (ECD) leadership in South Africa can use to create a non-violent environment at ECD centers and in the foundation phase in primary schools. In South Africa, ECD is defined as a term indicating the procedures under which children from birth to nine years of age grow and flourish emotionally, morally, socially, physically, and spiritually. The chapter focuses on Pre-Grade 1 to Grade 3 environments. It also addresses the roles that relevant stakeholders can play in support of school leadership in the creation of a violent-free environment. The research is guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Since early childhood is a sensitive and impressionable stage in children's lives, a living, supportive atmosphere as well as an enabling social setting is essential to ensure their complete development. This requires the involvement of all stakeholders (school governing bodies), especially members of the schools' leadership teams in considering policy.

scholarly journals Disentangling the language effect in South African schools: Measuring the impact of ‘language of assessment’ in grade 3 literacy and numeracy

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Spaull
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
School Quality ◽  
Composite Effect ◽  
Unusual Occurrence ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this article is to exploit an unusual occurrence whereby a large group of South African grade 3 students were tested twice, 1 month apart, on the same test in different languages. Using a simplified difference-in-difference methodology, it becomes possible to identify the causal impact of writing a test in English when English is not a student’s home language for 3402 students. The article aims to address the extent to which language factors (relative to non- language factors) can explain the high levels of underperformance in reading and mathematics in South Africa. I find that the language of assessment effect is between 0.3 and 0.7 standard deviations in literacy and 0 and 0.3 standard deviations in numeracy. This is approximately 1–2 years worth of learning in literacy and 0–1 year worth of learning in numeracy. By contrast, the size of the composite effect of home background and school quality is roughly 4 years worth of learning for both numeracy (1.2 standard deviations) and literacy (1.15 standard deviations). These results clearly show that the ‘language effect’ should be seen within the broader context of a generally dysfunctional schooling system. They further stress the importance of the quality of instruction, not only the language of learning and assessment. The fact that the literacy and numeracy achievement of South African children is so low in grade 3 (prior to any language switch to English in grade 4) should give pause to those who argue that language is the most important factor in determining achievement, or lack thereof, in South Africa.

scholarly journals How to choose the right English language textbook?

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-98
Author(s):  
Eva Reid ◽  
Elena Kováčiková
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Home Language ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
Book Market ◽  
Intercultural Awareness ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
Publishing Houses ◽  
The Right

The book market in Slovakia is overloaded with various language books offered by prestigious publishing houses. The “international” textbooks are rather very general, not paying attention to cultural and language peculiarities which are different for each country and culture. Modern teaching approaches call for cross-curricular relations and the content of teaching might differ in every country. National books have the advantage of including cultural and language specifics of the particular country, connect contents of various schools subjects and take into consideration the needs of “home” language teachers with the aim to improve and develop specifically the sides of language systems and skills that are particularly necessary for students of their country. The paper analyses three English language textbooks for third grade of primary schools. Two textbooks are form major international publishing houses and are the most popular in Slovakia. The third book is written by Slovak authors and is new to the market. The method of document analysis was used to compare contents of linguistic and cultural diversity and supporting development of intercultural awareness and intercultural communicative competences of pupils.

scholarly journals The right to basic education for all in South Africa: Implications for school principals

2017 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramodikoe Marishane
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Environment ◽  
School Safety ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
The State ◽  
Quality Education ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
The Right

It is now globally accepted that all children have the right to basic education as a fundamental human right. This right must not only be guaranteed, but also fulfilled holistically to meet all children’s educational needs. This occurs when its three dimensions, namely access, quality and safe conditions are equally addressed. In other words, the right to basic education is fulfilled when all children have access to quality education in a safe school environment. For this reason, the state has a duty to promote and protect this right entirely. In South Africa, the state has put in place a legislative and policy framework to meet its obligation in this regard. However, despite the state’s efforts in creating child-friendly school conditions, children in schools still experience challenges that negatively impinge upon their educational rights. Such challenges include school dropout, grade repetition together with poor academic performance and achievement. The problem is rooted in the disconnection between access to education, school safety and quality education, putting the spotlight on the school principal’s leadership. This paper concludes that refocusing on the application of the school leadership theory has the potential to reduce the problem.

scholarly journals THE EFFORT TO INCREASE AWARENESS SAFETY AND HEALTH AT SCHOOLS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS STUDENT USING ROLE PLAY METHOD

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Neffrety Nilamsari ◽  
Fadilatus Sukma Ika Noviarni ◽  
Ratih Damayanti
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The Right ◽  
Good Rating

Background: Application of Occupational Safety and Health (K3) is not only the scope of the company but also be started from the household and school environment. There are many potential hazards for students at school and can cause an accident or illness for students if not controlled well. Primary school is a form of formal education for children aged 6 to 12 years. Child is curious about a concept. During this period, children have begun to be able to distinguish between good and bad based on their own reasoning. Purpose: The right method was needed to motivated children aged 6-12 years to play safe at the school environment and home. Method: The role play method was used as a tool to stimulate students aged 6-12 years to be able to increase awareness of the importance of applying OSH in the school and home environment especially when playing futsal and bicycles. Result: The understanding scores of playing material was safe during the pre-test with a very good rating of 66.67%, and those who lack understanding 12.90%. An increase in scores after the role play of the criteria was very good up to 69.15% while the lack of understanding criteria can be reduced until 4.25%. Conclusion: The material thas has been given has a positive impact on students awareness. These activities can be improved through children habituation to live safety consciously.

scholarly journals More than a new country: Effects of immigration, home language, and school mobility on elementary students’ academic achievement over time

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Orlena Patricia Broomes
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Elementary Students ◽  
Home Language ◽  
School Mobility ◽  
Grade 3 ◽  
Using Data ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Over Time

This study investigated the effects of immigration and home language on academic achievement over time. Using data from Ontario’s Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics administered to the same students in Grades 3 and 6, logistic regression was used to predict if students achieved proficiency in Grade 6 if they were not proficient in Grade 3. The results indicate that home language or interactions with home language are significant in most cases. In addition, students who speak a language other than or in addition to English at home are, in general, a little more likely to be proficient at Grade 6. Most students who were born outside of Canada were significantly more likely than students born in Canada to stay or become proficient in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics by Grade 6. These results highlight the importance of considering the enormous heterogeneity of immigrants’ experiences when studying the effects of immigration on academic performance and the dire limitations of datasets that do not collect such data.

scholarly journals Prevalence and factors associated with experience of corporal punishment in public schools in South Africa

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0254503
Author(s):  
Pinky Mahlangu ◽  
Esnat Chirwa ◽  
Mercilene Machisa ◽  
Yandisa Sikweyiya ◽  
Nwabisa Shai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Corporal Punishment ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Increased Risk

Background Corporal punishment (CP) is still a common practice in schools globally. Although illegal, studies in South Africa report its continued use, but only a few have explored factors associated with school CP. Moreover, extant studies have not shown the interrelationships between explanatory factors. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with learners’ experiences, and to examine pathways to the learners’ experiences of CP at school. Method 3743 grade 8 learners (2118 girls and 1625 boys) from 24 selected public schools in Tshwane, South Africa, enrolled in a cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating a multi-component school-based intervention to prevent intimate partner violence, and completed self-administered questionnaires. We carried out descriptive analysis, simple linear and structural equation modelling to examine factors and pathways to the learners’ experience of CP at school. Results About 52% of learners had experienced CP at school in the last 6 months. It was higher among boys compared to girls. Experience of CP at school amongst learners was associated with learner behavior, home environment, and school environment. Learners from households with low-socio economic status (SES) had an increased risk of CP experience at school. Amongst boys, low family SES status was associated with a negative home environment and had a direct negative impact on a learner’s mental health, directly associated with misbehavior. Conclusion CP in public schools in South Africa continues despite legislation prohibiting its use. While addressing learner behaviour is critical, evidence-based interventions addressing home and school environment are needed to change the culture among teachers of using corporal punishment to discipline adolescents and inculcate one that promotes positive discipline.

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