ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
A Learning Pathway for Whole Numbers That Informs Mathematics Teaching in the Early Years
Author: Kühne, Cally
Date: 2013-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Numbers,Foreign Countries,Number Concepts,Preservice Teachers,Workshops,Theory Practice Relationship,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Elementary School Mathematics

This paper reports on the development of a Learning Pathway for Number (LPN) with the aim of facilitating the teaching and learning of whole number in the early primary grades (Grades R-4) within the South African educational context. The development of the LPN was based on the Dutch Learning/Teaching Trajectory for Whole Number (Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, 2001). This paper describes a case study that presents the development of the LPN with three teacher groups (teachers from a school improvement project, teachers from high-performing schools and pre-service student teachers). The LPN is a conceptual framework based on five learning/teaching principles, namely the context, level, activity, interaction and the guidance principles. The benefit of this pedagogic tool adapted and refined for the South African context is that it provides a longitudinal view, highlighting milestones in the learning of number with the aim of deepening learners' conceptual understanding of number over time. This case study reveals the importance of a device that enables teachers to reflect on their mathematics content and pedagogy and bridges the theory-practice divide. It also highlights the critical issue of language and the use of appropriate terminology and activities in the classroom.
Reading for Empowerment: Intertextuality Offers Creative Possibilities for Enlightened Citizenry
Author: Kalua, Fetson
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Processes,Reading Materials,Reading Strategies,Literacy,Multiple Literacies,Empowerment,Personal Autonomy

Julia Kristeva coined the term 'intertextuality' to explain her utter belief in the mutability and movement of texts, in contradistinction to the time-honoured popular idea that a text is an autonomous and self-evident object. For Kristeva, any text implies the existence and embedding of other texts, also known as sub-texts, within it. This has far-reaching implications for the way we read, engage with, and interpret various texts. This article describes the concept of intertextuality as a model of reading which puts the reader at the centre of the reading process. It goes on to link intertextuality to other domains of literacy, notably the notion of 'spheres of literacy'. Central to intertextuality and spheres of literacy is their privileging of the reader, as opposed to the author, in the reading process. Finally, the article explores the ways in which our awareness and use of intertextuality can help to develop a literate and free-thinking citizenry who derive utmost autonomy and empowerment from various cultural texts accessible to them. [Paper presented at the Pan African Conference (Botswana, July 2011.)]
Assessing Early Numeracy: Significance, Trends, Nomenclature, Context, Key Topics, Learning Framework and Assessment Tasks
Author: Wright, Robert J.
Date: 2013-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Numeracy,Mathematics Instruction,Elementary School Mathematics,Classification,Number Concepts,Arithmetic,Computation,Mathematics Skills,Educational Trends,Sequential Learning

This article describes a comprehensive and novel approach to assessment in early numeracy. Topics include the significance of early numeracy, developing a nomenclature for early numeracy, and describing the context for the development of this approach to assessment. The largely unrealised importance of numerals and numeral sequences in early numeracy, the significance of counting and its distinction from saying a number word sequence, the important topics of structuring numbers in the range 1 to 20 and conceptual place value, the Learning Framework in Number and its use in profiling children's early numeracy knowledge, and important assessment tasks are explored.
IsiZulu and English in KwaZulu-Natal Rural Schools: How Teachers Fear Failure and Opt for English
Author: Mashiya, Nontokozo
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rural Schools,African Languages,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Self Concept,Native Language,Language Proficiency,Decision Making,Language of Instruction,Prior Learning,Elementary School Teachers,Language Planning,Teacher Attitudes,Parent Participation,Language Usage,Foreign Countries

In this article, factors inhibiting the use of mother tongue as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) in rural foundation phase classes is investigated. I analysed qualitative data from focus group interviews with 20 foundation phase teachers that were selected through purposive sampling. Findings show that factors such as prior learner knowledge, better opportunities for children, time constraints, low self-concepts of African teachers, failure of the education system, teachers' lack of proficiency in the language of teaching and learning, directly translated resources, lack of parental involvement in decision making, and 'invisible' school language policies inhibit the use of children's primary language in the classroom. These nine factors are discussed and the article makes recommendations to suggest ways to alleviate these challenges.
The Cultural Context of Development: Language as a Means for Thinking and Problem-Solving
Author: Muthivhi, Azwihangwisi E.
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cultural Context,Problem Solving,Foreign Countries,Grade 1,Grade 3,Grade 5,Grade 7,Thinking Skills,Sociocultural Patterns,Developmental Psychology,Elementary School Students

The present study, located in the socio-cultural tradition of research in developmental psychology, uses experimental tasks, adapted from the groundbreaking Lurian study (Luria, 1979, 1976) to investigate South African children's acquisition and development of thinking and concepts -- involving classification and generalisation, and how these concepts are linked to the specific cultural context of their manifestation. The paper provides new ways of understanding possible causes of contemporary problems that children encounter during classroom learning by examining the developmental roots of the specific modes of thinking and concept development in their concrete learning and developmental settings and specific tradition of learning within their schooling.
The Relationship between School Readiness and School Performance in Grade 1 and Grade 4
Author: van Zyl, Erna
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,School Readiness,Grade 1,Grade 4,Academic Achievement,Foreign Countries,Native Language,Numeracy,Elementary School Students,Aptitude Tests

The research reported in this article was conducted from a socio-environmental perspective on learners' school readiness when entering Grade 1, as well as their school performance in Grade 1 and again in Grade 4. The relation between school readiness and performance in Home Language and Numeracy in Grade 1, and performance in the same learning areas in Grade 4 were investigated by means of a longitudinal quantitative study. One school in the Free State province was purposefully selected. The Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB) was implemented to capture school readiness, including school maturity and levels of development in physical, cognitive, emotional, social and normative domains. Results confirm that school readiness significantly correlated with academic performance of the respondents in Grade 1 as well as with their school performance in Grade 4.
Reading Comprehension and Strategy Awareness of Grade 11 English Second Language Learners
Author: Cekiso, Madoda
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Reading Comprehension,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Grade 11,High School Students,Reading Strategies,Teaching Methods,Scores,Reading Tests,Experimental Groups,Control Groups,Second Language Instruction,Pretests Posttests,Foreign Countries

The aim of this study was to examine the reading strategies used by Grade 11 English Second Language (ESL) learners and the possible effects of reading instruction on their reading comprehension and strategy awareness. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was used. The participants included a total of 60 Grade 11 learners from a high school. The results of this study indicate that (1) learners who received reading strategy instruction scored both statistically and practically significantly higher marks on the reading comprehension test than those in the control group and (2) explicit instruction in the use of reading strategies was essential to bring about the increased use of reading strategies of learners in the experimental group. The study has implications for learners, teachers, university students and lecturers.
Preparing Teachers for HIV/AIDS Education: Integrated and Interdisciplinary Pre-Service Teacher Education
Author: van Laren, Linda
Date: 2011-07-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Interdisciplinary Approach,Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Preservice Teacher Education,Preservice Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Methods,Student Attitudes,Knowledge Base for Teaching,Foreign Countries

This article focuses on the views of pre-service teachers regarding an appropriate model for integrating HIV/AIDS education at a Faculty of Education. The final-year foundation and intermediate phase teachers were introduced to integrating HIV/AIDS education in Mathematics education and reflected on their four years of training. By using self-study methodology, the opinions and experiences of pre-service teachers of the two models of HIV/AIDS education in teacher preparation were explored, aiming to improve the manner in which pre-service teachers could be prepared to teach in the social and educational context of HIV/AIDS. The pre-service teachers indicated that they are under-prepared to teach in this context. Pre-service teachers were of the opinion that they could, however, be better prepared through HIV/AIDS teacher education that includes both discipline/subject and integrated models of teacher education.
The Discipline and Craft of Academic Writing: Building Writing Capacity in Institutions of Higher Education
Author: Janks, Hilary
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Academic Discourse,Capacity Building,Writing Instruction,Higher Education,Workshops,Creative Writing,Writing Strategies,Writing Teachers,College Faculty,Foreign Countries,Prewriting,Course Descriptions,Revision (Written Composition),Writing Processes

This article offers a first-person account of an academic writing workshop from the perspective of a participant. What is significant is that the workshop combines traditional and creative writing approaches to the teaching of academic writing. This provides new insights into a process of academic writing that can have a significant effect on the quality of the writing and a reader's engagement with it.
Digital Literacy in Ugandan Teacher Education: Insights from a Case Study
Author: Andema, Samuel
Date: 2013-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Case Studies,Technological Literacy,Language Teachers,Teacher Educators,Teacher Education Programs,Urban Areas,Information Technology,Public Officials,Public Policy,Educational Change,Culturally Relevant Education,Instructional Materials,Electronic Libraries,Innovation,Disadvantaged Schools,Foreign Countries,Educational Policy,Computer Centers

This case study investigated the relationship between policy and practice with regard to advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Ugandan teacher education. Our qualitative study, conducted in 2008, focused on the experiences of six language teacher educators in an urban Primary Teachers' College (PTC). We also drew on insights from an interview with the then Ugandan Minister of ICT, Doctor Ham-Mukasa Mulira and the national ICT policy. Whilst the Minister expressed the hope that technology would transform Ugandan education, our findings suggest that the success of ICT initiatives depends largely on whether local conditions support such initiatives. Despite their enthusiasm for digital technology, the participants were challenged by the expense of Internet connectivity, inadequate training, power outages, and culturally irrelevant material. We suggest that ICT policy should address teacher educators' use of digital technology across diverse sites, and that innovations such as the eGranary portable digital library might be particularly useful in poorly resourced educational institutions.
Relationship between Math Teachers&apos; Instructional Styles and Their Educational Philosophical Backgrounds
Author: Atasoy, Ercan
Date: 2018-10-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Correlation,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Teaching Styles,Educational Philosophy,Foreign Countries,Politics of Education,Educational Policy,Predictor Variables,Teaching Methods,Secondary School Teachers,Measures (Individuals)

The governance of a particular educational philosophy is indispensable for any developed nation in the sense of ruling and governing over its current and future political sociology. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the relationships between mathematics teachers' applied instructional styles and their identified educational philosophical grounds. The study was conducted on 124 math teachers working in secondary schools during the 2016-2017 education years. This study aims to use a quantitative research method through the &quot;Philosophical Preference Rating Scale&quot; and the &quot;Teaching Style Scale&quot;. The evidence indicates that teachers prefer personal model the most and authoritative teaching style the least. However, it is also determined that these teachers have predominantly experimentalist philosophical backgrounds. The least preferred philosophical approach is the existentialist understanding. In addition, teachers are able to predict their teaching styles, especially from idealistic, realistic, and perennial philosophical points. These indications inform us further on how and why the means of education system has remained much the same while education policies have been reformed many times throughout the recent years in Turkey.
Drop-In Centres as a Community Response to Children&apos;s Needs
Author: Mahlase, Zabalaza
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Childhood Needs,Barriers,Foreign Countries,Poverty,Community Services,Youth,Children,Child Health,Social Support Groups

School going children have a broad range of needs at any given point in time. If these needs are not met, they may experience barriers to learning and development, which can result in the breakdown of the learning process or even total exclusion. Barriers to learning and development affect learners differently, but nothing threatens their development and quality of life in the same way as the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Young children, because of their dependence on others, are likely to suffer developmental, educational, emotional and physical setbacks, due to the impact of the pandemic. For many, the impact is so great that their access to schooling is threatened as they (and their siblings) struggle to survive. This article discusses literature on how HIV/AIDS intensifies poverty, while in the process marginalising affected and infected children; and it is also concerned with how communities can respond to the needs of these vulnerable children. Particular attention is paid to drop-in centres as a sustainable response to the challenges young children face in KwaZulu-Natal. The article concludes that the drop-in centre scheme is a desirable model of care as it employs an environmentally friendly approach that relies on inter-sectoral collaboration to provide care and support for children in need.
What&apos;s That Object? Learning Astronomical Concepts through the Use of the &quot;Aladin&quot; Program and Manipulation of Astronomical Images
Author: de Lima, Melina S.
Date: 2018-06-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Astronomy,Science Education,Scientific Concepts,Computer Software,Educational Games,Elementary School Science,Elementary School Students,Science Instruction,Teaching Methods,Outcomes of Education,Science Tests,Pretests Posttests,Achievement Gains

Various studies have noted current shortcomings in the teaching and learning of science in schools, and the results of large-scale tests show that despite heavy investment in education, Brazilians' understanding of science test scores typically fall short of what could be if students had a consistent, high-quality basic education. This article summarizes the teaching plan and systematic study results for an activity titled &quot;What's That Object?&quot; implemented in the city of Salvador, Bahia state, Brazil, in 2015. Astronomical concepts were taught, and the Aladin software was used in the lessons, which included two computerized memory games produced for this activity. We believe that the results lend strong support to the notion that astronomy education can be improved and motivates educators to teach astronomical concepts at the elementary school level.
Deficiencies within the Education System with Regard to Perceptual Motor Learning Preparation of Grade R Learners
Author: Erasmus, Myrtle
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Perceptual Motor Learning,Foreign Countries,Motor Development,School Readiness,Early Childhood Education,Nursery Schools,Elementary Schools,Stimulation,Physical Activities,Teacher Qualifications,Teacher Effectiveness

Increased concern about the low levels of literacy and numeracy among Grade 3 learners in South Africa is resulting in more emphasis being placed on the preparatory Grade R year. The level of learning readiness of pupils when entering formal teaching in Grade 1 is determined by perceptual motor stimulation that pupils received during the preschool phase. 'Learning readiness' can be influenced by the knowledge of teachers, teacher/child ratio, the availability of teaching aids, as well as the amount of space and time allocated to movement activities. The aim of the study recounted in this article was to determine the physical deficiencies that could negatively affect children's perceptual motor development and school readiness. Focus was placed on factors that influence perceptual motor development such as the training of teachers, availability of equipment and resources at schools with Grade R classes. Demographic information was collected with regards to; the qualification of teachers, the number of pupils, and intervention programmes that are offered at schools by outside institutions. A Likert scale questionnaire, with a combination of yes/no and open questions, was used and followed up by a personal interview. According to availability, 31 schools and 51 teachers were selected to participate in the research. Teachers of schools in developed areas and disadvantaged areas were involved in the study. The results of the study show that teachers are not sufficiently trained for the early child developmental needs within the education environment and that many schools are under-supplied in terms of resources and equipment. It is recommended that these teachers receive inservice training on learners' perceptual motor development and that the Department of Education should provide schools with resources and equipment to prevent these deficiencies in the education system.
Child-Caregiver Attachment, Self-Evaluation and Cognitive Development in a Group of Pre-School Children
Author: van Deventer, Marichelle
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Cognitive Development,Preschool Children,Infants,Attachment Behavior,Correlation,Pictorial Stimuli,Foreign Countries,Mothers,Parent Child Relationship,Indo European Languages,Self Evaluation (Individuals),Social Development,Emotional Development,Whites,Native Language

Primary attachment relationships have an enormous influence on later cognitive development, socio-emotional development and psychological health. Up to date, no research explored the correlations between the quality of the child-caregiver attachment relationship (AQ), self-evaluation (SE), and cognitive development (CD) of five-year-old pre-school children. In accordance, the aim of this study was to explore the correlation between these three variables. Ten Afrikaans speaking mother-child dyads from white, two parent, first marriage families participated. Participants were assessed with the Pictorial Self-Evaluation Scale (PSES), The Observed Attachment Behavior Q-set (AQS), and The Griffiths Mental Development Scales; Extended Revised (GMDS-ER) in a single study in a South African context. Results indicate that a positive, medium to high practical significant correlations do exist between the reliabilities. However, because of the small number of infants tested, it was difficult in this initial sample to draw firm conclusions about the statistical significance of the results. Nonetheless the results obtained in this pilot study are very encouraging and holds great value for further investigation.
Move to Literacy: Fanning Emergent Literacy in Early Childhood Education in a Pedagogy of Play
Author: Excell, Lorayne
Date: 2011-09-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Emergent Literacy,Play,Child Development,Phonemic Awareness,Alphabets,Vocabulary Development,Early Childhood Education,Teaching Methods,Learning Activities,Learning Processes,Movement Education,Sensory Integration,Literacy Education,Perceptual Motor Learning

A literate child is one who is able to read, write, speak and listen. Literacy begins at birth, and continues steadily as children develop. The explicit processes that form emergent literacy are for example, phonemic awareness, letter and word recognition, vocabulary enrichment and structural analysis. These literacy practices are well documented and articulated. But how these practices and the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values (KSAVs) that underpin them are best acquired by young children is contested. This paper argues that an early childhood education (ECE) approach, which fans literacy, should follow a quality play-based approach that embraces a pedagogy of play that foregrounds how children learn through play, and how teachers teach through play. In combining two constructs 'pedagogy' and 'play', we propose an approach that is underpinned by movement and other appropriate learning activities, which support the development of perceptual-motor behaviours and sensorimotor integration in a pedagogy of play. We argue that perceptual-motor behaviours and sensorimotor integration are the 'invisible' pathways to literacy. They provide young children with many and varied, incidental, implicit and explicit learning opportunities. A more informal, play-based approach towards teaching and learning appears to be a successful way of nurturing literacy processes.