ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Early Numeracy Performance of South African School Beginners
Author: Aunio, Pirjo
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Numeracy,Mathematics Skills,Elementary School Students,Grade 1,Native Language,Language of Instruction,Institutional Characteristics,Public Schools,Private Schools,Gender Differences,Listening Comprehension,Mathematics Achievement,Low Achievement

Early numeracy skills are highly relevant for children's mathematics learning at school, especially in the initial years when much mathematics learning relies on early numeracy competence. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of early numeracy skills in a sample of South African children in the first months of formal schooling. In this cross-sectional study, there were 443 first graders (206 girls and 237 boys) from Gauteng Province schools. The mean age of the children was 81.61 months (6 years 10 months) (SD 5.40 months). Their early numeracy skills were measured with the ThinkMath Scale. The main finding of this study was that there were statistically significant differences in early numeracy skills between the children when they started first grade. The differences were related to the home language of the first graders in the English medium schools, as well as the type of school (public vs. private). This article concludes that the numeracy competence of the children from the sample was notably varied in the beginning of their formal schooling, which has implications for teaching in the vastly different classroom populations that are all served by one national curriculum.
An Analysis of the Grade 3 Department of Basic Education Workbooks as Curriculum Tools
Author: Hoadley, Ursula
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Education,Second Language Instruction,English (Second Language),Workbooks,Alignment (Education),National Curriculum,Educational Policy,Evaluation,Progress Monitoring,Speech Skills,Reading Skills,Writing Skills,Phonics,Mathematics Skills,Number Concepts,Algebra,Geometry,Measurement,Elementary School Curriculum

Since 2011, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), has provided all Grade 1 to 6 learners in public schools with literacy/language, numeracy/mathematics and life skills workbooks. This study provides an assessment of the purpose to which the workbooks are best suited by analysing the Grade 3 Mathematics and Home Language English workbooks for 2015 in the light of the DBE's intentions for the workbooks. The study considers alignment of the workbooks with the official national curriculum, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAPS), as well as 'conceptual signalling' and progression in the content of the workbooks. We then evaluate the kind of 'curriculum tool' the workbooks in their current format conform to. We explore three possibilities in the light of the DBE's proposals for the workbook use: a practice tool; an assessment tool; and a monitoring tool. We also reflect on the workbooks as a teaching tool. Our analysis suggests that, in line with the DBE's intended purpose for the workbooks, that the workbooks best represent a practice curriculum tool. We highlight the significance of the high level of curriculum compliance of the workbook, and indicate that this would render them an effective monitoring tool for assessing the quantitative coverage of the curriculum at a systemic level.
Disentangling the Language Effect in South African Schools: Measuring the Impact of &apos;Language of Assessment&apos; in Grade 3 Literacy and Numeracy
Author: Spaull, Nicholas
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 3,Literacy,Numeracy,Elementary School Students,Language of Instruction,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Native Language,Reading Tests,Mathematics Tests,Reading Achievement,Mathematics Achievement,Test Items

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 nonlanguage 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.
Grade 4 Children&apos;s Engagements in Cross-Sex Relationships: A Case from One South African Farm School
Author: Maphanga, Nonhlanhla
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Grade 4,Learner Engagement,Foreign Countries,Gender Differences,Peer Relationship,Personal Narratives,Student Experience,Preadolescents,Rural Schools,Masculinity,Femininity,Elementary School Students

This study explores Grade 4 school children's experiences of cross-sex relationships in a co-educational farm school in uMgungundlovu district in South Africa. The aim is to understand if and how constructions of gender bear on young children's social relations at the school. Informed by children's geographies and new sociology of childhood studies, this study uses data from semi-structured interviews and photo-voice imagery based on a qualitative narrative study of three girls and three boys aged between 9 and 12 years. The study found that children's experiences of cross-sex relationships were deeply entrenched in traditional discourses of masculinities and femininities. These rigidly constructed discourses of gender were found to constrain possibilities and fluidities with which children navigated places and spaces of cross-sex relationships in the school. The hegemonic regulatory power of gender norms was a yardstick, informing children's organisation and performances of cross-sex relationships even if some children had developed creative ways of subverting dominant gender norms in how they navigated in cross-sex relationships. The study argues for the liberalisation of gender norms, in order to allow children to freely -- without being constrained by their genitalia -- take subject positions of gender in cross-sex relationships. This would promote sustainable equitable gender relations, as children learn how to engage in cross-sex relationships, beyond the constraining prescripts of dominant masculinities and femininities.
Fostering Children&apos;s Music in the Mother Tongue in Early Childhood Education: A Case Study in Zambia
Author: Kalinde, Bibian
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Native Language,Music Education,African Languages,Singing,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Foreign Countries,Language of Instruction,Preschool Education,Vocabulary Development,Teaching Methods,Cultural Context,Music,Case Studies,Play,Story Telling,Movement Education,Native Language Instruction

The influence that the use of a familiar language has on learning has long been explored with suggestions that a child's mother tongue is the most suited initial language of instruction in school. In Zambia, however, this is not the case as the majority of people think that young children should learn to speak in English as soon as possible because this is the language of education. As a result, songs in English dominate the singing repertoire in pre-schools even when children have not mastered sufficient English vocabulary. Singing songs in English, just as teaching children in a language they do not understand, has been shown to hamper learning. The theoretical lens of indigenous African education underpins the study in order to investigate how music in the mother tongue in a cultural context can foster educational aims. Research participants included an expert in Zambian indigenous children's songs who also acted as resource person and led 18 children aged between 5 and 6 years in sessions of music in their mother tongue. The findings of the study revealed that educational implications of children's participation in music in the mother tongue can be found in the way in which they are organised, the activities they involve and in the music elements that characterise them.
Early Childhood Exposure to Media Violence: What Parents and Policymakers Ought to Know
Author: Fitzpatrick, Caroline
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Violence,Mass Media Effects,Preschool Children,Aggression,Self Control,Child Development,Television Viewing,Social Development,Video Games

We review the state of evidence supporting a link between violent media exposure in preschoolaged children and subsequent well-being outcomes. We searched through four decades (1971-2011) of literature for enlightening details on the relationship between early exposure to media violence and health outcomes in later childhood and adolescence. Evidence suggests that preschool exposure may be linked to increased aggression and self-regulation problems. Results are discussed in the context of displacement, social cognitive and overstimulation theories. We recommend increasing efforts towards developing guidelines for families and professionals concerned with the well-being of children.
Differences in Achievement between Home Language and Language of Learning in South Africa: Evidence from prePIRLS 2011
Author: van Staden, Surette
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Academic Achievement,Native Language,Language of Instruction,Evidence,Achievement Tests,Grade 4,International Assessment,Reading Achievement,Reading Tests,Official Languages,African Languages,English,Testing,Disadvantaged

This study utilised regression methods to explain Grade 4 reading literacy achievement taking into account discrepancies between the language of the test and home language for learners who participated in the South African preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) 2011. Grade 4 learners were tested across all 11 official languages. The language of testing did not always coincide with the learner's home language; therefore, prePIRLS 2011 test results reveal achievement for learners who in many cases did the test in a second or third language. Results from the current analyses show that testing in African languages predicts significantly lower results as compared to English, but that exponentially worse results by as much as 0.29 points lower of a standard deviation can be expected when the African language of the test did not coincide with the learners' home language. Findings from the current study provide evidence that African children stand to be disadvantaged the most when a strong mother tongue base has not been developed and when education for children between Grade 1 and 3 is only available through a medium of instruction other than the mother tongue. Evidence that exposure to a language that at least shares linguistic similarities to the home language could have a positive effect.
Counting Skills Intervention for Low-Performing First Graders
Author: Mononen, Riikka
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Skills,Computation,Low Achievement,Elementary School Students,Grade 1,Intervention,Logical Thinking,Language Skills,Reading Fluency,Reading Skills,Student Improvement

Background: It is important to provide early educational support for children having weak mathematical skills, in order to prevent possible later mathematical learning difficulties. Currently, there is a lack of research-based mathematical intervention programmes for teachers to use. Aim: This study investigated the impact of counting skills intervention for Finnish first graders with low performance. In addition, the relations between inductive reasoning, language and mathematical skills were examined. Setting: This study applied a quasi-experimental design using control groups. Methods: Intervention was provided in small groups 12 times during 8 weeks. The development of intervention children (LOWi, n = 11) was compared to the development of low-performing (LOWc, n = 26) and typically performing (TYPc, n = 114) children. Results: The LOWi group made significantly greater gains in their mathematical performance from Time 1 to Time 2, compared with the LOWc and TYPc groups. Children with low performance in mathematical skills showed lower performance also in their inductive reasoning and reading fluency skills than the TYP children. Conclusion: A relatively short counting skills intervention that applied explicit teaching showed promising effects in improving low-performing children's mathematical performance as a supplemental instruction.
A Combined Prosodic and Linguistic Treatment Approach for Language-Communication Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Author: Kuschke, Silva
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Pervasive Developmental Disorders,Autism,Foreign Countries,Suprasegmentals,Communication Skills,Clinical Diagnosis,Language Skills,Young Children,Listening Skills,Linguistics,Auditory Stimuli,Pragmatics,Interpersonal Relationship,Speech Therapy

This study aimed to determine whether the use of prosodically varied speech within a traditional language therapy framework had any effect on the listening skills, pragmatic skills and social interaction behaviour of three children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A single participant multiple baseline design across behaviours was implemented. Three participants with ASD were selected for this research. The listening skills, pragmatic skills and social interaction behaviour of the participants were compared before treatment, after a 3-week period of treatment and after a 2-week withdrawal period from treatment, utilising prosodically varied speech within a traditional language therapy approach. Statistical significance was not calculated for each individual due to the limited data, but visual inspection indicated that all the participants showed positive behavioural changes in performance across all areas after 3 weeks of treatment, independent of their pre-treatment performance level. The use of prosodically varied speech within a traditional language therapy framework appears to be a viable form of treatment for children with ASD.
The Baseline Assessment of Grade 1 Learners&apos; Literacy Skills in a Socio-Economically Disadvantaged School Setting
Author: Wildschut, Zelda
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Grade 1,Student Evaluation,Barriers,Student Needs,Teaching Methods,Elementary School Students,Mixed Methods Research,Receptive Language,Expressive Language,Perception,Psychomotor Skills,Disadvantaged Youth,At Risk Students,Gender Differences,Student Characteristics,Emergent Literacy,Numeracy,Documentation,Observation,Attendance Patterns,Family Environment,Language Usage,Age Differences

Research has revealed that the academic performances of learners in South Africa are below the required level. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) launched the literacy and numeracy strategy 2006-2016 in response to the low literacy and numeracy levels. In addition, the WCED introduced the Grade 1 baseline assessment in 2006, as part of the literacy and numeracy strategy. The purpose of this study was to observe the implementation of the Grade 1 literacy baseline assessment programme of the WCED. This study aimed to determine what literacy barriers, if any, the learners were experiencing and to recommend literacy support strategies, in order to inform teaching practices. Purposive sampling was used for the selection of a Grade 1 class, with English as the language of learning and teaching. Thirty-seven Grade 1 learners participated in the study. A mixed-methods research design was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The data collection strategies employed included documentary analysis, by examining participants' school admission forms to provide biographical information as well as their written baseline assessment scripts. The baseline assessment process was also observed as it was being conducted. The findings suggest that some of the learners experienced literacy barriers in terms of receptive and expressive language, perceptual skills and fine motor development. The data were summarised, and the information was used to describe the literacy barriers in terms of the biographical variables and to recommend learning support strategies for literacy development.
Teachers&apos; Discourses of Literacy as Social Practice in Advantaged and Disadvantaged Early Childhood Contexts
Author: Martin, Colwyn D.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Literacy,Disadvantaged Environment,Child Care Centers,Preschool Children,Advantaged,Power Structure,Teacher Attitudes,Child Development,School Readiness,Emergent Literacy,Foreign Countries,Preschool Teachers

This article examines two teachers' discourses of literacy as social practice in advantaged and disadvantaged early childhood centres for three- to four-year-olds. The intention is to make sense of the dominant discourse of literacy, its constitutive nature and its effects on children, teaching and learning. Foucault's theory of discourse is used to make salient the influence of interpretive frames of references on the understanding and practice of literacy. The data for the study was produced through a qualitative approach using in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings show that teachers in both the advantaged and disadvantaged contexts are located in the dominant discourse of early literacy as a technical, autonomous skill. This discourse foregrounds children as adults-in-the-making (the becoming child) and a maturationist-environmentalist view of readiness for early literacy development. This narrow view of literacy discounts young children's positioning as social actors, issues of diversity and contextually situated practice.
Designing and Assessing a Digital, Discipline-Specific Literacy Assessment Tool
Author: Kebble, Paul Graham
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Language Tests,Computer Software,Test Construction,Test Reliability,Construct Validity,Computer Assisted Testing,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Foreign Countries,Undergraduate Students,Scores,Feedback (Response),Benchmarking,Academic Discourse,Foreign Students

The C-Test as a tool for assessing language competence has been in existence for nearly 40 years, having been designed by Professors Klein-Braley and Raatz for implementation in German and English. Much research has been conducted over the ensuing years, particularly in regards to reliability and construct validity, for which it is reported to perform reliably and in multiple languages. The author engaged in C-Test research in 1995 focusing on concurrent, predictive and face validity. Through this research, the author developed an appreciation for the C-Test assessment process particularly with the multiple cognitive and linguistic test-taking strategies required. When digital technologies became accessible, versatile and societally integrated, the author believed the C-Test would function well in this environment. This conviction prompted a series of investigations into the development and assessment of a digital C-Test design to be utilised in multiple linguistic settings. This paper describes the protracted design process, concluding with the publication of mobile apps.
Digital Flashcard L2 Vocabulary Learning Out-Performs Traditional Flashcards at Lower Proficiency Levels: A Mixed-Methods Study of 139 Japanese University Students
Author: Ashcroft, Robert John
Date: 2016-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Vocabulary Development,English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Word Lists,Instructional Materials,Computer Assisted Instruction,Instructional Effectiveness,Metacognition,Language Proficiency,Learning Strategies,Foreign Countries,Cues,Pretests Posttests,Scores,Language Tests,Undergraduate Students,Feedback (Response)

This study investigates the effect of using digital flashcards on L2 vocabulary learning compared to using paper flashcards, at different levels of English proficiency. Although flashcards are generally believed to be one of the most efficient vocabulary study techniques available, little empirical data is available in terms of the comparative effectiveness of digital flashcards, and at different levels of student English proficiency. This study used a mixed-methods experimental design. The between-subjects factor was English Proficiency consisting of three groups: basic, intermediate and advanced. All participants underwent both a digital flashcards treatment and paper flashcards treatment using words from the Academic Words List. For each study mode, the two dependent variables were Immediate, and Delayed Relative Vocabulary Gain. The results of this study indicated that Japanese university students of lower levels of English proficiency have significantly higher vocabulary learning gains when using digital flashcards than when using paper flashcards. Students at higher levels of proficiency performed equally well using both study modes. It appears that by compensating for the gap in metacognitive awareness and effective learning strategies between students of lower and higher levels of language proficiency, digital flashcards may provide the additional support lower-level learners need to match their advanced-level peers in terms of their rate of deliberate vocabulary acquisition.
Challenges in Establishing Kindergarten Education System in Villages of Guizhou, China: A Preliminary Study
Author: Vong, Keang-ieng P.
Date: 2016-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Rural Education,Kindergarten,Minority Group Students,Early Childhood Education,Parent Attitudes,Low Income Groups,Access to Education,Enrollment Rate,Teacher Qualifications,Public Policy,Family Influence,Cultural Influences,Teacher Attitudes,Preschool Teachers,Administrator Attitudes,Principals,Questionnaires,Interviews,Observation

The &quot;Miao&quot; ethnic group is among the 56 minority groups in China. Their ideas of education for young children differ from that of the mainstream education system in China. This study examines the scenario of early childhood education for &quot;Miao&quot; children living in villages of Guizhou Province. It discusses the history and traditions of the &quot;Miaos&quot; and the kinds and forms of education provided, but not necessarily desired, for their children between 3 and 5 years old. School principals and teachers responded to such issues, and visual data collected during a field trip to two different villages were used to triangulate the responses. Findings show that even though there has been a strong belief that links poverty to the opportunity of schooling, empirical evidence from this study cannot yet confirm this argument. Parents' views of schooling were considered as influential factors. Nonetheless, challenges of early childhood education in rural areas, especially in underprivileged villages, of China are still inseparable from availability of resources and the government's initiatives.