LE3O TASK PLANNING
(OCTOBER 2001)
LE3O
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
INSTRUMENT
DEVELOPMENT
AFRICAN LANG’s
AS LoE
15
L1 AS
SUBJECT
L2 AS
SUBJECT
1.
Central aims of the project:
a) To demonstrate theoretically and empirically that vocational knowledge and skills development occur more effectively in a language learners understand and
speak well, which, in South Africa, is generally a African language
b) To develop, propose and implement an upgraded teaching program for English as a second language in the colleges, thereby ensuring that learners’
proficiency in English is not negatively affected by the use of a African language as language of vocational training
c) To construct an argument in support of the inclusion of first language study as subject on the basis that such study will make a meaningful contribution to
learners’ cognitive, affective and social knowledge and skills in the context of vocational training
d) To develop theoretically and empirically based language-in-education policy proposals for vocational training accompanied by appropriate cost-estimates
consequent to the proposed changes
e) To indicate that an increase in learners’ vocational knowledge and skills should have significant economic outcomes for them as future work-seekers as well
as for their workplaces, and that such outcomes would contribute to the fairer distribution of wealth in the country.
2.
Pre-project work
a) Preliminary discussions: Vic Webb & Francois Grin; two weeks in August 1998; including a workshop dealing with the Greater Pretoria Metropolitan
Council, to investigate joint involvement. Exploratory visit to the University of the North. Funding by the NRF of the RSA.
b) Project development over 2 weeks in March, 2000 in Flensburg, Germany. Funding by ECMI
c) Full project proposal compiled, 2 weeks, August, 2000 in Pretoria. Exploratory meeting with Vista (Mamelodi). Funding by NRF, PANSALB & AngloAmerican
Project funding
Vic (& Francois and Kris). 50% obtained by November 2001.
3.
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STAGE
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Specifies internal and
external facets of project
management
INSTRUMENT
DEVELOPMENT &
USE
Deals with the development of instruments to
assess vocational
language proficiency
and attitudes, and to
determine the
sociolinguistic profile of
the research site
THE AFRICAN
LANG’s AS LoE
Deals with the medium
of instruction within the
language politics of the
country and the
specifically vocational
context
17
L1 (Pedi, Tswana) AS
SUBJECT
English SL AS SUBJECT
Deals with the contribution of
the study of learners’ L1
towards the development of
knowledge and skills appropriate to (a) learning skills, and
(b) vocational skills; in both
cases covering cognitive skills,
affective skills, social skills and
life skills (vocational literacy)
Deals with the development of
learners’ EnglishSL proficiency
as an instrument of vertical and
horizontal workplace
communication, covering
cognitive skills, affective skills
and social skills; life skills
(vocational literacy)
Preparatory
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
(Year 1)
Collect background info
on Colleges for Further
Education & Training
(CFET) and make
available to team
Obtain co-operation of
CFET & maintain links
Put research team
together
Obtain information on
existing realities in
CFET (e.g. L1 not
included in teaching
program, no ELT in
engineering colleges) &
distribute to team
INSTRUMENT
DEVELOPMENT &
USE
Language proficiency
assessment for both L1
& English at entry level
and exit level
Theoretical bases
Needs analysis – syllabi,
text-books and exam
papers
THE AFRICAN
LANG’s AS LoE
L1 (Pedi, Tswana) AS
SUBJECT
Goal: Facilitate the
development of vocational knowledge &
skills through the use of
AL as LoE
Goal: Develop syllabus &
didactic methodology
which will contribute to
the development of
learning & vocational
skills
Overview of LoE debate,
particularly in Africa
(see LiSA, ch. 6)
Sociolinguistic profile of
CFET (learners &
educators)
Critical analysis of
current LoE policy
& practice in CFET
Language attitudes &
motivation questionnaire
Construct questionnaire
on the basis of theory,
existing questionnaires
& the linguistic realities
in the CFET. Include
survey of the functional
distribution of the
Determine required
learner & vocational
skills through an analysis
of curricula, exam
papers, text-books and
interviews with
employers
18
A. English SL AS
SUBJECT
Goal: Development of ESL
proficiency appropriate for
workplace
Note
Goal of this group also to
construct an argument for the
inclusion of an ESL program in
CFET.
Note
This part of the project will
construct an argument in favour
of L1 as subject It will be
mainly non-empirical work;
except for specific subparts,
noted below.
Coverage of the topic requires a
full literature survey of L1
teaching (curricula, educational
materials and didacts)
This group to co-operate with
the L1 group. If possible this
group’s work should contribute
towards promoting language in
general, including L1’s. (E.g.
educational material could
contain texts in Pedi and
Tswana (not translations of L2
texts, but information, for
example, on meta-“linguistic”
issues such as the learning
process, etc.)
Obtain endorsement of
DoE, Gauteng &
Northern Province
Plan project implementation (this document), and
list all project tasks
Construct document on
project goals, its legitimisation, underlying
logic, structural organisation, & tasks to be
performed
relevant languages
(which, what for, etc.)
Vocational knowledge
and skills of target group
Theoretical bases
Bases:
- syllabi
- text-books
- exam papers
Discuss all instruments
at workshops &
conferences
Test & adapt instruments
Describe the functions
learners are expected to
perform during FET
training
Determine the linguistic
relationship between
language practice/behaviour patterns in the L1
in Pretoria and the
linguistic requirements
for using a language as
LoE in CFET
Determine the language
political status of the
standard forms of P &
Ts.
Determine the likely
adaptation which Pedi &
Tswana should undergo
to function as highfunction language
Discuss strategy for
handling negative
attitudes towards the AL
as LoE
19
Proposed curriculum and
didactic approaches to be
vocationally relevant, socially
meaningfully, intellectually
challenging; multimodal
approaches; construction of
videos/multimedia projects, etc.
Perform a literature study on
innovative ESL teaching/
learning; and the ways in which
learners’ language proficiency
can be developed to be vocationally relevant, e.g. how
learners’ general and vocational
vocabulary can be meaningfully
developed (as well as the other
sectors of language knowledge,
such as vocational discursive
knowledge and skills); also to
include life-skills
B.
Set up working groups
Planning per group
(goals, steps, expected
outcomes, time-frames)
Financial management
Perform a linguistic
SWOT analysis of the
BLs as LoE, determining the adaptation
needed (including tech
nical terms and
registers)
Describe interrelationship: needs/tasks in
vocational training, &
the required language
knowledge & skills
Particular attention to be paid to
ways in which affective
knowledge and skills (attitudes,
values, norms) and social &
cultural knowledge and skills
can be developed through L2
study
C. Investigate the didactic
potential of multimedia approaches
Distribute information
on training & linguistic
realities in CFET
Make documents
available
Report to funders twice
yearly
20
Operatio
-nal
(Year 1 &
2)
Facilitate & maintain
research team’s
effectiveness & purposefulness
Facilitate intergroup
communication & coordination of subprojects
Liase on instrument
development
Plan stages of datacollection with CFET
Compile information
pamphlet to obtain cooperation of learners,
teachers, parents,
employers, etc.
Select target groups
Divide target group into
two experimental and
one control groups
Assess existing
vocational knowledge
and skills
Determine language
attitudes and motivation
of target groups
Critical evaluation of current
situation, both in CFET and in
general secondary schools
Determine curricular and
didactic needs of L2 as subject
in CFET context
Describe functional distribution
of L1 & L2 usage (where,
when, why, etc.)
Assess educators’ knowledge of
L2 teaching & didactic
strategies & skills
Extensive literature study on
appropriate goals, curriculum,
educational materials and
didactics for vocational training
Develop contextually relevant
syllabuses
Develop appropriate learning
materials
Assess L1 knowledge and skills
Using the existing
syllabuses of the selected
vocational training
programmes, develop
educational materials for
vocational training in the
L1’s
Regular communication
with sponsors,
government, (DoF;
Gauteng, Northern
Province), NGO’s,
private sector, general
public
Investigate the impact of
cultural factors on L1 study
Investigate the role of
parent/community support in L1
as subject
Develop appropriate didactic
methods
Train L2 educators in content
and didactics
Test pilot products, and adjust
Investigate the role of the
cultural factor in ESL
Investigate the role of
parent/community support in
ESL
Seek co-operation of
potential employers
(such as ESKOM) to
accept trainees for
applying vocational
skills in the workplace
21
Empirical
Facilitate availability of
instruments
Facilitate access to target
groups
Obtain information on
expenditure at CFET
Facilitate correlation of
findings on the role of
cultural factors and the
role of parents with other
project findings
Use instruments for:
Language proficiency
assessment of target
groups (L1 & L2)
Determining the
vocational knowledge
and skills of target group
Describing the sociolinguistic profile of
CFET’s
Describing the language
attitudes & general
motivation
Retest (reapply above
tests at the exit level)
Determine appropriate
didactic methods for
using the L1 as LoE
Provide vocational
training in the L1’s for
the 2 experimental
groups, starting with the
N1 level, and ending
with the N3 level.
At the conclusion of the
empirical phase, reassess the vocational
knowledge and skills of
the 2 experimental and
the control groups,
comparing the two sets
of results
Describe, analyse &
interpret data obtained
from tests, and distribute
them to the sub-project
teams
Analyse existing curricula of
general secondary school to
determine appropriateness &
applicability for CFET
Language attitudes in CFET
context of learners, educators &
community
Determine L1 skills
Determine curricular needs of
Pedi/Tswana as L1 subject in
CVET context
Propose contextually relevant &
appropriate syllabuses
Discuss appropriate learning
materials & document design
(maybe this should be done
empirically)
Discuss didactics
Investigate the impact of
cultural factors
Investigate the role of
parent/community support
22
Assess learners’ and educators’
L2 competence. (Decide
WHAT language knowledge
should be assessed, e.g. mainly
grammatical (+vocab.)
competence?)
Implement upgraded ESL
programme in the 2 experimental groups.
At the conclusion of the
empirical phase, assess both
group’s proficiency in ESL in
vocational context
Investigate the impact of
cultural factors on
vocational training
through L1
Analyses
&
interpretation
Proposals
& reports
Communi
-cation &
dissemination (of
process
and
products)
Make sure all groups are
clear on what reporting
is expected.
Organise workshops,
seminars, conferences,
and e-chat groups
Inform media agencies
and interested parties,
e.g. Examples: SASOL,
ESKOM, Pick&Pay,
Telkom
Investigate the role of
parent/community
support in L1 as LoE
Assess role of the L1 as
LoE by comparing the
vocational knowledge &
skills of the two groups
Policy proposals, based
on collected information
Cost estimates of
proposed policy
adaptations
Present report to all
parties who could benefit
by the findings and
recommendations of the
project
Distribute preliminary
and final reports and
proposals: conference
papers, journals;
publication
23
Compare ESL proficiency of
the 3 groups
Proposals about the appropriate
curricula and didactics of L1 as
a subject
Produce report on findings
Cost-estimation
Cost-estimation
Develop policy proposals
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WHAT
Collect background info on Colleges for Further Education
& Training (CFET)
Obtain co-operation of CFET
Obtain endorsement of DoE, Gauteng & Northern Province
Plan work distribution
Set up working groups
Planning per group (goals, steps, expected outcomes, timeframes)
Financial management
Describe interrelation-ship between training needs/tasks to
be performed in vocational training, & the requisite
language knowledge & skills in a document
Make document available to team
Facilitate intergroup communication & co-ordination of subprojects
Communication with sponsors, government, (DoF; Gauteng,
Northern Province), NGO’s, private sector, general public
Facilitate availability of instruments
WHO
WHEN
Obtain information on expenditure at CFET
Organise workshops, seminars, conferences, and e-chat
groups
Inform media agencies
Distribute preliminary and final reports and proposals
(SASOL, ESKOM, Pick&Pay, Telkom)
24
HOW
LIKELY COSTS
INSTRUMENT DEVELOPMENT
WHAT
Discuss all instruments at workshops & conferences
Adapt instruments
Test instruments
Refine instruments:
Language proficiency assessment
Theoretical bases
Needs analysis
- learners
- training programme
employees
Sociolinguistic profile of CFET (learners & educators)
Theoretical bases
Determine information required
Language attitudes & motivation
Theoretical bases
Vocational knowledge and skills of target group
Theoretical bases
Needs analysis
- learners
- training programme
employees
Apply each instrument to target group:
Language proficiency assessment of target groups
Determining the vocational knowledge and skills of target
group
Describing the socio-linguistic profile of CFET’s
Describing the language attitudes & general motivation
WHO
WHEN
Describe, analyse & interpret data obtained from tests, and
distribute them to the sub-project teams
25
HOW
LIKELY COSTS
THE AFRICAN LANG’s AS LoE
WHAT
Overview of LoE debate, particularly in Africa (see LiSA,
ch. 6)
Determine required learner & vocational skills
- Analyse curricula
- Analyse exam papers
- Interview employers
Determine the linguistic relationship between language
practice/beha-viour patterns in the L1 in Pretoria and the
linguistic requirements for using a language as LoEin CFET
Decide on strategy to handle the negative attitudes towards
the African languages
Perform a linguistic SWOT analysis of the BLs as LoE,
determining the adaptation needed (including technical
terms and registers)
Select target groups
Divide target group into an experimental and a control group
Critical analysis of current LoE policy & practice in CFET
Assess existing vocational knowledge and skills
Assess L1 knowledge and skills
Determine language attitudes of target groups
Determine the likely adaptation which Pedi & Tswana
should undergo to function as high-function language
Using the existing syllabuses of the selected vocational
training programmes, develop educational materials for
vocational training in the L1’s
Determine appropriate didactic methods for using the L1 as
LoE
Provide vocational training in the L1’s for the experimental
group, starting with the N1 level, and ending with the N3
level.
Investigate the impact of cultural factors
WHO
WHEN
26
HOW
LIKELY COSTS
Investigate the role of parent/community support
At the conclusion of the empirical phase, re-assess the
vocational knowledge and skills of the experimental and the
control group, comparing the two sets of results
Assess role of the L1 as LoE by comparing the vocational
knowledge & skills of the two groups
Policy proposals, based on collected information
Cost estimates of proposed policy adaptations
Present report to all parties who could benefit by the
findings and recommendations of the project
27
L1 (Pedi, Tswana) AS SUBJECT
WHAT
Critical evaluation of current situation, both in CFET and in
general secondary schools
Describe functional distribution of L1 & L2 usage (where,
when, why, etc.)
Extensive literature study on appropriate goals, curriculum,
educational materials and didactics for vocational training
Analyse existing curricula of general secondary school to
determine appropriateness & applicability for CFET
Language attitudes in CFET context of learners, educators &
community
Determine L1 skills
Determine curricular needs of Pedi/Tswana as L1 subject in
CVET context
Propose contextually relevant & appropriate syllabuses
Discuss appropriate learning materials & document design
Discuss didactics
Investigate the impact of cultural factors
Investigate the role of parent/community support
Proposals about the appropriate curricula and didactics of L1
as a subject
WHO
WHEN
28
HOW
LIKELY COSTS
L2 (English/Afrikaans) AS SUBJECT
WHAT
Perform a literature study on innovative ESL teaching/
learning; and the ways in which learners’ language
proficiency can be developed to be vocationally relevant,
e.g. how learners’ general and vocational vocabulary can be
meaningfully developed (as well as the other sectors of
language knowledge, such as vocational discursive
knowledge and skills)
Particular attention to be paid to ways in which affective
knowledge and skills (attitudes, values, norms) and social &
cultural knowledge and skills can be developed through L2
study
Investigate the didactic potential of multi-media approaches
Determine curricular and didactic needs of L2 as subject in
CFET context
Assess educators’ knowledge of L2 teaching & didactic
strategies & skills
Develop contextually relevant syllabuses
Develop appropriate learning materials
Develop appropriate didactic methods
Train L2 educators in content and didactics
Test products and adjust products
Investigate the impact of cultural factors
Investigate the role of parent/community support
Assess learners’ and educators’ L2 competence
Implement upgraded ESL programme in the experimental
group (but not the control group, who receives the
conventional ESL training)
At the conclusion of the empirical phase, assess both
group’s proficiency in ESL in vocational context
Compare ESL proficiency of the 2 groups
Produce report on findings
WHO
WHEN
29
HOW
LIKELY COSTS
30