6th Annual RASA Conference
16 – 18 September 2011
UCT
CAPS and mishaps: Finding your way in the literacy labyrinth
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RASA’s Vision and Mission statement
Vision statement:
Our vision is that RASA will be an internationally recognised organisation dedicated to promoting reading and writing.
Mission statement:
RASA will consistently endeavour to provide the platform for expressing views and leading discussions to achieve our vision. We will:
 Take a proactive stance to promote reading and writing across multi-media in South Africa;
 Contribute to the production of knowledge through applied research and publication in this field;
 Lobby the national government to prioritise literacy;
 Promote partnerships with all organisations such as NGO’s, government and private institutions;
 Develop and support reading and writing in all contexts for adults and children:
 Provide support and professional development for educators;
 Encourage the use of ITC to promote multiple literacies.
Welcome from the RASA chair
Dear friends and colleagues
As the current Reading Association of South Africa (RASA) chair it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 6th RASA Literacy conference. This year we
have been overwhelmed by the flood of abstracts we have received from teachers, students and researchers. This shows the necessity for providing
platforms such as this where one can debate current literacy policies and practices. As I look through the programme, I notice the names of authors and
colleagues that have made great contributions to literacy education and we are grateful to them for gracing their presence at our conference. In fact, each
one of you has made a profound difference to literacy and your continued dedication to improving the literacy rates of our country is publicly applauded.
We have two jam-packed days to spend together and so many sessions to attend! The major challenge for most conferees is determining which sessions to
attend, as each time slot offers so many exciting alternatives. We have about 50 innovative and contemporary literacy debates to whet your appetite!
Select topics from: community literacy, primary/middle literacy, emergent/early literacy, digital literacy, critical literacy and empowerment, reading and
identity, and many workshops. There are five different venues so please be judicious in your selection! Don’t miss out on anything that appeals to you.
Our plenary sessions promise to be stimulating and I hope will encourage much debate. Friday evening will be opened by Crain Soudien, the Deputy ViceChancellor of the University of Cape Town. Our vibrant and hopefully contentious, panel discussion on the new CAPS document will follow with Ursula
Hoadley (UCT), Nososi Ntshuntshe (High school teacher in Langa), Sarah Murray (Rhodes University), Michelle van Heerden (UWC) and Penny Vinjevold
(Superintendent General of Education in Western Province). Please join the champagne cocktail party and SACS marimba band afterwards. Kerryn Dixon’s
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book launch – Literacy, Power and the Schooled Body: Learning in time and space - will take place on Saturday evening with Graeme Bloch, the author of
“The Toxic Mix”, closing our conference with his presentation on “Going forward: Yes we can! Fixing our schools!”
One of the most exciting parts of a conference is the networking that happens – in sessions, in the passages between sessions, in the main halls, in the
dining room area, in the taxis, in hotels and over a drink at the end of a busy day. It is vital that you make these connections – go and talk to that person
whose presentation you enjoyed so much and a world of information will open up!
It is heartening to note the historical development of the RASA conferences. The first and second RASA conferences were held in 2004 and 2006
respectively in Cape Town. In 2008 the Kzn RASA branch was launched with them hosting their first conference. In 2009 the Gauteng RASA branch was
launched and last year in 2010 the Eastern Cape RASA branch was launched. In the past three years we have launched three branches of RASA and all are
doing such sterling work in their provinces.
I believe this conference is going to be yet another powerful and influential experience of sharing our wealth of knowledge in the literacy field. I urge all of
us to go back to our work environments and share these lessons learnt with our learners and our students who will be our next empowered leaders!
Janet Condy
6TH ANNUAL RASA CONFERENCE
16 – 18 September 2011
UCT
THEME: “CAPS and mishaps: Finding your way in the literacy labyrinth”
FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2011
16.00 – 18.00
Registration
18.00 – 19.30
Welcome:
Janet Condy
Panel Discussion: CAPS and mishaps: Finding your way in the literacy labyrinth
Ursula Hoadley, Nososi Ntshuntshe, Michelle van Heerden, Sarah Murray, Penny Vinjevold
Chair:
Mastin Prinsloo
Venue: LT 1
19.30 – 20.30
Champagne cocktail party with SACS marimba band
SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2011
7.00 – 8.30
Registration
8.30 – 9.00
Venue:
LT1
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9.00 – 9.45
Opening plenary
Chair: Caroline Kerfoot
Welcoming address: Crain Soudien, Deputy Vice-chancellor, University of Cape Town
Ana Deumert: A linguist’s reflections on multilingual mobile literacies
9.45 – 10.30
Cheryl Logan: Rethinking professional development: Exploring professional learning communities that foster teachers as writers, researchers, and agents of
change
10.30 – 11.00
11.00 – 11.30
TEA WITH THE PUBLISHERS AND READ THE RESEARCH POSTERS!
VENUE 1
LT 1 VENUE 2
LT2 VENUE 3
LT3
Chair: L. Ralfe
Chair: P. Sefalane
Chair: L. Dreyer
COMMUNITY LITERACY
PRIMARY/MIDDLE LITERACY EMERGENT AND EARLY
L.Ketsitlile, S. Morapedi
A. Hill, P. Thraves
LITERACY
The case of Mohsupa Village Surviving the setwork
A. Lombard, S. Aronstam
reading and study group
culture: Choice and control – The “language” of
project
Mathematics
contemporary reading for
VENUE 4
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Chair: E. Scheckle
DIGITAL LITERACIES
F. Beal
Reading, writing and Web 2.0
make a great team
H. Janks
Taking a stand
young people
11.30 – 12.00
T. Modipa
Family literacy DVD 2
T. Mqambeli
Advanced reading support
and intervention for Senior
Phase learners
12.00 – 12.30
M. Weissenberg, K. Torres
The Shine Centre Model:
Literacy Hour using
volunteer learning partners
B. Lundgren, D. Zinn
Literacy Hub - experience,
explore, explicate
12.30 – 13.00
V. Dlamini-Akintola,
C. Tsabedze,
A discussion on the state of
studying and learning
literature at the University
J.Katz, H. Puwani
Vula Bula: Relevant and
effective Foundation Phase
isiXhosa materials for
teaching the mechanics of
C. Kühne, D. Hendricks, R.
Harris
Building a conceptual model
for teaching sequencing in
literacy: A teaching and
learning experiment
M. Magwaza, B. Ntshi, L.
Nawe
Exploring the impact and
effectiveness of the use of
the Breakthrough to Literacy
programme in Gr 1
classrooms in socially
disadvantaged schools
M. van der Merwe
Foundation Phase learners’
knowledge of a dictionary: An
experiment on learners’
dictionary and language skills
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ONE HOUR WORKSHOPS
Venue 518 (upstairs)
Chair own sessions
CRITICAL LITERACY
11.00 – 12.00
J. Reid
“We don’t twitter, we
Facebook”: An alternative
pedagogical space that
enables critical practices in
relation to writing
P. Lemphane
A contrastive ethnographic
study of children’s
communicative practices in
two homes in Cape Town
J. Condy, A. Chigona,
D. Gachago, E. Ivala
Digital storytelling in a
multicultural classroom
12.00 – 13.00
K. Murris
Reading picture books in a
community of enquiry
of Swaziland
competent reading and
writing
13.00 – 14.00
14.00 – 14.30
LUNCH
Chair: S. O’Carroll
B. Comrie
Home-School Partnerships:
Supporting early learning
through parents and caregivers
14.30 – 15.00
P. PlüddemanN, M. Basson
Community reading clubs
and volunteer
empowerment
15.00 – 15.30
15.30 – 16.00
16.00 – 16.30
16.30 - 17.00
17.00 – 18.00
Chair: J. Condy
K. Lagardien, A. Booysen,
B. Lundgren, F. de Monk
Learners’ stories of reading:
Unpacking literacy histories
Chair: H. Janks
S. Currin, L. Pretorius
Changing literacy practices in
Foundation Phase
classrooms: Why, what and
how? Exploring models of
change through literacy
coaching
L, Dreyer, M. Perold, A.
G. Venter
Veldsman,
School libraries on the move
The professional
– against all odds
development of literacy
teachers
TEA WITH THE PUBLISHERS AND READ THE RESEARCH POSTERS!
Chair: C. Kerfoot
Chair: J. Dornbrack
Chair: K. Dixon
J. Spiers
E. Scheckle, L. Booi
S. O’Carroll
The effect of volunteers on
Permission to read in groups: A programme for
small group reading circles
Reading clubs in Grade 8
strengthening early literacy
in Foundation Phase
and language teaching in
Grade R
A. Ramsingh
M. Hart, D.Avery
B. Klopper
Issues for Foundation Phase Keys to literacy: Reading to
Criteria for effective
university curriculum
Learn (RtL) in a Grade 8
comprehension instruction in
developers to consider with English classroom
the Senior Phase.
a focus on numeracy
Chair: M. Prinsloo
D. Ker
They still just look at me for
help: Innovation and
improvisation by
township librarians
in helping South African teens
find sources for research
projects
Y. Reed, F. Khubani
Textbooks across the
languages curriculum
14.00 – 15.00
TERTIARY AND
ACADEMIC LITERACIES
P. Sefalane-Nkohoa
Bridging the gap on the
road to promoting
academic writing
Chair: S. Aronstam
K. Earle
Responses to picture stories:
An analysis of student
teachers’ library studies
journals
A. Akintola
On improving the teaching of
academic writing in the
University of Swaziland
M. Klos
Teaching effective
thinking skills in a
contextualised academic
literacy course
J. King: “Grammars” in media literacies: The functional role of media as a teacher training context for literacy
Keryn Dixon book launch: Literacy, Power and the Schooled Body: Learning in time and space.
SUNDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2011
8.30 – 9.30
Venue:
9.30 - 10.30
AGM:
LT1
Janet Condy
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16.00 – 17.00
P. Thraves
Opportunities for
engagement - making
literature live (Grade 12
focus)
10.30 – 11.00
11.00 – 11.30
11.30 – 12.00
12.00 – 12.30
12.30 – 13.00
13.00 – 14.00
14.00 – 14.30
Keynote speaker: Stephanie Gotta: Multi-Component Reading Intervention: Acceleration, Prevention, Deep Reading.
Chair:
Jacqui Dornbrack
TEA WITH THE PUBLISHERS AND READ THE RESEARCH POSTERS!
VENUE 1
LT 1 VENUE 2
LT2 VENUE 3
LT3 VENUE 4
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Chair: N. Gxekwa
Chair: J. Dornbrack
Chair: J. Condy
Chair: M. Coombes
CRITICAL LITERACY AND
READING AND IDENTITY
EMERGENT AND EARLY
M. Esau
EMPOWERMENT
K. Dixon
LITERACY
An intervention programme
S. Glanvill, L. Rembach
Developing teachers through B. Blease
for struggling Gr 8 English FAL
Critical literacy and
A writing programme for
the development of
learners: Providing
Philosophy with Children:
Foundation Phase teachers in opportunities to practice
resources: You can’t make
Armin Greder’s The Island
multigrade classes
flash cards in a flash
reading, writing and speaking
C. Fry
J. Dornbrack
T. Mbatha
S. Keyser
Critical literacy: A
“The book club has changed
isiZulu home language
Some practical strategies for
philosophical investigation
me into a bookworm”: The
teachers’ perceptions of the
teachers and librarians who
with children
transformational space of a
foundations for learning
are tasked with promoting a
highschool bookclub
programme in four township
culture of reading
primary schools
K. Murris
H. Janks, T. Gennrich
M. Olivier
N. Ntshuntshe
Thinking out loud in
Teachers’ literate identities
A Portuguese community for Literacy practices and English
communities of enquiry:
young and old
as the LOLT in a Grade 9
Reading against texts
classroom
M. Childs
L. Rutgers
L. Dison
R. Davids
Tales of transitioning to
Literacy teacher leadership
Scaffolding and assessment
Practices which contribute
school
development: A teacher
practices of an Academic
towards Grade 6 learners’
education initiative
Literacy Foundation Course
reading motivation
connecting pedagogy,
at Wits University
leadership and whole school
literacy improvement
LUNCH
Chair: V. Kohler
Chair: A. Miller
Chair: P. Thraves
Chair: A. Hill
F. Chinyamakobvu
S. Morapedi, L. Ketsitlile
N. Gxekwa
M. Prinsloo
Providing quality literacy in
Understanding the literacies
"Culture and identity" as
The odd couple: Diverging
order to reduce poverty and of out-of-school youth
barriers in the classroom:
paths in language policy and
ensuring sustainability
Grades 4 - 9
educational practices
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ONE HOUR WORKSHOPS
Venue 518 (upstairs)
Chair own sessions
11.00 – 12.00
L. Altschul
The professional
development of literacy
teachers
12.00 – 13.00
A. Miller
What’s missing from the
reading curriculum? THE
READER! Teaching for
the LOVE of reading
14.00 – 15.00
D. Dyer
Getting South African
teens reading
15.00 – 16.00
Venue: LT1
Final closing
Keynote speaker: Graeme Bloch; “Going forward: Yes we can! Fixing our schools”
Chair:
Janet Condy
Closing event
ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTERS
Abiola Akintola
abidoyealade@yahoo.com
On improving the teaching of academic writing in the University of Swaziland
The most formidable challenge facing first year students in a typical Anglophone African University is their inability to cope with the academic discourse
embedded in various writing tasks. This is because such tasks are qualitatively different from those of high schools where these students are coming from.
For example, students take time to have a clear understanding of the study skills and writing skills needed to assist them to think 'on their feet ' .
The offering of Academic Communication Skills (ACS) programme by some universities such as the University of Swaziland , attempts to obviate this
difficulty. The thesis of this paper is that since academic paper writing - a component of ACS - offers students an opportunity to achieve the goal of meeting
academic writing demands in the university, efforts should be made to improve on its teaching. This component is based on an approach in which the major
productive / receptive skills are simultaneously applied to the writing task. In this paper, we examine in detail , a typical academic paper writing class at the
University of Swaziland in which a student is made to work on a topic, using various critical skills of reading ,forming notes , building a bibliography, coming
up with a thesis statement for the paper and working through the pre-writing , writing and post-writing stages. A discussion of this writing programme
indicates the need to allow students to work through the process of writing in order for them to develop a clear understanding of what acceptable
academic writing in the university involves.
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Alyce Miller
alyce@icon.co.za
Workshop: What’s missing from the reading curriculum? THE READER! Teaching for the LOVE of reading.
The overall goal of the workshop is to demonstrate how educators can enable all learners to make personal meaning from reading text, and thus inspire a
love of reading. Participants will discover how they can teach thinking and metacognitive awareness so that learners develop their capacity to become
strategic readers. In addition, participants will be experiencing how Co-operative Learning People Organizers enable them to design pair and groupwork
learning tasks which ensure that everyone is needed to complete the learning task, is accountable for contributing, listening and learning, and develops
social and leadership skills while engaging with academic content. Participants will discover how they can use Multiple Intelligences to appeal to learners’
strengths and overcome learning barriers.
During the workshop delegates will
 Identify what processes are used during reading, test their hypothesis, and recognize what is currently missing from the reading curriculum.
 View an animation of how the brain makes meaning of text to better understand their own process of making meaning from a text
 Observe a lesson on how to introduce metacognition to learners
 Recognize the need and methods to make thinking visible and audible and tangible;
 Practice doing “Think Alouds” so that they are more able to model their thinking while reading a text out loud.
Amritha Ramsingh
Valerie.ramsingh@wits.ac.za
Issues for Foundation Phase university curriculum developers to consider with a focus on numeracy
The general opinion is that of all the phases in a school the foundation phase curriculum is the least demanding mathematically. It is assumed that students
entering university have at least a basic understanding of Mathematics - this should be sufficient to help these students to navigate the foundation phase
curriculum. On closer examination we find that these assumptions are not true. Local and international research show poor levels of learner performance,
but there is little work done on the roles universities play in training teachers whose mathematical knowledge is insufficient. This paper attempts to explore
some of the reasons for the gaps in student understanding and particularly how the use of the English language and mathematical language complicate the
mathematical understanding of second language English speakers. This is done by looking at a baseline assessment given to second year foundation phase
students at the University of the Witwatersrand and identifying patterns in terms of student performance. The results of this paper provide ways for
thinking about curriculum development, and the importance of language to enhance conceptual understanding.
Ana-Paula Lombard and Shelley Aronstam
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lombarda@cput.ac.za and aronstams@cput.ac.za
The “language” of Mathematics
In this presentation we will be exploring the process of integrating language and mathematics through the medium of story books. We will show evidence
of lessons taught by pre service student teachers as well as their reflections on the practice of teaching and learning. Picture books are often used in the
development of language in young children. There is a vast mathematical vocabulary which needs to be developed in the Foundation Phase. According to
Botes and Mji (2010) language and mathematics are interrelated because all teaching is given through the medium of language. Language is considered to
be a prerequisite for thought and logical thinking is an essential element of teaching mathematical concepts for understanding. Story books provide a reallife visual context that assist learners to connect everyday langauge and formal mathematical vocabulary. An action research approach was used with
Second year Foundation Phase students. A task was set in which students were asked to select suitable story books and use these to design mathematics
lessons on the topic of shape and space or measurement. Traditionally story books are used solely in the promotion of literacy skills. In this assignment the
students were expected to utilise the story book, which is a familiar medium for the early years, as a springboard for promoting not only literacy but also to
explore the possiblities for integrating the two subjects effectively. Through questioning learners were guided to express their problem solving abilities.
Findings showed that learners were intrigued by the visual aspects of the stories. As a result, the learners engaged with mathematical concepts and used
the required mathematical vocabulary in a purposeful and stress free manner
Anne Hill and Philip Thraves
hilla@cput.ac.za and thravesp@cput.ac.za
Surviving the setwork culture: Choice and control - contemporary reading for young people
In the South African Education system, part of the English curriculum is Literature. A big part of literature is the prescribed book, or ‘setwork’. Yet, despite
learners at schools being exposed to this, many do not read the prescribed works in their entirety. Consequently, school leavers enter university, often with
a backlog in reading, and often with a prejudice against reading and an inability to read at an appropriate level. In prescribing reading material, young
people need to be closely considered; especially boys who are often “at risk”. Adolescent readers have their own needs. Research into reading motivation
was undertaken using Child Literature as a focal point in the first year course. The literature review revealed that concepts of “choice” and “control” were
important in empowering learners at schools in reading. These elements became key elements of an intervention that led to increased independence
among readers, and reading motivation was shown to have become intrinsic. In our B Ed programme, we have tried to address the problem of reading
motivation and independence through restructuring the first-year English course. We have tried to be proactive in an attempt to change attitudes to
literature, often shaped by responses to the school ‘setwork’. To do this, we have provided an extensive list of literature for young adults from which
students can choose the texts they study.
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This paper will discuss these issues, and look at a list that includes popular contemporary works which would encourage young people in the senior phase
(Grades 7-9) to read. In attempting to suggest ways to reconfigure the traditional school approach to developing readers, we will present a list and rationale
for departing from the ‘canon’ to include popular award winning works, including the graphic novel genre.
Berit Lundgren and Denise Zinn
berit.lundgren@sprak.umu.se and Denise.Zinn@nmmu.ac.za
Literacy Hub - experience, explore, explicate
This paper is about teachers in Grade 8, South Africa, who would like to develop their teaching practice concerning literacy. The teachers have noticed, for a
couple of years, that there are some students in Grade 8 who are very week in reading and writing.
The purpose of this paper is therefore to describe the teacher’s conception of problems for literacy teaching and how they try to change their literacy
practice through intervention activities after Literacy Hub meetings, which have been arranged at the University. Methods for this pilot study, which will
continue for one year, are interviews with the teachers and observations in schools. The theory for this survey is an ecological socio-cultural theory and the
analysis has been done through using the concepts literacy practice and literacy events. A tendency that we have found is that teachers, who recognize the
student’s literacy practice and literacy events in daily life can avoid to get trapped in the trouble that are situated in the students context. The teachers
have instead tried to develop their literacy practice with new literacy events that has been presented at the Literacy Hub. Of importance is that all this new
events has to be transformed into the teachers’ own situated practice before they can be used.
Bernita Blease
bblease@vodamail.co.za
A writing programme for Foundation Phase teachers in multiGrade classes
The purpose of my study is to investigate, explore, identify and analyse current writing practices in two rural multiGrade Foundation Phase classes in
schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. The aim is to develop a programme to assist teachers in supporting children in developing writing skills. The
theoretical framework highlights the sociocultural theories of learning, particularly focusing on Bronfrenbrenner’s socio-ecological theory, Vygotsky’s Zone
of Proximal Development (ZPD) and social constructivism. The literature review entails a critical engagement of the most recent reviewed literature
pertaining to research on writing in rural mutliGrade schools. My study will be qualitiative in nature - video interviews, checklists and observations will be
used to gather data. I would like my research to answer the following research questions: What writing practices need to be implemented in Foundation
Phase Rural classes to improve the writing abilities of learners? How do Foundation Phase teachers in multiGrade classes support children and go about
developing writing skills? What design features are needed in a writing programme in order to support multiGrade teachers in facilitating the development
of learners writing skills? To what extent will the writing programme effectively be implemented and supported to improve the writing skills of multiGrade
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learners? The discussion will examine insights which appear from my research and will be reviewed in conjunction with my theoretical frames and relevant
literature.
Betsy Klopper
Klopperb@cput.ac.za
Criteria for effective comprehension strategies instruction in the Senior Phase
According to the 2006 PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) report, South African learners in Grades 4 and 5 achieved the lowest literacy
scores of all the participating countries worldwide. Together with the poor results of the 2007 national systemic tests, written by all Grade 3 and 6 learners
in South Africa, it is quite clear that the country is in dire need of some radical changes in the current approach to reading instruction. The aim of this
project is to determine certain criteria which will promote effective reading instruction within the Senior Phase.
Experts in this field present the explicit instruction of reading comprehension strategies as a key factor in creating competent and independent readers.
They determined that proficient readers use specific thinking strategies during the reading process and that they are involved in a constant inner dialogue
with the text (Pressley, 2006; Zimmermann & Hutchins, 2003). A study by Pressley and Afflerbach (1995) revealed that struggling readers could become
more competent or even highly proficient readers when they are taught to use these thinking strategies.
In this study an action research project was launched involving fifty six Grade 7 learners. During the practical phase of the project the researcher uses
methods recommended in the literature, to explicitly instruct the use of these comprehension strategies to learners. These sessions of instruction takes
place as part of their normal weekly school routine. Thus far the study revealed important principles to keep in mind when one considers strategy
instruction as a method to address the current literacy challenges in South Africa.
Brigid Comrie
comrie@imagine.co.za
Home-School Partnerships: Supporting early learning through parents and care-givers
‘The predictors of the child’s ability to benefit from formal education are primarily dependent on the quality and quantity of informal education at home’
(Donald, 1993). In order to address poor literacy levels, the focus is often on teacher training and school based interventions. Parents and care-givers have
an important role to play in supporting early language and literacy learning. However these vital role players are not always acknowledged or supported. In
our experience, parents are eager to help their children, but do not have the necessary knowledge or skills. Over the past five years, Brigid Comrie has
developed a programme aimed at parents and care-givers of children between 4 and 7 years of age. The emphasis is on supporting informal learning at
home, particularly early language and literacy.
Since 2006 over 800 parents have benefited from the programme which is currently being implemented at 15 schools in the Cape Town area.
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This presentation will include a brief overview of the Home –school partnership programme. Brigid will give examples of the programmes being run at
schools in the Cape Town area and will reflect on the impact the programme is having in communities. She will also share stories of parent empowerment.
Cally Kühne, Diane Hendricks and Renee Harris
Cally.Kuhne@uct.ac.za Diane.Hendriks@uct.ac.za and Renee.Harris@uct.ac.za
Building a conceptual model for teaching ‘sequencing’ in literacy:
A teaching and learning experiment
This presentation draws on Vygotsky’s (1986) concept of mediation, which elaborates on the process of equipping children with psychological tools that
mediate mental processes. We used a teaching experiment (Karpov, 2003), which describes a process of teaching Grade 1 children to sequence the events
in a story. The presentation begins with the teacher involving children in a shared activity that involves developing an external model that is gradually
withdrawn as children engage in the task, and internalise the newly acquired tool. We would like to demonstrate how the teacher introduces a mediating
model, and a learning process in which the children use the model to generate new models for themselves. Central to our presentation is that children do
not ‘discover’ the models themselves, but rather that the teacher mediates this intellectual process and that this kind of mediation leads to the
development of children’s ability to construct internal models of a story that is retold for themselves.
Cathy Fry
cfry@standrews.co.za
Critical literacy: A philosophical investigation with children
Being involved with the work done by Professor Karin Murris at Wits has made me reconsider my practice and that of my school. Teaching children how to
think and how to decide for themselves what is right and wrong has been an incredible journey and it has encouraged me to rethink the core value of our
curriculum. Our group put together a slide show to use for teacher development showing teachers how to teach critical literacy and philosophical
investigation to children.
The presentation was based on the work done by Vivian Vasquez in North America and on the picture book, "War and Peas" by Michael Foreman. It shows
how it is possible to develop critical literacy in very young children discussing issues like gender equality, power, rights and seeing another point of view.
The presentation illustrates the work done by Vivian Vasquez and links it to the work done by Karin Murris in philosophical investigation.
David Ker
david_a_ker@sil.org
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“They still just look at me for help”: Innovation and improvisation by township librarians helping South African teens find sources for research projects
Children coming from disadvantaged communities in South Africa depend upon the local library as a place for study and research (Desmond, 2007). The role
of the librarian is therefore crucial in helping children to find information they need to complete assignments (Hart, 2006). This paper looks at research
done at the Vrygrond Community Library (Ker, 2011) giving special attention to the mismatch between complex research assignments and the limited
resources available at the library. A case study of one student's project on “Acid rain in South Africa” and the eclectic resources he utilized is given.
Dorothy Dyer
dorothyceliadyer@gmail.com
Getting South African teens reading
South African school students have alarmingly low literacy levels. Part of this problem is due to a lack of reading culture: the majority of South Africans do
not see books or reading as pleasurable or relevant to their lives. However in my work as an English teacher of township teenagers I realised that the right
books can get teens reading. Most of my students spend a lot of time on their cell phones: this platform could also be used creatively to extend their
reading opportunities. This paper describes the beginning of Cover2Cover Books, a publisher of local teen fiction, and the FunDza Literacy Trust, a nonprofit that aims to develop a community of readers using social media.
Eileen Scheckle and Landi Booi
Eileen.scheckle@nmmu.ac.za
Permission to read in groups: Reading clubs in Grade 8
This paper will explore the benefits and challenges of introducing small reading book clubs in a Grade 8 English class. Part of the motivation to do this was
to encourage student lead discussion as well as to increase the variety and volume of material read in the Grade 8 year. In order for students to take up the
discourse of literature, learners need to be given opportunities to make this their own. Student book clubs allow learners to take more ownership, to speak
with more authority, and more voices are heard. In addition teachers modeled certain practices for learners to apply in their groups. The revisiting of these
also allowed opportunities to repeat these numerous times with a variety of texts and establish “communities of practice” (Lave & Wenger, 1991). The
possible benefits of using a range of levels and a mix of Graded and trade readers will also be explored. Finally we will acknowledge the challenges involved
in managing and tracking class room book clubs within the English classroom.
Fiona Beal
fionabeal@gmail.com
Reading, writing and Web 2.0 make a great team
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In this interactive Web 2.0 digital and social networking age that we live in, there are ways of tapping into reading and writing resources that make literacy
come alive to our learners, who are digital natives at heart. This presentation takes a look at ways of using PowerPoint combined with Web 2.0 technologies
to create e-books, Web2 e-book creation sites, the use of online circle stories to promote reading and writing; reading sites on the web to stimulate reading
and the knowledge of books; book reviews with a difference; poetry-writing sites and story starter sites to enhance creative writing, podcasting to enhance
reading, the use of blogs and wikis to promote literacy, collaborating with classes in other countries to bring a dash of excitement to the literacy scene, …
and many more ideas.”
Frank Chinyamakobvu
frank@umalusi.org.za
Providing quality literacy in order to reduce poverty and ensuring sustainability
Various organizations, researchers or individuals give varying figures when indicating the number of illiterate South Africans. On the face of it, maps of
poverty, inequality and exclusion mirror disparities in educational provision as well as adult literacy needs. Previous literacy initiatives as well as current
ones continue to produce individuals who exit the programmes without acquiring sustainable and requisite competencies that enable them to enhance the
quality of their circumstances.
As a way of overcoming some of the above challenges, the South African mass literacy campaign known as Kha Ri Gude could be used as a vehicle to
explore alternative roles of literacies that may further empower individuals. Such initiatives’ responses could be weighed against the well-being of the
society in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The paper will therefore demonstrate a different approach to literacy which builds on the successes and
structures already in existence to offer literacy that ensures that participants are better equipped in their attempts to eradicate poverty.
Gerda Venter
Sophia.Venter@gauteng.gov.za
School libraries on the move – against all odds
“The library is the heart of the school,” the newly appointed library facilitator stated with the conviction of someone who knows precisely how learners can
benefit from such a resource. But what was becoming increasingly clear is that in all too many schools across South Africa that heart is just barely beating.
It is a shocking fact that 92% of South African public schools are without library books and librarians. At a Roundtable session hosted by the DBSA during
April 2010 it was stated that since 1999 there are the existence of School Library Guidelines but not actual policies governing the establishment and
maintenance of libraries.
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A survey has been done in the Sedibeng East District during 2009 and a mere 14% of school libraries were found to be functional. During interventions it
became clear that teachers in classrooms are not well exposed to libraries and the integration of books and information skills with the curriculum they
deliver. Only 6% of public schools have a full-time teacher librarian. The relevant School Governing Bodies are funding these appointments.
This is a scenario we can accept as is or we can move forward by being innovative in the strategies we adopt to make the ideal of functional libraries a
reality. Integral to this process is an advocacy- and lobbying programme which would advance the agenda of libraries. Being pro active and innovative will
achieve the team objective of functional libraries at grassroots level and thus promote the principle of lifelong learning within a culture of reading.
Hilary Janks
Hilary.Janks@wits.ac.za
Workshop: Taking a stand
Currently Kress is arguing that we need to move beyond the critical and that the concept of design is sufficient for dealing with questions of power and
ethics. Equally, Lankshear maintains that critical literacy has reached its sell-by date. Their arguments will be put on the table for discussion along with new
critical literacy materials written by Janks and her colleagues entitled 'Taking a Stand'. The aim of the workshop will be to discuss the ongoing relevance (or
not) of the critical literacy project. Participants will be given the opportunity to design their own materials that work with questions of power and social
justice. At the heart of this enterprise is the ability to find texts and design activities that help students understand textual positioning and its
consequences. To do this one needs to be able to ask critical literacy questions which is less easy than one might think.
Hilary Janks and Toni Gennrich
Hilary.Janks@wits.ac.za and Toni.Gennrich@wits.ac.za
Teachers' literate identities
This article situates teachers’ literate identities within theories of literacy and identity formation. In particular it focuses on research across a range of
international contexts relating to teachers’ literacy histories and practices. Consideration is given to the differences between the political North and the
political South. Understanding teachers’ literate identities is important for understanding the resources they bring to the new demands of teaching literacy
in a rapidly changing landscape of communication and technology. Using the concept of a literate habitus in a constantly changing and disruptive field as an
overall frame, we explore the literature to examine whether and how teachers’ literate identities are evolving. Of particular interest is how these demands
affect teachers’ sense of self and power in relation to the literacy education needed by learners, many of whom are more at home in this new landscape
than their teachers. Finally, the implications for teacher education are considered.
Jacqui Dornbrack
Jacqui.Dornbrack@uct.ac.za
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“The bookclub has changed me into a bookworm’: the transformational space of a high school bookclub
In 2010 the Maths and Science Education Project (MSEP) initiated extra-mural reading clubs in three under-resourced high schools in Cape Town. This paper
reports on research conducted at one of the schools to assess the impact on the learners who attended the reading club regularly from its inception. Focus
group interviews and examination of school records indicate that there have been significant improvements in the learners’ English language results as well
as in their attitudes to reading and writing. There have also been shifts in the types of reading material they select as well as in how much they now read.
Improved social relations both at school and in their community are indicated, due, they believe, to their improved spoken English. In addition to this, many
learners report having undergone major identity shifts and having been ‘changed’ by the reading club. One of the biggest transformation they claim, is
increased confidence and an improved sense of self.
The primary argument of this paper is that if learners are able to select relevant books in an informal space and have an opportunity to engage with them in
a meaningful way within a social setting they have a far better chance of becoming more than simply code-breakers (Luke and Freebody, 1997). Being
among a group of other learners who are interesting in hearing about their books and sharing ideas and themes emerging from the books, encourages
learners to become text analysers (Luke and Freebody, 1997).
Jacqui Spiers
jacquie_spiers@yahoo.co.uk
The effect of volunteers on small group reading circles in Foundation Phase
The Kusasa Project, an NGO, which operates in three Primary Schools in the disadvantaged community of the Franschhoek Valley, has as its main focus the
delivery of English literacy to small reading circles in the Foundation Phase using English speaking volunteers. My study involves the measurement of the
influence of volunteers using ‘literacy for all’ Graded readers, on small reading groups in order to determine the level of change that takes place over a year
by comparison with similar groups from a school, outside our ambit, that has not benefited from this intervention. The collection of data will be
quantitative through three standardized tests and qualitative through three unstructured interviews of six volunteers, at the end of each term. The analysis
of the quantitative data will be statistical and qualitative data will concentrate on a search for similarities and differences, categories and themes. The
literature review will be set in an interpretive framework and data will be analysed according to critical discourse analysis, which explains data in the
context of the broader society in which language functions and how language is used in maintaining and changing power relations; particularly pertinent in
our society.
James King
jking9@usf.edu
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“Grammars” in media literacies: The functional role of media as a teacher training context for literacy
New definitions of reading and writing are emerging based on new media technologies. New literacies change as technology opens up new doors for
information and communication; as more students use these technologies; as the ways in which we read and write are transformed, there are doubtless
changes that will occur in classroom pedagogy (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro & Cammack, 2004). Literacies change technologies that change literacies that change
technologies… Leu (2000) has called this the dietic cycle of literacies. As new technologies for information and communication emerge, these affordances
are transformed by users. The form and functions of literacy are protean, and questions of how to prepare future teachers for this shifting field of literacy
are difficult ones. The purpose of this paper is report the results of a project that immersed undergraduates in a media literacy project in which they
simultaneously learned media literacy in order to teach it to elementary students, who also participated in the project. The results indicate patterned use
of media, and patterns in the use of media. These are synthesized as an emerging grammar for the importation of media into educative contexts.
Janet Condy, Agnes Chigona, Daniela Gachago and Eunice Ivala
condyj@cput.ac.za, chigonaa@cput.ac.za, gachagod@cput.ac.za, ivalae@cput.ac.za
Digital storytelling in a multicultural classroom
Digital storytelling can help manage multicultural classrooms. A digital story is a short, first person video-narrative created by combining recorded voice,
still and moving images, and music or other sound. The purpose of this paper is threefold. Firstly we investigate the potential of digital storytelling in
enhancing teaching and learning practices. Secondly we explore the reflection opportunities aided by the digital storytelling technique and thirdly we
investigate the impact of this technique in a multicultural classroom. A qualitative research approach was employed whereby twenty-nine final year preservice student teachers at CPUT developed digital stories as part of their final year professional development course. Data collection included two surveys,
three focus group interviews with purposively selected students and their facilitators, and the created digital stories.
Results showed that students’ exposure to the digital storytelling technique could be transferred to educational technology settings, hence enhancing their
teaching and learning practices. Secondly it showed that the production of digital stories promoted three levels of reflection and thus deep learning and
higher order thinking skills. Finally this technique prepared the students for the rich and diverse contexts which they will encounter in their future teaching.
Jean Reid
Jean.Reid@wits.ac.za
“We don’t Twitter, we Facebook”: An alternative pedagogical space that enables critical practices in relation to writing
This article explores what happens to interpersonal and power dynamics when tutors use closed-group Facebook pages as a social networking tool in their
tutorial groups with first and second year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students at the Wits School of Education (WSoE). It argues that this literacy practice
creates an alternative pedagogical space that enables critical practices in relation to writing. These pages create a space that brings students’ out-of-school
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literacy practices into a domain which normally promotes formal, academic literacy practices; a schooled space; a space where students feel safe enough to
make their voices heard; a space where there are some interesting shifts in power relationships, identities, norms of communication and modes of learning.
The research analyses the writing of tutors and students on these pages from a critical literacy perspective and makes use of the critical literacy model
presented by Janks (2010) to see how this space changes issues of power, access, diversity and design by creating new relationships and new forms of
interaction, language and texts.
Jenny Katz and Hazel Puwani
jenny@molteno.co.za and hpuwani@telkomsa.net
Vula Bula: Relevant and effective Foundation Phase isiXhosa materials for teaching the mechanics of competent reading and writing
In the Arabian Nights story, Ali Baba uses the magical words “open sesame” to gain access to the robbers' den. Today the saying has become synonymous
with a simple, trustworthy means of successfully attaining a goal. In the same way, the Vula Bula stories magically open the door to literacy success. The
Vula Bula approach of read-aloud stories that encourages a love for listening to and reading stories, supported by matching Graded readers, ensures
reading achievement. Vula Bula incorporates a structured phonics programme based on high frequency words from the learners’ own language experience.
It is originated in isiXhosa, rather than translated from an English blueprint. The programme encourages reading and writing development in a progressive
order, with each week’s skills building on what was acquired the week before.
Vula Bula, developed by the Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy, is a complete course for the early Grade reading classroom, incorporating
effective teacher development and follow-up support. It reassures teachers by going back to basics, with tried and tested ways of teaching literacy - using
engaging stories to spark interest and comprehension, Graded readers to provide practice, phonics and vocabulary development. Join us as we
demonstrate and provide practice in the use of this groundbreaking programme.
Karin Murris
Karin.Murris@wits.ac.za
Thinking out loud in communities of enquiry: Reading against texts
In this paper I argue how the theory and practice of Philosophy with Children (P4C) gives permission to learners to explore the meaning of texts by drawing
on their own experiences. The community of enquiry pedagogy – central to P4C - encourages members of this community to think critically and creatively
and through this oral work construct new meanings of texts. As a result what texts mean shifts in this unique relationship between text and reader and
includes child’s voice. The paper will draw on the notion of ‘hermeneutical injustice’ as introduced by feminist philosopher Miranda Fricker. If educators
nurture children’s competencies and abilities in deconstructing texts, their ability to read against texts will not only be strengthened, but the reading
experience itself will also be more enjoyable and meaningful for learners.
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Karin Murris
Karin.Murris@wits.ac.za
Workshop: Reading picture books in a community of enquiry
This one hour workshop will illustrate the pedagogy referred to in the paper ‘Thinking out loud in communities of enquiry and reading against texts’ - also
presented at this conference and offers the opportunity to experience the pedagogy of an internationally well-established inclusive process called
Philosophy with Children (P4C). A space will be opened up for the kind of facilitation that encourages members of the community to construct their own
meanings of texts through responsive listening and actively reading against the text. A picture book will provide the starting point for the community of
enquiry and the workshop will model how children’s literature can provide starting points and contexts for deep thinking and philosophical dialogue,
beginning with children's questions about the things that puzzle them about the narrative. A short DvD of children in action will also be shown.
Katarina Earle
Katarina.Earle@wits.ac.za
Responses to picture stories: An analysis of student teachers’ library studies journals
In their library studies course third year B Ed students at the WITS School of Education compile a journal in which they describe and reflect on the content
and practices to which they are introduced in the picture story section of the course.
This paper presents findings from an analysis of a selection of these journals in order to argue that students’ prior literacy experiences in their homes,
schools and communities position them as markedly more or less receptive to the content and practices offered in the course.
Karema Lagardien, Audrey Booysen, Berit Lundgren and Franklin de Monk
audreynbooysen@gmail.com, berit.lundgren@sprak.umu.se
and franklindemonk@telkomsa.net
Learners’ stories of reading: Unpacking literacy histories
In an effort to understand learners’ reading backgrounds, Grade 8 teachers asked the students to write on their reading histories. From mind-maps, essays
and oral stories, teachers gained an insight into their learners’ experiences of reading. This paper will unpack what impacted on children’s reading as well as
the reading milestones noted by the learners. By comparing across a Grade 8 group and across languages, the different contribution of primary school and
parental involvement will be examined. Through this study, learners’ stories and experiences are valued and recognised. Moreover what learners choose to
foreground reveals their particular perspective on what is meant by ‘reading’ and what practices are significant. Through this exploration teachers and
researchers can better understand, and build from, the experiences of reading that the learners bring to high school.
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Kerryn Dixon
Kerryn.Dixon@wits.ac.za
Developing teachers through the development of resources: You can’t make flashcards in a flash
The ability of teachers to design and work with resources is crucial. Research shows that many South African teachers do not know how to design and work
effectively with resources, and materials languish gathering dust. An ability to design and use resources is a fundamental part of a Foundation Phase
teacher’s job. This paper contends that a complex relationship exists between design decisions, the contexts materials will be used in, their educational
soundness, and teacher knowledge of an area (in this case literacy). But, what is often lacking in early teacher training is an explicit focus not just on ‘making
materials’ but these relationships. This paper examines a first year assignment for BED Foundation Phase students who had to design a set of flashcards for
a Grade 1 classroom and justify their design choices. A critical analysis of the flashcards reveals students’ ability to think about these complex relationships
and reflects on the gaps in knowledge revealed by the analysis that need to be addressed in the curriculum.
Laola Atschul
l.altschul@info.bw
Workshop: The professional development of literacy teacher’s
I will present a brief outline on the acquisition of language leading to the requirements for learning to read – physiological, neurological, psychological, and
environmental. Thereafter, I will compare and investigate new innovative methodologies of teaching reading both for children and adults. There will be
hands-on activities and approaches to teaching reading effectively, using an approach to linking key words in order to expand and enrich vocabulary and a
culture for reading. Looking at Synthetic and Analytic Phonics approaches to reading and spelling, which go hand in hand to promote literacy skills.
There will be a discussion on incorporating the environment into the reading process and creating books for children and adults.
Laura Dison
laura.dison@telkomsa.net
Scaffolding and assessment practices of an Academic Literacy Foundation Course at Wits University
This paper forms part of an ongoing process of pedagogic reflection on the nature of the course scaffolding and assessment practices of an Academic
Literacy Foundation Course at Wits University. It is based on a study that examines the development of academic writing and reflections of students
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enrolled in this course in order to understand what contributes to the ongoing development of higher order thinking. Various meta-cognitive frameworks
have been integrated for evaluating the cognitive growth of students in response to the different task types and for assessing their engagement with the
course pedagogy and feedback practices.
The focus of this paper is on the nature of the scaffolding and mediation itself. It identifies the processes within ‘text-mediated scaffolding’ that promote or
inhibit higher order thinking in students. The pedagogic analysis explains and justifies the notion of ‘interactive modelling’ and ‘dialogic’ orientations to
academic literacy (Lillis 2003) in response to concerns about the over regulated nature of the course mediation. The paper unpacks these responsive
pedagogies that have been integrated into discipline based first year courses for improving academic achievement and retention.
Linda Rutgers
lrutgers@sun.ac.za
Literacy teacher leadership development: A teacher education initiative connecting pedagogy, leadership and whole school literacy
improvement
Literacy improvement efforts at national and provincial levels require teachers who have the necessary content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and
pedagogical content knowledge to lead early literacy instruction in the classroom and to lead literacy improvement in the school. Recognition of teacher
leadership comes from new understandings, which do not see leadership as an activity located in the principal as the only official leader, but who
acknowledge that different staff members can contribute to effective leadership for learning in the school context.
A number of teachers can be described as being informal literacy teacher leaders, because of who they are and how they conduct their teaching
responsibilities. Very often teachers have expertise in classroom teaching, but they are not equipped with the necessary skills to lead and facilitate adult
learning and professional development of colleagues. Effective and ongoing professional development is required to manage change and to sustain literacy
improvement in schools.
The University of Stellenbosch has initiated the development of a Bachelor of Education (BEd) Honours in Languages with a module that focuses on literacy
teacher leadership development. This paper will share information about this initiative, which definitely has possibilities for an in-service short course for
continuous professional development.
Lone Ketsitlile and Setumile Morapedi
Lone.ketsitlile@mopipi.ub.bw and morapeds@mopipi.ub.bw
The case of Mohsupa Village reading and study group project
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The aim of this study is to advance reasons why appropriate and relevant research methods are important in a literacy study. The Southern African
Philosophy of Ubuntu/Botho was employed in this study as a framework first for forming the Moshupa Reading and Study Groups Project and second, for
gaining entry in the research site. Entry in research is crucial: it can make or break the research. As a result, the researcher(s) should be sensitive to the
culture, norms and values of the research of a given society. Such behaviour will result in mutual understanding, trust and respect between the
researcher(s) and the researched. In addition, data will be provided freely with very little inhibitions. In this study, the researchers exercised Botho by first
meeting with the village Chief, then the headmen, elders, school principals and tutors, parents and lastly, out of school youth to explain their intentions.
During the meetings, the researchers respected the voices of the community and in the process, learnt a lot. This respect resulted in the researchers gaining
more entry and acceptance by both the village chief, elders, youth and the community at large. The Narrative Methodology was employed to draw data for
this study.
Lorna Dreyer, Anienie Veldsman, Mariechen Perold
lornadreyer@sun.ac.za anienieveldsman@gmail.com and mdperold@sun.ac.za
The professional development of literacy teachers
Intermediate phase (IP) teachers generally claim a lack of training for literacy acqusition, and express a lack of confidence in this field. The need for literacy
support in this phase is highlighted by the unsatisfactory annual literacy results of the systemic evaluations conducted by the National Department of
Education. A literacy support programme was developed by the researcher, which was evaluated during a recent study. The support programme consisted
of monthly meetings of all the IP teachers and the learning support teacher. Time was devoted to progress discussions, brainstorming support activities and
feedback on useful practices, compiling a resource file.
In order to gain an understanding of teachers’ experiences of the support progamme, a qualitative methodology was implemented. Research methods
included semi- structured interviews, two focus group interviews and a research journal containing the researcher's own observations. Eight IP teachers
from a primary school in the Western Cape volunteered to participate in the study.
Themes identified were a shift in locus of control, in-service training, access to resources and a sense of self efficacy. It would seem as if the collaborative
approach of the programme contributed to an elevated sense of self efficacy in the participant teachers.
Mandisa Magwaza, Berlinah Ntshi and Lydia Nawe
mandisa@molteno.co.za, berlinah@molteno.co.za and lydia@molteno.co.za
Exploring the impact and effectiveness of the use of the Breakthrough to Literacy programme in Grade 1 classrooms in socially disadvantaged schools
Widespread concern about poor literacy performance in South African primary schools has led to an increased emphasis on assessment and measurement
of learner performance, and on service provider accountability. In this context, Molteno Institute for Language and Literacy (MILL), a leading provider of
African languages and English materials and training in the primary school, has for several years conducted pre- and post-tests to assess the impact of its
22
programmes. Results from these tests do not however, provide explanations for certain trends in performance, hence the decision to conduct an in-depth
study to add these insights.
MILL is thus engaged in a study with the aim of evaluating the impact and process of its Breakthrough to Literacy programme in Grade 1 classrooms.
Information gathered will highlight programme effectiveness and also provide insight into teachers’ understanding of literacy. Preliminary findings indicate
an important relationship between teachers’ literacy understandings, their classroom practices and learner performance. The evaluation strategy combines
quantitative and qualitative enquiry. The presentation will share key findings of the study. These findings, in addition to being important for informing our
own practice, will be of use to educators, donors and policy makers concerned to maximize benefit from in-service literacy teacher training interventions.
Margie Childs
Margie.Childs@nmmu.ac.za
Tales of transitioning to school
In this paper a story is told of transitioning into school. It is an exploratory account of how a group of teachers construct and perceive the movement of
Grade R learners into Grade 1 at their school. There is a specific focus on the early literacy learning of the children and the teachers’ concerns about
learners’ readiness for formal learning. The research is framed in post-positivist terms with the researcher assuming a learning role. Learning about early
literacy, learning about the concerns of teachers and learning about the challenges of teaching reading in a low socio-economic environment are key
aspects of the paper. The research is intentionally positioned as problem setting rather than problem solving and attempts to shed some light on the
complex nature of teaching early literacy in a poverty-besieged multilingual setting.
Marlene Esau
Marlene.Esau@uct.ac.za
An intervention programme for struggling Grade 8 English FAL learners: Providing opportunities to practise reading, writing and speaking
The language component of the Mathematics and Science Education Project (MSEP) introduced a Learner Intervention Programme at the start of 2011. This
after-school programme seeks to assist learners to acquire the necessary language skills to actively participate in their learning in order for them to reach
their full academic potential. Furthermore, it aims to support struggling Grade 8 learners to meet the critical challenge of being a reader and to fulfil the
responsibilities thereof (Fountas and Pinnell: 2006).
This paper focuses on the implementation of the programme in one of the project schools and its uptake by a group of 4 learners as well as the shifts in
their attitude towards learning and their academic achievement.
Mastin Prinsloo
Mastin.Prinsloo@uct.ac.za
The odd couple: Diverging paths in language policy and educational practices
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This presentation examines the divergences between what educational policy calls for in South African schools with regard to language and learning and
what takes place in schools. I suggest that South African education policy is a good example of how constructs to do with language in the South African
constitution and in education policy rely on familiar but problematic ideas about language, development and nation building. I argue that South African
constitutional and education policy statements employ an idea of languages as boundaried entities and systems and combine this understanding of
languages with discourses on language rights and of language endangerment. An alternative view is developed that studies language as practice rather than
system. From this perspective the idea of ‘a language’ is a misleading shorthand for a diverse range of language varieties, genres, registers and practices.
Such resources are not equally distributed amongst users of these resources and they carry different social weightings or valuations. The presentation
argues that the language assumptions in language policy ‘erase’ linguistic complexities and assume a linguistic homogeneity and stability which is
inappropriate. A view of language is developed where language operates as a ‘non-neutral medium’ in stratified social contexts such as in the Western
Cape (and in South Africa, more broadly). These inequalities operate just as much within designated ‘languages’, in terms of the varieties and their uses
within that language, as across them. The observed differences between policy prescription and language practice provide support for this alternative
perspective on language. I examine examples of English language practices in differently positioned schools and show how what counts as English in each
setting provides different possibilities of access and engagement and differing possibilities for student achievement that reflect wider patterns of social
inequality.
Maureen Klos
Maureen.Klos@nmmu.ac.za
Teaching effective thinking skills in a contextualized academic literacy course
In this article the researcher examines learner experience of a contextualised academic literacy course that aims to facilitate the conscious use of effective
thinking skills. Authentic negotiation of meaning as subject-specific knowledge housed in words is scaffolded via the lecturer’s making cognitive strategies
as well as textual conventions explicit to learners. Grounded in the theories of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (revised by David Krathwoh) on
the one hand and David Rose’s conception of the complexity of language learning task on the other, the course is designed to stimulate thoughtful use of
concepts pertaining to particular academic fields of study via reading and writing tasks that intend to lead to appropriate linguistic expression of
information. Using a phenomenological approach the research data was gathered from the learners in the form of written work samples and reflections
which were then analysed and discussed.
Maurita Weissenberg and Kathyrn Torres
mauritaw@gmail.com and kbtorr@gmail.com
The Shine Centre Model: Literacy Hour using volunteer learning partners
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The Shine Centre is a volunteer-led organisation, based in Cape Town, which works mainly with second language children placed in English medium schools.
We train volunteers to work with Grade 2 and 3 learners, using a carefully devised literacy programme. The children come to the centre twice a week for
two years if necessary. Using paired reading, shared reading, have- a –go writing and a series of specially devised games, the children grow in ability and
confidence with the help of a trained volunteer. The results have been very encouraging, showing significant improvement in both reading and
comprehension. Our presentation will discuss the concept of using volunteers, how the centres operate, and the methods we use. In addition, we will share
the latest results to highlight the impact that the centres make to the literacy levels of the children on the programme.
Michele van der Merwe
Vandermerwem@cput.ac.za
Foundation Phase learners’ knowledge of a dictionary: An experiment on learners’ dictionary and language skills
A new phenomenon appeared on the South African lexicography horizon with the publication of the Longman Foundation Phase Bilingual Dictionary. It
distinguishes itself from other dictionaries published in South Africa, since it was designed specifically with Foundation Phase learners (Grade1-3) as target
users in mind. This uniqueness in design resulted in the dictionary being a picture dictionary as well as an alphabetical dictionary. Official South African
languages like Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi and Setswana are paired with English.
How successful is this dictionary? In order to attempt to answer the set question, it is imperative that we do research on a usage situation. The aim of this
paper is to find out more about the user of such a dictionary and if the dictionary fulfils the lexicographical needs of the user it was designed for. Do FP
children know how to make use of a dictionary? What are their reference skills and language skills? Can they do successful look-ups? What dictionary skills
and language skills do teachers need to teach them? Was there any improvement after dictionary skills has been taught? What are the implications for the
lexicographer? In this paper the experiment, results of the experiment, learning activities will be discussed, as well as the lexicographical implications for
the design of the dictionary.
Mike Hart and Debbie Avery
hartm@lantic.net and deb@averys.co.za
Keys to literacy: Reading to Learn (RtL) in a Grade 8 English Classroom
This paper chronicles the improvement of learners’ literacy levels as a result of a year’s application of RtL in a Grade 8 English classroom of largely ESL
learners of mixed ability. While the paper will demonstrate that RtL benefited both top and bottom achievers in the class and resulted in a transfer of
literacy skills in other learning areas, it will also track the development of one learner who was positioned as a ‘low potential’, special needs student who
would not be able to complete his schooling in mainstream education. It will show the significant changes in his class attendance, participation and literacy
levels, enabling him to independently write different genres effectively. Thus the paper will evaluate the development of both the whole class and this
particular learner, and will examine the implications of using R2L across the whole Grade 8 curriculum.
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Mila Olivier
milaportuguesegroup@gmail.com
A Portuguese community for young and old
Since Pedro’s birth almost 2 years ago I have had the dilemma of raising him in my mini multilingual environment of my own home in Cape Town, South
Africa. My husband and I wanted to preserve my Portuguese heritage together with his Afrikaans background in a home where English is the main
language.
In order to ensure the continuation of the mother-tongue of my son and other Portuguese children, a Portuguese playgroup was set up at the beginning of
this year. It is an interactive supervised toddler’s group for 0 to 3 years old aimed at stimulating South African children of multilingual families (where at
least one parent is fluent in Portuguese) to mainly at this stage speak and socially interact in Portuguese.
At this age children learn through play. The emphasis is on enjoyment and fun. The process of learning happens through indoor and outdoor activities which
are varied and fun. Each weekly session lasts for two hours. During this time the children are exposed to the Portuguese language in a safe, relaxed and
playful environment.
Nososi Ntshuntshe
nososintshuntshe@yahoo.com
Literacy practices and English as the LOLT in a Grade 9 classroom
This research seeks to describe practices that are carried out in reading and writing in a Grade 9 classroom, with specific focus on a township school in
which the language of teaching and learning is English, which is not the learners’ mother-tongue. This research is aimed at looking the literacy gaps in
reading and writing between the GET Phase and the FET Phase that impact on their preparation for the final phase of schooling and entry to tertiary level.
Statistics show that in South Africa learners still perform poorly in reading and writing compared to their counterparts in Africa, especially in English.
This is an empirical study using qualitative methods that include personal narratives, interviews and learner portfolios. Written narratives were based on
prompts which sought to establish learners’ literacy histories. The purpose of interviews was to investigate the kind of literacy practices that were actually
implemented in the classroom. The portfolios were analysed, specifically looking at the assessment requirements of the NCS and their relevance in
determining the passing requirements for Grade 9. The findings from this study reveal that these learners still face challenges of acquiring basic reading and
writing skills. Although they view English as an emancipatory and economic tool, it is still a difficult language to learn. Therefore their readiness to proceed
to the FET level is minimal.
Nozuko Zukiswa Gxekwa
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gxekwan@cput.ac.za
“Culture and identity” as barriers in the classroom: Grades 4 - 9
This paper attempts to identify problem areas that reveal themselves during the teaching of some scientific learning areas in isiXhosa and makes tentative
proposals on how to deal with these problems. The need for this paper emerged from observing student teachers and interviewing their mentor teachers
during practice teaching. The participants in this study were using isiXhosa as a medium of instruction to teach Maths, Natural Science and Life Orientation.
Their learners were isiXhosa speakers. The use of isiXhosa as a medium of instruction was introduced by the Department of Education to promote
multilingualism as an extension of cultural diversity and as a part of building a non-racial country. The motive was partly to emphasise the underlying
principle of multilingualism which is to retain the learner’s home language for teaching and learning. The findings highlighted the perception that there are
terms that teachers cannot use in the classroom, because they sound sensitive or like slang or have a vulgar connotation. Some terms are culture- specific
and they have lost their original meaning making it difficult for teachers to use them in the classroom.
Peter Plüddemann and Valerie Williams
ppluddemann@uwc.ac.za
Community reading clubs and volunteer empowerment
Community reading clubs initiated by a university-based NGO in Cape Town aim to contribute towards creating a literate community by fostering a culture
of reading, assisting the community to take responsibility for and ownership of the club, and empowering those who come into contact with it. The work is
informed by mother-tongue based bilingual education and by a Whole Language approach to literacy.
Making liberal use of photographs, this poster presentation focuses on one of the community reading clubs based at a primary school on the Cape Flats.
Between 50 and 70 children aged 6-13 gather weekly to engage in literacy practices such as hearing stories, choosing books, reading, and writing. The club
is funded through the NGO, enjoys some logistical support by the school, and is run by literacy specialists and community-based volunteers, most of whom
have links with the school. The volunteers participate in the running of the club, 'perform' stories, and undergo occasional non-formal training in a range of
literacy practices. Problems and challenges are addressed jointly by core facilitators and volunteers following a participatory action research cycle.
Philip Thraves
thravesp@cput.ac.za
Opportunities for engagement - making literature live (Grade 12 focus)
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Engagement is paramount in reading, which should, in addition, move "beyond" the text and, in doing so, promote a sense of critical literacy. How can this
be done? It is through successful mediaton that literature can live. I will look at ways teachers can mediate texts in a classroom to promote a high level of
engagement and help learners to, ultimately, become reflective and active readers, as they move beyond their immediate experiences.
Creative strategies will be suggested, in order to allow the setwork to "live" and be effectively mediated. As a result, there is a possible connection with life.
The overall guiding principle: Reading must move from being functional to transformative and active.
Polo Lemphane
pololemphane@yahoo.com
A contrastive ethnographic study of children’s communicative practices in two homes in Cape Town
I present preliminary findings of my research on how children from both middle-class and working-class families engage in digital literacy practices in their
homes in Cape Town. I explore the new media resources’ potential for early literacy learning. I study children’s communicative practices, with a focus on
their use of new digital tools which include mobile phone, iPod, computer etc. A motivation for this study arises from literature that identifies the
ineffectiveness of literacy learning taking place in South African schools. The study uses the New Literacy Studies (Pahl 2008; Pahl and Rowsell 2006;
Prinsloo 2005), new literacies studies (Gee 2010) and digital literacy studies (Gilster 1997; Bawden 2001) as conceptual framework to investigate children’s
literacy practices in the two settings. South African teenagers from township and African language communities responded positively to mobile stories
written for them in the M4lit research project which explored the role of mobile phones in teenagers’ reading and writing practices (Vosloo, Walton &
Deumert 2009). I examine pre-teens’ experiences of the new media resources in their different (digitally rich versus digitally poor) home settings; and I will
analyse their spoken and written texts in recurring literacy events in order to find out how the new technologies develop children’s reading and writing. I
will identify the main similarities and differences in the digital literacy practices. I will then show which of the two groups of children get something of value
in out-of-school context.
Puleng Sefalane-Nkohla
sefalanep@cput.ac.za
Workshop: Bridging the gap on the road to promoting academic writing
This paper focuses on the problem of student writing in Higher Education. The main focus is on the manner in which students write their introductions in
academic essays. Of late, student writing in Higher Education has been increasingly viewed as a blemish in academia. The gaps in language proficiency
among students as well as a respect for the art of academic writing, particularly in the context of post-technical university integration, needs to be bridged
and fostered respectively, so as to vastly improve the standard of work produced under the auspices of CPUT.
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In instructive conversations there are more and more complaints about student’s inability to write in the way the academy requires. The writing task is
seen as a connection between the student‘s private space of writing and the public forum of academic writing. How students create or build their
introductions are seen as the task in its full complexity .It is
important to identify whether the introduction acts as an entrance or the connection to the student’s success their writing .The paper will draw on the
review of the literature and conclude by attempting to draw on some essential pedagogical principles on student writing in Higher Education.
Rochelle Davids
rochelledavids@telkomsa.net
Practices which contribute towards Grade 6 learners' reading motivation
Motivation is an important element in reading success. There is a concern that many learners are not choosing to read on their own and that independent
reading opportunities during the school day appear to be diminishing. Research suggests that if children do not read on their own, they may lose some
reading ability. The Department of Education conducts systemic evaluation tests to determine the literacy and numeracy levels of Grade 3 and Grade 6
learners in South Africa. These tests reveal that a high proportion of learners are scoring below the required level for the Grade. There are a number of
reasons why the learners are not performing at the required level for the Grade but educators are determined to improve learners’ reading and
comprehension skills. Many educators therefore ask, “How do I get my learners to read?”
Not all learners are reluctant to read. Some learners do show an eagerness to read and write and they enjoy reading. These engaged readers are
intrinsically motivated and value reading. In contrast, disengaged readers are inert and inactive and avoid reading. Often extrinsic measures such as
punishment or rewards would coerce these learners to read. The aim of this study is to determine which teaching practices would motivate learners in a
Grade 6 class to read.
Key theories which underpin this study are social constructivism, social learning theory and socio-cultural learning theory. Qualitative data and quantitative
data were collected from interviews and questionnaires. The research tool which was used to measure the learners’ self concepts as readers and the value
of reading is referred to as the Motivation to Read Profile (MRP). The MRP was devised by Gambrell, Palmer, Codling and Mazzoni (1996:520). Because
the study followed an action research model, an intervention strategy was implemented which allowed the researcher to measure effects and to reflect on
teaching practices and reading methodology.
Sally Currin and Lilli Pretorius
scurrin@icon.co.za and Pretoej@unisa.ac.za
Changing literacy practices in Foundation Phase classrooms: Why, what and how?
Exploring models of change through literacy coaching
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Given the reading crisis in our schools, strong pressure is being brought to bear on schools and teachers to improve their learners’ literacy levels. There are
a host of variables that contribute to the effective functioning of a school and the successful accomplishment of literacy, and learners from high poverty
homes pose special challenges to schools and their teachers. The success of turning the literacy crisis around is dependent on getting teachers to embrace
new ways of thinking about and teaching reading, ways that are often at variance with their own conception of what reading entails. Yet, past experience
has shown that changes are often slow to happen and teacher compliance with changes is often superficial. How then can teachers in poorly resourced
schools be persuaded to successfully take ownership of literacy development in their classrooms? In this paper it is suggested that theories of behavioural
change can help inform the expectations and implementation of literacy interventions. In this paper we look at different models of change and relate them
to a literacy coaching model that is being implemented at a high poverty primary school to change teacher practices and improve learners’ literacy levels.
Setumile Morapedi and Lone Ketsitlile
morapeds@mopipi.ub.bw and Lone.ketsitlile@mopipi.ub.bw
Understanding the literacies of out-of-school youth
The paper has examined the secondary school drop outs’ views in Moshupa village with the hope of assisting them in getting engaged in creative industry.
The project hopes to inculcate in them the spirit of utilizing indigenous literacies for self-reliance rather than always looking forward for employment and
promotions. Over five hundred youth showed interest in various projects, inter alia, tannery, agriculture tie & die/fashion design, sewing, carpentry and
drama. The project augurs well the Botswana’s aim to adhere to the Millennium Development Goal of “eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015”
The youth came up with projects that they were interested in and had value to them. In the study, participants were asked why they chose the projects
they did, why this was important and how this will benefit them and their communities. Such questions are important in a literacy study as Botswana has
moved from the conventional understanding of literacy as “the ability to read and write with understanding, in Setswana, English or both: and the ability to
carry out simple computations in everyday life (Gaborone, et al, 1987:p. 2). The country has adopted a wider understanding of literacy and numeracy which
acknowledges the diversity and complexity in the possibilities of these concepts. Semi-structured Interviews, observations and document analysis were
used to gather data for the study.
Shelley O’Carroll
shelleyoc@worldonline.co.za
A programme for strengthening early literacy and language teaching in Grade R
In a country where the vast majority of children do not begin school well prepared for Grade 1, high quality early childhood programmes are essential if
children from high poverty contexts are going to have a chance of learning to read and write successfully. In the South African ECD teacher training field,
there appears to be a need for more specific practical guidelines for developing early literacy and language in Grade R. In this presentation we explore key
components of an early literacy and language teaching programme in Grade R. We look at the Grade 1 curriculum, and consider what knowledge and skills
need to be in place for a child to learn to read and write successfully. We then present details of a Grade R teacher training programme which is being
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piloted in preschools in the Greater Lavender Hill area in partnership with the Centre for Early Childhood Development. The presentation includes a brief
discussion of the context, and results of baseline assessments of the children’s early literacy and language skills. We present an overview of the programme
and reflect on the training process, observations from visits to schools and feedback from teachers.
Siobhan Glanvill & Lauren Rembach
Siobhan.Glanvill@wits.ac.za and Lauren.Rembach@wits.ac.za
Critical literacy and Philosophy with Children: Armin Greder’s The Island
Engaging with controversial and emotive picture books can be a vehicle to stimulate critical thinking skills in the FET phase. This presentation will explore
the pedagogies as referred to in Haynes and Murris’ Picture books, Pedagogy and Philosophy (2011) and Janks’ model of Domination, Access, Diversity and
Design as explored in Literacy and Power (2010). We will show how Armin Greder’s The Island, a picture book about human frailty and the capacity for
ordinary people to be cruel to others, can be used in a cross-curricular classroom context to explore sensitive issues such as refugees and Xenophobia. Our
powerpoint presentation will illustrate how these two pedagogies can foster dialogue, philosophical enquiry and encourage students to take a self-critical
stance.
Sonya Keyser
KEYSER@ukzn.ac.za
Some practical strategies for teachers and librarians who are tasked with promoting a culture of reading
It is widely understood that it is important, for a number of reasons, to promote a culture of reading and develop lifelong readers. But how is this done?
New Readers Publishers is a non-profit publishing project based in the Centre for Adult Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban. The aim of
the project is to make a contribution to an increase in literacy and the promotion of a reading culture. The project started in 1991 with donor funds, in
response to the lack of easy to read books suitable for teaching adults to read in their own language. There are currently 107 titles in print in all South
African languages and 300 000 books have been distributed.
Making books available, however, is not enough to promote a culture of reading and/or develop lifelong readers. Thus New Readers Publishers has offered
free “promoting reading” workshops which have been attended by 500 teachers/librarians/government officials/community development workers/adult
literacy facilitators. In this short presentation we will share some practical strategies for promoting a culture of reading.
Taadi Ruth Modipa
Modipa@ukzn.ac.za
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Family Literacy DVD 2
The Centre for Adult Education has created DVDs that demonstrate family literacy practices and track the literacy and language development of children
whose parents engage them in literacy rich practice. It is a DVD, with both English and Zulu versions. This family literacy DVD tracks the development of
three children whose parents enjoy using books and stories and pencils and paper and paint to play with their children. It shows the ways these activities
build relationships between parents and children, and help the children to develop very important skills (reading and writing).
This DVD shows how adults at home can do a lot to help a child learn to read and write. It also shows how even adults who do not read and write very well
can help young children get ready to learn at school. It starts with talking to and listening to your baby when he or she is very small. The children are Lexie,
who appeared in the first family literacy DVD at 8 months, and inspired this DVD as a follow on, Anna, who was first filmed when she was a year old, and
follow until she writes some books of her own, and Manqoba, who was two when he was first filming for this video and who is now in his first school year.
Thabile Mbatha
mbathath@ukzn.ac.za
IsiZulu home language teachers’ perceptions of the foundations for learning programme in four township primary schools
The study investigates ways in which isiZulu teachers in Grade R to Grade 3 understand the Foundations For Learning Campaign (FLC) in four township
schools in KwaZulu-Natal. In the context of poor literacy skills, in 2008 the Department of Education (DoE) introduced the Foundations for Learning
Programme (FLP) in South African schools. FLP was expected to address the reading crisis amongst young learners in the country. Against this backdrop the
paper investigates how teachers give meaning to FLP. 14 Foundation Phase teachers participated in an interview-based study on their perceptions of the
programme. Findings of the study indicate that there is uncertainty and unevenness in the ways teachers interpret the FLP. Teachers of isiZulu are unable to
use the FLP particularly as it was not written n isiZulu. The paper concludes that the DoE must provide FLP resources in isiZulu so that teachers are enabled
to use the programme aimed towards improving isiZulu literacy skills among learners.
Thembeka Mqambeli
thembeka.mqambeli@uct.ac.za
Advanced reading support and intervention for Senior Phase learners
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As a language education specialist working at Schools Development Unit at UCT, we are involved in three different high schools. Our focus is on GET phase
(Grade 8 & 9). At the beginning of each year, before we start with our work at the schools, we give Grade 8 classes a language test comprised of a
comprehension passage, punctuation, visual literacy and creative writing as a form of baseline assessment. For the past two years, we have discovered lack
of literacy and informational skills among learners. This means that most South African learners climb the education ladder having acquired little or
insufficient complex academic knowledge and cognitive demanding skills envisaged by the National Curriculum Statement. This paper reports on action
research conducted at one of the schools to assess the impact intervention has on learners.
After looking at the results and comparing them with the bigger picture nationally, I decided to work with a group of learners who scored 10% and below at
one of the three schools. I had to apply my knowledge of the reading process and mediate between these learners and the text (Hanekom: 2010). Learners
get involved in pre-reading activities where their prior knowledge about the topic is activated and a context is created by equipping them with the
necessary language and vocabulary that will help them access the text. Reading experiences are aligned with the learners’ needs as emerging readers. The
argument of this paper is that if an environment where learners are free to take risks and are emotionally safe is created, they have better chances of
improving their literacy skills. Senior phase educators are sometimes overwhelmed by what struggling readers seem unable to accomplish. New approaches
and strategies to address the literacy needs of many of learners should be applied.
Virginia Dlamini-Akintola and Clara Tsabedze
vtdlamini@uniswa.sz and claratsabedze@hotmail.com
A discussion on the state of studying and learning literature at the University of Swaziland
Every year more than one hundred students take literature and language courses in the Department of English at the University of Swaziland. Over the
years, it has been observed that there is poor performance in the literature component of the B.A. Degree Programme. On average, about 30% of students
perform fairly well. Even then those who succeed in passing do so because of their continuous assessment (CA) which contributes 40% to the final mark.
Even the CA itself – as an assessment tool - may not have correctly reflected a student's ability since it is often influenced by the common trend of students
sharing their work. Thus it is very common to find students obtaining good CA scores, but very poor examination Grades. The focus of this paper is two-fold:
First it discusses the factors contributing to this poor performance, and secondly it describes the effort the department is presently making to improve this
situation.
Yvonne Reed and Fikile Khuboni
Yvonne.Reed@wits.ac.za and Fikile.Khuboni@wits.ac.za
Textbooks across the languages curriculum
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Each set of curriculum documents produced in South Africa since the late 1990s has specified a common set of learning outcomes and assessment
standards for all official languages as home languages and two further common sets for first or second additional languages. Designing high quality learning
materials for any school subject is challenging but it is particularly so for languages in which content knowledge (e.g. vocabulary, grammar, the ‘skills’ of
speaking, listening, reading and writing) is based on texts presented in a range of genres and on a range of topics or themes. This paper presents findings
from an analysis of text choices (including visual texts), themes and content knowledge in textbooks widely used in the teaching of four of the official
languages. We argue that these books differ not only in terms of what is foregrounded or backgrounded in terms of content knowledge but also in the
subject positions they offer to learners as local and global citizens.
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