Department of Modern Foreign Languages

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Browsing Department of Modern Foreign Languages by Author "Crouch, Avril J."

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    n Ondersoek om die waarde van tegnologie by die verwerwing van leesvaardighede te bepaal
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2008-03) Crouch, Avril J.; Bergman, E. K.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. Modern Foreign Languages.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reading is one of the most important skills that learners need to acquire in school because they read to learn. From their first school year, it is expected from learners to be good readers and to understand what they are reading. Reading in effect forms the basis for the learning process in the educational system. Research in South Africa shows that an enormous number of primary and high school learners are not able to read sufficiently to perform satisfactorily in their schoolwork. Further studies also show that the reading skills level of 72% of all underachievers in schools are 4 years below the expected performance level. These poor reading performances have huge implications for educators, specifically because of the relationship between reading and learning. This study was undertaken to address this problem, whereby an integrated computer reading program was designed to be implemented complementary to the traditional reading method in the classroom. The purpose of this research study is to establish the value of technology in the acquisition of reading skills of learners in Gr 10 Afrikaans First Additional Language. A literature study was undertaken whereby information was gained regarding existing studies in research about reading and computer reading. A non-emperical study was undertaken whereby an experimental and control group took a pre-test, after which the experimental group was exposed to the computer reading program. During this time, the group was observed in their natural learning setup. After exposure to the program, both groups took a post-test. The research findings show significant evidence of progress in the reading comprehension skills of both groups. However, the same amount of progress is detected in the the comprehension skills of the control group. This is evidence that the progress of the experimental group cannot be assigned to their exposure to the computer reading program but rather to the learning performance that is expected from all learners. However, various factors played a role in the deviation of the expected outcome of the research study namely, the time of exposure to the computer reading program, the fact that not all the learners in the experimental group were computer literate and also the lack of knowledge of educators about computers and computer reading programs. The use of computers in the instruction of reading is inevitable because the National Education Department encourages electronic learning and also provides schools with computers and computer programs for all learning areas. It is also recommended that schools should adapt to the rapid growth in technology and expose both their educators and learners to computers in the classroom to empower them for the future.