Doctoral Degrees (Afrikaans and Dutch)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Afrikaans and Dutch) by Subject "Afrikaans language -- Pronunciation"

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    Die ontwerp van ’n model vir ’n toepassing vir Afrikaanse uitspraak in ’n taakgebaseerde leer-en-onderrigprogram
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-03) Sass, Jaydey; Adendorff, Elbie; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study focuses on designing a pronunciation application model for students of the modules Afrikaanse Taalverwerwing (Afrikaans Language Acquisition) 178 and Afrikaanse Taalverwerwing 278 of the Department Afrikaans and Dutch at Stellenbosch University. The ultimate purpose of this application is to serve as a supporting aid outside of the classroom to help students improve their Afrikaans pronunciation (segmental features). In the current presentation of the task-based language learning and teaching approach, pronunciation does not receive sufficient attention since the primary focus of task-based language learning and teaching is meaning. Furthermore, classroom time for ensuring listener-friendly pronunciation is limited. Participants in this study confirmed this statement in their answers to the questionnaire. This time limit prevents students from improving their pronunciation to listener-friendly pronunciation. This is one of the main reasons for the decision to design a pronunciation application model. The theoretical framework for the design of the study is supported by mobile-assisted language learning, with specific reference to the principles for the development and implementation of mobile-assisted teaching by Stockwell and Hubbard (2013); guidelines for a user-friendly user interface by Clearbridge Mobile (2020) and user experience by Babich (2018); the gamification model by Huang and Soman (2013); the guidelines for pronunciation teaching (Smith and Conti, 2016 and Conti, 2016) and the guidelines for ethical gamification as proposed by Rootman-Le Grange, Barnard and Adams (2016). I used a mixed-methods approach. Observations and deductions were made from the data recorded in the form of answers to the questionnaire, as well as from sound recordings and previous studies. The use of these sources ensured triangulation and therefore increased the validity and credibility of the findings. Twenty-two students participated in this study The participants first completed a questionnaire. The aim of the questionnaire was to determine the participants’ needs and opinions with regards to their pronunciation, while also investigating their cell phone and application usage. Data on the participants’ language background were also collected in this way. Sound recording data was used in conjunction with the questionnaire data in order to determine which sounds are not pronounced as listener-friendly. The contribution of this study includes, among others, a user-centred pronunciation application model that can be used by all interested parties. Furthermore, guidelines for the execution of a needs analysis for the design of a pronunciation application is provided. A list of sounds that can help foreign language speakers of Afrikaans with their pronunciation is also provided. The study discusses how games can help students become aware of pronunciation differences between their first language and their target language. Other findings include participants’ language priorities, preferences and needs for a pronunciation application. In addition, the study reports on Afrikaans sounds that English-speaking students do not pronounce as listener-friendly. These findings can be applied in the foreign-language learning classroom as well as in the mobile-assisted language learning field.