Abstract: Wanneer daar na misdaadfiksie gekyk word, kan die impak van vertalings as deel van die spanningsverhaalsubsisteem ondersoek word, veral in die geval van Deon Meyer wie se werke al in meer as 27 verskillende tale vertaal is. Vir die doel van hierdie artikel word daar gebruik gemaak van Deon Meyer se Fever en Koors ter illustrasie van die waarde en belang van teksposisionering binne 'n groter sisteem - in hierdie opsig, die Amerikaanse literêre poli-sisteem en die Suid-Afrikaanse (Afrikaanse) literêre polisisteem. Sodoende, word die groter sosiale konteks waarbinne beide hierdie tekste geskep maar ook ontvang is, ontsluit. Die primêre ondersoekmetode in hierdie studie is 'n sisteemteoretiese ontleding. In die lig van die data wat gebruik word, word dit ook as 'n resepsiestudie beskou en maak dit gebruik van 'n paratekstuele analise om die data te analiseer. Die ontvanklikheid vir hierdie roman van Meyer mag daaraan te danke wees dat hy in 2011 reeds een van die VSA se topboekpryse, die American Barry Prize for Best Thriller, gewen het en daarom reeds deel van die Amerikaanse literêre polisisteem vorm. Wanneer daar na die parateks van Fever gekyk word, funksioneer die roman as 'n vertaalde spanningsverhaal binne die Amerikaanse spanningsverhaalsubsisteem. Die aanlyn resensies van Fever het grootliks 'n positiewe ontvangs deur kritici en die algemene leserspubliek getoon, en die posisie wat Fever vervolgens in hierdie sisteem inneem, is hieraan te danke. Dit blyk te wees dat, alhoewel misdaadfiksie tipies nie as "kanoniserende literatuur" beskou word nie, dit inderdaad meer sentraal tot die betrokke literêre polisisteem geposisioneer kan wees en bestaande denke hieroor kan verander.According to Hermans (1999:42), the polysystem theory approach (hereafter PST) promotes the functional and goal-oriented approach to translation. Such an approach means that the emphasis is on the search for explanations that are primarily aimed at the target culture. Shuttleworth (2009:200) explains that PST (as set out by Even-Zohar and other experts) is not a complete, waterproof package, but rather a starting point for further study. If the model is approached in this way, it will constantly add value to investigations of a theoretical as well as a descriptive nature. When looking at crime fiction, the impact of translations can be examined as part of the suspense fiction/thriller subsystem, especially in the case of Deon Meyer whose works have been translated into more than 27 different languages. For purposes of this article, we have made use of Deon Meyer's Koors and Fever to illustrate the value and importance of text positioning within a larger system - more specifically, the American literary polysystem and the South African (Afrikaans) literary polysystem. Thus, the larger social context within which both these texts were created, but also received, is unlocked. The primary research method in this study is a systems theory analysis. Considering the data used, it is also deemed a reception study and uses a paratextual analysis to analyse the data. Fever's position in the American literary polysystem is determined using the paratext, namely reviews by literary critics and online reviews by the public, as well as examining aspects in and around the novels. Looking at Fever's paratext, the novel functions as translated suspense fiction within the American suspense fiction subsystem. Fever has been received mostly positively according to the online reviews by critics and the general readership, and the position that Fever subsequently occupies in this system is mainly due to its positive reception. Furthermore, the reason why Fever is accepted into this particular system may most possibly be due to the fact that Meyer won one of the USA's top book prizes, the American Barry Prize for Best Thriller for Thirteen Hours (Malan, 2011; also Meyer, 2019) already in 2011, and has therefore already entered the American literary polysystem. Awarding Meyer with this prize shows that Meyer's translated English novels also form part of the American suspense fiction polysystem and serve as a good indication that his novels are no longer on the periphery of this system, but that his work is increasingly becoming part of the American context and that it also enjoys international recognition. The preceding points do not yet include the aspects of the discussion related to the peritext. What is important here is the quote from Stephen King that is used on the front page, namely "Reminiscent of The Stand and The Passage. Great stuff." However, there is no indication (on the cover at least) that this novel is a type of post-apocalyptic novel and if the reader knows Meyer's other works, they may expect a typical crime novel. The American publishers decided to put Stephen King's quote on the front page and it is placed there strategically, because it gives the reader an indication ofwhat they can expect. The Passage by Justin Cronin is described by The Guardian (2010) as a post-apocalyptic vampire story and The Stand by Stephen King is described by Amazon (2011) as Stephen King's apocalyptic outlook on a world overwhelmed by a plague. If the reader is acquainted with these books, this quote will provide him with some insight into what to expect in Meyer's Fever. The information provided by the paratext of the novel, Fever, is twofold. The first is that the novel is a translation (although it is not explicitly mentioned) and that the polysystem is receptive to translations from the source language, which is Afrikaans. The second is that, although Meyer is a crime fiction writer, this novel is also part of the literary polysystem that includes apocalyptic /post-apocalyptic novels. In the discussion of the findings, it is shown that Meyer's novel occupies a central position in the aforementioned subsystem and may be an indication of the type of translation strategies used. The discussion of "repertoreme...
Abstract: In hierdie konseptuele artikel word die waarde van literêre teater in die bewussynsopvoeding van psigoterapiestudente as beginnerterapeute toegelig. 'n Eerste uitgangspunt van die artikel is bewussynsopvoeding om die ontologiese ingesteldheid as singewende intensionaliteit te kultiveer wat gekenmerk word deur synsdenke en sensitiwiteit vir die gelyktydige teenstry-dighede eie aan die menslike bestaansproblematiek. Teen hierdie agtergrond word die betekenisvolheid van bewussynsopvoeding as geestelike ideaal of Bildung-strewe beskryf, eerder as die performatiewe ideaal van nuwe kennis gerig deur 'n gespesifiseerde doel. Twee moontlike eietydse dilemmas wat psigoterapiestudente se ontwikkelende vermoë tot bewus-synsmatige betrokkenheid soms bemoeilik, word terselfdertyd belig. Dit sluit in begin-nerpsigoterapeute se oormatige selfbewustheid en sentimentele emosionaliteit, asook die tegnokratiese aard van massasielkunde. In die daaropvolgende afdelings verduidelik ons aan die hand van enkele eksemplariese onderrigvoorbeelde hoe literêre teater vanweë die inherente beliggaming van die eksistensieel-fenomenologiese karakter daarvan moontlik kan bydra tot die verskerping en inoefening van psigoterapiestudente se vermoë tot groter bewussynsmatig-heid.The capacity to comprehend experiences in a coherent way and attribute meaning to existence is unique to human beings. Through Dasein, being consciously concerned with the onto-phenomenological experience, thus interpreting what it means to exist amid that which is and is still becoming, human beings strive to connect with their Lebenswelt (a lived world). Only when individuals are consciously receptive to and involved in their own ontological being and becoming can they empathise with the very nature of another. Woven into this larger disposition characterised by continuous onto-phenomenological self-making-in-a-situation (Bildung) -the Nietzschean call - is the empathic attitude. In the context of psychology, in particular psychotherapy, the empathic attitude - that is, being sensitively aware of how we understand ourselves, others and the world we share - is undeniably part of the repertoire of qualities that a therapist ought to possess. Often, however, the attitude of novice therapists towards what is happening between them and their clients here and now involves inflated self-awareness that is devoid of ontological considerations. Frequently, this results in a clichéd form of empathy based primarily on sentimental emotionality. It seems to be true that, in a ubiquitous cyberculture characterised by self-absorption and the mere accumulation of simplistic explanations, the ability to be ontologically receptive - as the sine qua non of an empathetic attitude - is gradually becoming undervalued. Art, in particular literary theatre, has the capacity to push psychotherapy students (as spectators) to the edge of what it means to be human beings; by implication, therefore, it constitutes an appeal for existential phenomenological involvement. Suddenly the spectators cannot escape the incantatory circle ofwhat is affectively transcendent and become participants in their own self-developmental needs and psychological yearnings. This article seeks to illustrate how the existential phenomenological elements of literary theatre, including physicality (language, movement, actions and sound), time and spatiality, can be used to comprehend an embodied involvement (being with the client, here, now) and encourage ontological reflection in psychotherapy students. In this regard, literary theatre displays certain existential phenomenological characteristics that can be understood and applied as part of a pedagogical enterprise in psychotherapy teaching and training. Some core characteristics include inner stillness, a sensitive-receptive attitude, and an awareness of Jungian or depth-psychology archetypes. Of importance is therefore the existential phenomenological attitude of the psychotherapy student towards a child's being (onto-involvement) in the therapy room or clinical evaluation situation. By way of a conceptual explication, we attempt to provide an understanding of the relationship between the psychological function of literary theatre and the existential phenomenological attitude of the educational psychology student. This attitude embodies a certain artistry or aesthetic disposition, characterised by qualities such as honed intuition, sensitive awareness and the formation of nuanced connections. Such artistry allows the psychotherapy student to explore the developmentally and contextually layered client, and to articulate den Zachen Zelbst meaningfully by way of contemplative, nuanced thought and language. Den Zachen Zelbst, ingrained in the Husserlian and Heideggerian vernacular of philosophy of phenomenology, refers to existence as intentional; to be consciously concerned with the meaning of being, therefore life-world experience, as opposed to merely registering and measuring impressions from the outside world. An existential phenomenological disposition cannot be assumed, however, nor can it be simply taught as part of a postgraduate module on psychotherapy skills. Instead, the existential phenomenological disposition ought to be fostered and developed through carefully crafted embodiment activities of an intersectional nature (the intersection of philosophy, psychology, literature and drama, for example) as part of the teaching and training of psychotherapy students. This article attempts to cast light on the existential phenomenological disposition as an essential attitude of the psychotherapy student, especially in the context of an often unmindful, mechanistic and utilitarian society. At its core, the existential-phenomenological attitude presupposes a more embodied (as opposed to essentialist) psychotherapy, characterised by ontological awareness, deepening insight and symbolic language. These intellectual qu...
Abstract: Kodewisseling, 'n komplekse vaardigheid, is die gebruik van twee of meer tale deur 'n spreker in dieselfde uiting of gesprek (Gort, 2012:46; Van Dulm, 2007:1; Myers-Scotton, 2009:239). In Suid-Afrika, met sy 11 amptelike tale, word die meeste kinders aan meer as een taal blootgestel, en daarom is kodewisseling 'n alomteenwoordige verskynsel (Van Dulm, 2007). Dit is bevestig in 'n onlangse studie waar kodewisseling in jong Afrikaanssprekende kinders geïdentifiseer is (Liebenberg, 2021:74). Die huidige artikel fokus op kinders wat in Afrikaans grootgemaak word en wat van Engelse kodewisseling gebruik maak. Aangesien daar 'n leemte in die navorsing rakende hierdie verskynsel bestaan, is daar deur middel van 'n beskrywende, kwantitatiewe, deursnee-ontwerp gepoog om die omvang en aard van kodewisseling in die spontane taal van 30 jong Afrikaanssprekende kinders tussen die ouderdom van 3;6 (jaar; maande) en 9;6 in groter diepte te ontleed en beskryf. Kodewisseling het algemeen voorgekom in die spontane taal van die eentalige, Afrikaanssprekende kinders wat vir hierdie studie waargeneem is. Die data toon ook dat kinders hoofsaaklik Engelse naamwoorde in die matrikstaaluitings (in hierdie geval, Afrikaanse uitings) deur middel van intrasinkodewisseling ingevoeg het. Oor al die ouderdomsgroepe was die persentasie Engelse woorde (met betrekking tot die totale Engelse woorde) wat gebruik is, minder as 10%. Geen beduidende tendense is tussen die vyf verskillende ouderdomsgroepe en geslagte opgemerk nie. Hierdie studie dui op 'n verwantskap tussen hoër taalresultate in terme van morfologie en 'n laer voorkoms van kodewisseling, en identifiseer ook verskeie addisionele navorsingsleemtes oor die kodewis-seling van jong Afrikaanssprekende kinders wat in toekomstige navorsing aangepak moet word.Code-switching is a complex skill that refers to the use of two or more languages by a speaker during one utterance or conversation (Gort, 2012:46; Van Dulm, 2007:1; Myers-Scotton, 2009:239). In South Africa, with its 11 official languages, children are exposed to more than one language, and subsequently, code-switching is ubiquitous (Van Dulm, 2007). Code-switching was recently identified in the spontaneous language samples of young Afrikaans-speaking children (Liebenberg, 2021:74). Similar findings were described in Nel (2012:193), who recommended that future research should investigate code-switching occurrences in spontaneous speech. The current study, therefore, aimed to fill this gap by describing the nature and extent of code-switching in the spontaneous speech of neurotypical Afrikaans-speaking children. The common phenomenon of code-switching is further relevant to speech-language therapists. Recent literature states that this phenomenon is often observed during children's speech and language assessments and it is noted in the speech and language samples of both children with and without language disorders, similar to the code-switching seen in spontaneous speech (Kapantzoglou, 2021:1605). This study confirmed that code-switching was previously described as a function of language and that a relationship exists between code-switching and language functioning. Since speech-language therapists assess language and language functioning, the influences of code-switching are important to understand and consider as it may influence decision making in therapeutic contexts. The current paper focuses on children who are raised in Afrikaans and whose language of learning and teaching is also Afrikaans, but who use English code-switching in their utterances. Due to the paucity of research regarding this phenomenon, a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed to analyse and describe in depth the spontaneous speech of 30 young Afrikaans-speaking children between the ages 3;6 (year; months) and 9;6. An equivalent number of boys and girls were included as participants and they had to match the following criteria (1) have Afrikaans as their first language, (2) be typically developing), (3) come from a middle-class socio-economic status (therefore, the family should fall within the tax-paying bracket), (4) live in the broader Tshwane-area (to ensure no dialect differences amongst participants), and (5) have normal hearing status. Code-switching occurred in the spontaneous language of the monolingual Afrikaans-speaking children who were observed in the current study. The data also showed that these children primarily inserted English nouns in the matrix language utterances (in this case, Afrikaans) by means of intrasentential code-switching. Ninety percent of the code-switching in the dataset were examples of intrasentential code-switching. Across all the age groups, the percentage of English words that were used (in terms of the number of different words) was less than 10% overall. No significant tendencies were noted between the five different age cohorts and genders. A relationship was, however, noted between higher language scores in terms of morphology and lower numbers of code-switching. Code-switching is a common phenomenon in the spontaneous, spoken language of young Afrikaans-speaking children. Although Afrikaans was the participants 'home language, as well as their language of learning and teaching, they often used English code-switching in utterances. The Afrikaans-speaking children's use of code-switching may indicate second language acquisition of English or that they have already acquired English as a second language. The current study makes an important contribution to the existing literature as these results may prompt that more specific boundaries for the definitions of monolingual and multilingual individuals should be described to classify these participants and the code-switching phenomenon. Further research regarding spontaneous second language acquisition in a multilingual context is also required. The study identified several gaps in the code-switching liter...
Abstract: Metadiskoers word in twee kategorieë verdeel, naamlik tekstuele en interpersoonlike metadiskoers. Tekstuele metadiskoers behels die gebruik van woorde en frases om teksinligting op 'n koherente wyse te organiseer, terwyl interpersoonlike metadiskoers die skrywer in staat stel om 'n skrywer-leser-verhouding te bewerkstellig. Verskansers, as deel van die interpersoonlike metadiskoerskategorie, word spesifiek gebruik om skrywerstandpunte te kwalifiseer. Eerstens versag dit skrywerstandpunte tot 'n algehele moontlikheid, en skep sodoende ruimte vir die leser se mening rakende die onderwerp van bespreking. Tweedens toon dit aan wanneer 'n skrywer hom/haar van die standpunte en/of selfs die evaluering daarvan distansieer. Die literatuur word gekenmerk deur verskeie studies rakende die gebruik van verskansing in akademiese tekste, maar daar bestaan 'n leemte oor die gebruik daarvan in Afrikaans-sprekende eerstejaarstudente se geskrewe tekste. As sodanig poog die onderhawige artikel om lig te werp op die tipe verskansers wat deur Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente gebruik word; die frekwensie in gebruik van verskansers oor al drie die dele van die tekste, naamlik die inleiding, die liggaam (inhoudelike gedeelte) en die slot; of die verskansers korrek en gepas gebruik word; en of daar 'n beduidende verskil is in die gebruik van verskansers tussen studente wat ondergemiddeld, gemiddeld en bogemiddeld presteer het in hulle geskrewe argumente. Die resultate van die ondersoek toon dat Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente met aanvang van hulle universiteitstudie nie noodwendig ervare is in die gebruik van verskansing nie. Beperkings- en weerhoudingsmerkers het selde in die argumente gefigureer. Derhalwe word aanbeveel dat Afrikaanssprekende eerstejaarstudente op universiteit in Akademiesegeletterdheidsmodules geakkultureer behoort te word ten opsigte van die belangrikheid én die gebruik van verskansing in hulle geskrewe argumente.Metadiscourse is divided into two categories, namely textual and interpersonal metadiscourse. Textual metadiscourse involves the use of words and phrases to organise textual information in a coherent way, while interpersonal metadiscourse enables the author to establish a writer-reader relationship. Hedges that form part of the interpersonal metadiscourse category are specifically used to qualify author positions. First, hedging softens author points of view to a possibility, thus creating space for the reader's opinion regarding the topic of discussion. Secondly, it shows when a writer distances himself/herself from the views therein and/or even the evaluation thereof. The literature is characterised by various studies regarding the use of hedging in academic texts, but there is a gap with respect to its use specifically in Afrikaans-speaking first-year students' written texts. This article sheds light on the type of hedges used by these students; the frequency in use of hedges over all three parts of the texts, namely the introduction, the body (content part) and the conclusion; whether the hedges are used correctly and appropriately; and whether there is a significant difference in the use of hedges between students who received below-average, average and above-average marks for their written arguments. The results of this investigation show that Afrikaans-speaking first-year students at the start of their university careers are not necessarily experienced in the use of hedging. Restriction and restraint markers rarely figured in the arguments. Therefore, it is recommended that Afrikaans-speaking first-year students at university should be acculturated in Academic literacy modules in the importance and use of hedging in their written arguments.
Abstract: Niccolò Machiavelli het oor 'n tydperk van vyf eeue 'n onverdiend negatiewe staatkundige reputasie as 'n siniese, immorele, magsugtige, wreedaardige en opportunistiese politieke Renaissance-intellektueel gekry. Hy het naamlik gedurende en ná sy betrokkenheid as senior beampte en adviseur in die regering van die Florentynse Republiek 'n besonder sterk premie geplaas op 'n regeerbenadering van "die doel heilig die middele", wat dikwels as oneties beskou word. Sy standpunte is vir baie lank geïsoleerd beoordeel van die komplekse omstandighede waarin hy geleef en gewerk het. Al hoe meer resente kommentaar op en beoordelings van sy werk erken egter dat hy hierdie slegte reputasie verwerf het omdat hy onder die baie moeilike omstandighede van sy tyd en ter wille van sy eie oorlewing en ambisie sy lojaliteit moes bewys aan die wrede outoritêre heersers onder wie hy geleef en gewerk het. Hy het inderwaarheid konsekwent probeer om fundamentele demokratiese regeer-kundebeginsels en -doelwitte, soos stabiliteit, responsiwiteit, openbare deelname, burgerlike tevredenheid en volhoubaarheid, na te streef en te bevorder, maar moes dit op meestal implisiete wyse doen, nie eksplisiet nie. In die lig van resente navorsingsbevindings en gevolgtrekkings beoordeel hierdie artikel sy rol as Renaissance-denker, diplomaat, strateeg en beplanner in 'n meer positiewe lig. Hy was 'n rigtinggewende grondlegger van die demokratiese magspolitieke denkskool in die politieke wetenskap.This article reassesses Niccolò Machiavelli's contribution to political governance theory and practice. At the height of the Renaissance, Machiavelli was one of the most influential intellectuals. He was also a consummate and influential senior strategist, diplomat, negotiator and public official in the "democratic" Florentine Republic from 1494 to 1512. He gained extensive governance experience before the republican government was toppled in a coup by a member of its former absolutist Medici rulers, and he was arrested as a traitor, tortured and exiled from Florence. He remained in exile until his death in 1527. Machiavelli lived and worked in turbulent times. The period was characterised by violent and brutal competition for power, status and resources among mostly still feudal city states, manipulated by an increasingly influential politically interventionist and corrupt Roman Catholic Church dominated for centuries by the powerful Medici family. Machiavelli had a cynical view of human interactions. He regarded life as a series of overlapping games that people play for different purposes in different contexts. Politics consist of a series of power games played between competing rulers, between a ruler and his subjects, and between different individuals and groups in society to promote their respective self-interests. Machiavelli completed his first book (Il Principe ["the prince"]) in 1513 for the primary purpose ofwinning favour from the new Medici dictator and probably also for his own survival. In it he advised Lorenzo de Medici that political history had proven that power politics requires a ruler to fluctuate between good and evil actions in order to maintain and consolidate his hold on power in the long term. He therefore recommended that Medici should not flinch from using deflection, disinformation, lies and other "unethical" means to achieve stable, sustainable good governance goals that satisfy the interests of both the ruler and his subjects. He even condoned merciless action (when necessary) against rebels who undermine and destabilise the ruler's control over society, because the masses only obey their rulers out of fear or contentedness and not necessarily out of loyalty. However, in his later publications he explained at great length how a responsive republican government, supported by a strong military capacity, can be the most stable and successful form of government, because it creates an equilibrium between citizen contentment and fear in society. Machiavelli gave ambiguous and mixed signals about the interventionist political role of the Catholic Church. He was sometimes very critical of this institution, which he regarded as a corrupt and self-serving manipulator of Renaissance politics, and yet, in other instances he put forward more sympathetic views about the potentially constructive and supportive role of religion in promoting good governance. From a modern democratic perspective, such seemingly contradictory statements afforded him the very negative reputation of being unethical, but, at the same time, have led to continuing speculation about the real motives for his enigmatic views. Over the last five centuries Machiavelli has therefore become highly controversial because of his allegedly "immoral" advice to the Medici dictators, who ended his career in Florence. The latest assessments of his work and of the rationality, cogency, coherence and logic of his arguments, however, increasingly indicate that for his time he was in essence a committed "democrat". He seems to have deliberately followed a very subtle and sometimes ambiguous writing style to survive personally in an antagonistic political climate and to regain his former job as a senior political official and counsellor in the Florentine government. For this purpose, he had to commit himself to accepting the cruel, authoritarian nature of the power politics of the prevailing Renaissance political and governance practices in order to try to effect an improvement in the democratic responsiveness, stability and sustainabillty of those systems. He therefore followed a deliberate strategy to try, on the one hand, to appease authoritarian rulers 'power ambitions but, on the other, to explain how their reign could be stabilised and be maintained more sustainably through more responsive good governance practices. His advice therefore reflects the subtle ironies and apparent contradictions of the political game that he deci...
Abstract: Meningspeilings wat onlangs ten opsigte van die steunbasis van politieke partye gemaak is, wissel, maar beklemtoon 'n besliste afname in politieke steun vir die regerende ANC wat reeds 28 jaar aan bewind is. Teen die agtergrond van 'n snelveranderende politieke omgewing, gedryf deur politieke, ekonomiese en maatskaplike faktore, het die Suid-Afrikaanse politieke omgewing 'n kantelpunt bereik, met groot eise wat daaruit voortspruit rakende onder meer die konsolidasie van demokratiese waardes. Die 2021- plaaslike verkiesings het bykans 70 "hang-rade" tot gevolg gehad, waarin geen party 'n volstrekte meerderheid kon behaal nie. Met die algemene verkiesing van 2024 voor die deur, is koalisiepolitiek en/of ander vorme van politieke samewerking 'n hoogs waarskynlike scenario op beide nasionale en sommige provinsiale vlakke. Koalisiepolitiek is 'n redelik nuwe verskynsel in die Suid-Afrikaanse politiek, wat eers sedert die 2016- plaaslike verkiesings buite die Wes-Kaap, naas enkele ander uitsonderings, prakties beslag begin kry het. Koalisiepolitiek in al sy vorme bepaal 'n nuwe stel politieke spelreëls, met verreikende implikasies vir die bestendiging van ons betreklike jong demokrasie en politieke stabiliteit, wat toenemend nuwe uitdagings stel. Tans is talle koalisieregerings in krisissituasies vasgevang, of word gekonfronteer deur patrone van politieke onstabiliteit. Hierdie navorsing is toegespits op koalisiepolitiek in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks; die uitdagings en geleenthede, voorgehou as die kuns van die (on)moontlike.Recently conducted opinion polls on the support bases ofpolitical parties vary, but nevertheless emphasise significant decline in political support for the governing ANC, already ruling for 28 years. Since its peak of support in 1999 (at national level nearly 70% support, in other words a majority ofmore than two-thirds), a gradual decline in support for the ANC has been evident. In the municipal elections held in 2021 the ANC could mobilise only about 46% support across municipalities and provinces. Following this trend of gradual declining support, some of these polls indicate a decline in support for the ANC to as low as 37%, while others estimate it at 42%. Against the background of a rapidly changing political environment, driven by political, economic and social factors, the South African political scene reached a tipping point, with large demands arising with regard to, amongst other things, the consolidation of democratic values. The third decade of the democratic dispensation can be decisive for the consolidation of democratic values in South Africa. Regarding the desired consolidation of democratic values, the political situation has however changed to such an extent that the municipal election held in 2021 resulted in nearly 70 hung councils in which no party could secure an absolute majority. With the general election of 2024 lying in store, coalition politics and/or alternative forms of political collaboration will become a highly probable scenario at both national and a few provincial levels. Coalition politics is a relatively new phenomenon in the South African political scenario, which has only since the municipal election of 2016 been realised, initially in the Western Cape, with a few other exceptions across provinces. Coalition politics in all its forms requires a new set of political rules, holding far-reaching implications for the perpetuation of our relatively young democracy and political stability, increasingly causing new challenges. Numerous coalition governments are currently caught up in crisis situations or are confronted by patterns of political instability. Metropoles like the City of Johannesburg, City of Ekurhuleni, City of Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay metropole attest to such situations. It also seems to be the destiny of numerous local municipalities currently governed by minority coalitions. This research is focused upon coalition politics in the South African context; the challenges and opportunities, described as the art of the (im) possible. Focal points of this presentation include: general points of departure; the status of the constitutional democracy; political parties and party systems; the South African voting system; coalition politics, and evaluating perspectives. In a period of rapid political, economic and social change, and the accompanying challenges, politicians and political elites will have to master the "art" of coalition politics for the benefit of survival - a challenge that is going to put huge demands to a democracy in the process of consolidation.
Abstract: Waarom werk sogenaamde "kenniswerkers" (insluitende navorsers en akademici), skynbaar (nood)gedwonge, selfs wanneer omstandighede sodanig is dat hulle aandag moet gee aan ander sake, byvoorbeeld familiebesoeke' In hierdie fassinerende en vir sommige lesers waarskynlik onthutsende boek bespreek Benda Hofmeyr hierdie saak op verhelderende wyse. Ter verklaring van hierdie verskynsel onderskei sy drie redes, naamlik die verwagting by werkgewers dat kenniswerkers optimaal produktief sal wees in ruil vir werksomstandighede wat bevorderlik is vir sodanige produktiwiteit, insluitende uiters soepele werksure; die beskikbaarheid van gevorderde tegnologiese middele wat dit moontlik maak om feitlik enige plek te werk (primêr konstante toegang tot die internet deur middel van verskeie tegniese apparate); en die belangrikste rede van almal, te wete dat kenniswerkers gedurig wil werk. Hofmeyr problematiseer haar ondersoek na hierdie belangwekkende fenomeen rakende die vrywillige, maar oordrewe (en dikwels uitputtende) pligsvervulling van kenniswerkers deur dit in die neoliberale "Era van Beheer" te situeer. Haar navorsing word behendig in die rigting van Michel Foucault se suggestiewe refleksies oor Neoliberale Goewermentaliteit gestuur (met ander woorde die vernuftige wyse waarop neoliberale samelewings "regering" (of "regeer") met 'n bepaalde gekultiveerde "mentaliteit" kombineer), waardeur 'n paradoksale subjek geskep word wat deur sowel onderworpenheid ("subjection") as "subjektivering" (die konstruksie of modulering van subjektiwiteit) gekenmerk word. Tweedens onderneem Hofmeyr 'n stelselmatige naspeuring van kenniswerk ("knowledge work") in 'n samelewing wat onwrikbaar daarop ingestel is om almal te beheer. Dit word gevolg deur 'n noukeurige betragting van die eienaardige verband tussen wat die antieke Grieke thumos (vurigheid) genoem het, enersyds, en motivering asook "gedwonge" ("compulsive") werk, andersyds. Die vraag na die skakel tussen "gedwonge" werk en neoliberale goewermentaliteit word ook onder die loep geneem voordat die belangrike kwessie van die lewensvatbaarheid van verset onder kenniswerkers bespreek word, met uiteenlopende resultate. Afgesien van deurlopende kritiese opmerkings oor die teks, word daar ook ten slotte eers in intern-tekstuele, en dan kortliks in ekstrinsiek-kontekstuele terme krities standpunt ingeneem ten opsigte van Hofmeyr se argument.Who would work all the time, if they have the opportunity to relax, or to spend time pleasantly and socially-constructively with their families or friends' Most people would probably shake their heads in disbelief when confronted with evidence that there is a group of individuals who actually do this ostensibly irrational thing. This distinct human assemblage comprises so-called "knowledge workers", who demonstrably work constantly, and compulsively, even under circumstances that are not conducive to the kind of work that requires high levels of attention. Why' How do we make sense of something that seems to border on masochism' This is the question that Benda Hofmeyr addresses in the book on which this is a review essay. She lists three reasons, namely the expectation that they be optimally productive, the technological means to work virtually anywhere, and most importantly, the fact that they desire to work constantly. Hofmeyr pays sustained attention to the work of Michel Foucault, reading his published lectures as "problematisations" - a critical practice he developed in his history of ancient Greek sexuality - and which Hofmeyr understands transcendentally insofar as they are said to reveal the "conditions of possibility" of the discursive justifications ofcratological practices. What particularly interests her is Foucault 'sproblematisation of "neoliberalgovernmentality" - which the French thinker regarded as being potentially inimical to human freedom; something I shall return to - and proposes to scrutinise the phenomenon of the knowledge worker through this lens. Hofmeyr's sustained focus on the knowledge worker in relation to the fact that "knowledge work" is the economic driver of the present era, exposes the link between what these workers do and the neoliberal imperative of the "greatest return", which requires the greatest efficiency on the part of workers. Knowledge workers are no exception, with the result that activities that may seem extraneous to their work, but actually contribute to their ability to work efficiently - such as sport and modes of relaxation - are justified as promoting productivity. Hofmeyr finds plenty of evidence, however, that what really motivates individuals who create and promote knowledge is their sense of achievement and recognition, together with the awareness of the quality of their work. It is interesting that one of Hofmeyr's sources confirming this dates back to 1959 (Drucker), and together with the fact that Maslow put personal achievement that promotes self-actualisation at the zenith of his famous motivational "hierarchy of needs" already in the early 1940s, this confirms my suspicion that neoliberal governmentality did not invent the phenomenon of the incessantly productive, achievement-motivated knowledge worker, but merely tapped into a motivational root that has been a part of human psychology, if not always, then for a long time. True to the philosophical reflex of zurückfragen, and drawing on the arch-apologist for neoliberalism, Francis Fukuyama, Hofmeyr unearths what may be regarded as the Urquell of knowledge workers 'desire to work continually, compulsively, namely thumos, which derives from ancient Greek insights into the nature of the human psyche (psuche). The most important of these is probably Plato's notion of thumos as one of the three characteristics of the soul, the other two being reason and desire. Importantly, Plato identifies "spiritedness" as belonging to thumos, and being at the basis of the capacity to get angry in the face of injustice. Hof...
Abstract: Gedurende die Suid-Afrikaanse apartheidsbedeling het talle aspekte van die samelewing mank gegaan aan die erkenning en toepassing van fundamentele regte soos vryheid, gelykheid en menswaardigheid. In plaaslike wetgewende bepalings was daar geen gelyke beregtiging vir mense van kleur nie. Die gevolg daarvan was dat leerders uit hierdie gemeenskappe ontneem is van gelyke toegang tot onderwysgeleenthede. Gedurende die 20ste eeu het verskeie internasionale instrumente verskyn wat die belangrikheid van gelyke toegang tot die onderwys vir almal uitgestippel het. Weens die heersende apartheidsbestel het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering nie hierdie dokumente onderteken nie, en gevolglik is nie een van hierdie dokumente amptelik geratifiseer vir toepassing in Suid-Afrika nie. Die negentigerjare, met die promulgering van die nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet, het egter 'n drastiese verandering in onderwysbeleid teweeg gebring. Veral die hoofstuk oor fundamentele regte in die Grondwet het sterk klem gelê op waardes soos vryheid, gelykheid, gelyke beregtiging en menswaardigheid, met inbegrip van gelyke, vrye toegang tot primêre onderwys. Internasionaal-vergelykende opnames sedert die grondwetlike oorgang skyn egter daarop te dui dat hierdie oorgang nie ook die verwagte uitkomste meegebring het wat die geletterdheids- en gesyferdheidsvermoëns van die leerders betref nie.During the years of apartheid governance in South Africa, insufficient emphasis was placed on the recognition of human values and fundamental rights such as freedom, equality, equity, and human integrity. In many respects, this neglect had a damaging effect on the South African society, in particular on the rights of people of colour to free and equal access to basic education. National educational provisions categorised education into four separate departments of education, one for each of the South African racial groups. This approach was in force for the best part of the 20th century, despite the fact that various international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and the International Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1959 strongly insisted on equality, and free access to education for all. The latter Declaration, in its preamble, placed special emphasis on the interests of the child, stating that all of mankind owed the child the best it was able to impart. The aim of the research reported in this article was to identify the processes entailing a pendulum-swing from racial discrimination in education to the adoption of statutory mandates that would ensure equal access to education for every citizen in the country. The investigation also attended to case law that gave legal expression to this turnaround in education. The investigation culminated in the critical question of whether, in terms of some recent comparative international ratings of learners ' reading and numeracy skills, the quality and standard of teaching and learning in South African schools had benefited from the transition to a democratic dispensation, or whether teaching and learning had been neglected in the process. A hermeneutic-constructivist approach was followed in searching for answers to these questions. The swing towards equal access to education in South Africa began in the 1990s. The first step was the promulgation of the Interim Constitution of 1993, followed by the final Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in 1996. The chapters on fundamental rights in both these Constitutions entrench equality, freedom and human dignity as core values. These values also appear as fundamental human rights in chapter two of the final Constitution. In both these contexts - as values and as fundamental rights - everyone is entitled to free and equal access to education. During 1996, and in the years immediately thereafter, several legislative decrees were promulgated, and several official policy documents based on these values and rights were published. The stipulations embodied in the National Education Policy Act and in the South African Schools Act, both promulgated in 1996, are of particular significance in the project of ensuring free and equal access to education in South Africa. A series of court cases subsequently followed that addressed incidences of unfair discrimination in education, among others discrimination based on race, cultural practices, religion, age, pregnancy, and citizenship. Although it is still early days and there is still a lot of ground to cover, it is already evident that the seed of a fundamental rights culture in South African education has been sown and that the plant is on its way to maturity. One concern remains, however, and that is whether the very heartbeat of educational practice - the standard and quality of teaching and learning in the classroom - has benefited from the transition from an apartheid dispensation to a democratic one. Several recent comparative international ratings of learners ' numeracy and reading skills seem to point to neglect with respect to learners' prowess in reading with understanding, and acquiring numerical literacy.
Abstract: Die leesvermoë van leerders speel 'n groot rol in hul akademiese prestasie. 'n Wetenskaplike ondersoek is in 2021 tydens die aanbieding van 'n konstruktivistiese Natuurwetenskaplesreeks onderneem om te bepaal of 'n groep graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders van 'n skool in die Vrystaatprovinsie tekste op 'n selfgerigte wyse met begrip kon lees en leer. Die ondersoek het die interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma gevolg. Die eerste skrywer (onderwysernavorser) het die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik en 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingsmetodes aangewend. Die navorsingsresultate word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Ten eerste het die wetenskaplike ondersoek 'n literatuurondersoek behels wat op multimodale lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë toegespits is met die doel om dit in die lesreeks te integreer. Die verband tussen selfgerigte lees en leer is bestudeer om 'n groep Natuurwetenskapleerders tot selfgerigte leesbegrip van verskillende Natuurwetenskaptekste te begelei. Leesbegripkwessies is ondersoek aangesien onvoldoende leesbegriponderrig weens leerders se moedertale, 'n verskeidenheid sosiokulturele veranderlikes en leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkelingsfases hul leesbegripont-wikkeling beïnvloed. Ten tweede is 'n dokument- en tematiese ontleding van verslae van assesseringsliggame wat geletterdheid- en syfervaardigheidsvlakke van leerders bepaal, gedoen. Die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Afrikaans Huistaal (KABV, Senior Fase) is ontleed, wat bevestig het dat die ontwikkeling van leesbegripvaardighede noodsaaklik is vir akademiese prestasie (DBO, 2011a). Die ontleding van die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Natuurwetenskap (KABV, Senior Fase) toon verbande met vakke wat leerders in die Verdere Onderwys- en Opleidingsfase kan kies (DBO, 2011b). Vakkeuses in die wetenskappe is noodsaaklik vir leerders se betekenisvolle deelname in die samelewing. Uit hierdie ondersoek vloei riglyne vir graad 8-Natuurweten-skaponderwysers om lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë in lesreekse te integreer om graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders in selfgerigte lesers en leerders te ontwikkel.The results of research completed in 2021 with a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners at a school in the Free State are discussed in this article. The problem statement of this study was that this group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners could not read and understand texts in a self-directed manner, and thus comprehension of these texts was lost. The learners'loss of comprehension had a huge impact on their academic performance. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative research method, convenience sampling and a variety of data-gathering techniques were used. The data collection methods were based on a content and thematic analysis of a literature review and the analysis of documents. From this, overlapping themes were identified which helped with curriculating of the lesson series. In addition, the effectiveness of the study was determined by analysing the eight learner-centred lessons and observation checklists, pre-journal entries, reflective post-journal entries and the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, the scientific investigation involved a literature review focused on multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies with the aim of integrating these strategies into the lesson series. The focus of the lesson series was to help these Natural Science learners become self-directed readers and learners of different Natural Science texts. The relationship between self-directed reading and learning was thoroughly explored, and it was discovered that self-directed reading leads to self-directed learning. The cognitive development phase of Grade 8 learners was investigated in this research to determine what type of thinking skills these learners used to comprehend the world around them. Secondly, a document and thematic analysis was done of reports of various assessment bodies, such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), to estimate the level of literacy and numeracy of South African learners. Reading comprehension issues were investigated, and it is shown that these are caused by a lack of reading comprehension instruction in learners 'home language and a variety of sociocultural variables. A document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Afrikaans Home Language (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that language skills, such as reading and viewing, are essential for academic performance. Furthermore, the document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Natural Science (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that Grade 8 Natural Science learners are presented with various domains of knowledge connected to specific subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase. It is critical for Grade 8 learners to be familiar with these different domains of knowledge to make subject choices at the end of Grade 9 that will affect their career choice. Thirdly, the constructivist teaching and learning approach was used to create a lesson series. This teaching and learning approach is based on scaffolding, which implies that the instructional events are built on one another. The core contribution of the study is that a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners was empowered to read and learn a variety of texts (with the purposeful integration of multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies) self-directedly. Furthermore, guidelines have been compiled for Grade 8 Natural Science teachers that explain how they can integrate multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies in lessons to develop Grade 8 Natural Science learners into self-dir...
Abstract: Die leesvermoë van leerders speel 'n groot rol in hul akademiese prestasie. 'n Wetenskaplike ondersoek is in 2021 tydens die aanbieding van 'n konstruktivistiese Natuurwetenskaplesreeks onderneem om te bepaal of 'n groep graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders van 'n skool in die Vrystaatprovinsie tekste op 'n selfgerigte wyse met begrip kon lees en leer. Die ondersoek het die interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma gevolg. Die eerste skrywer (onderwysernavorser) het die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik en 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingsmetodes aangewend. Die navorsingsresultate word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Ten eerste het die wetenskaplike ondersoek 'n literatuurondersoek behels wat op multimodale lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë toegespits is met die doel om dit in die lesreeks te integreer. Die verband tussen selfgerigte lees en leer is bestudeer om 'n groep Natuurwetenskapleerders tot selfgerigte leesbegrip van verskillende Natuurwetenskaptekste te begelei. Leesbegripkwessies is ondersoek aangesien onvoldoende leesbegriponderrig weens leerders se moedertale, 'n verskeidenheid sosiokulturele veranderlikes en leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkelingsfases hul leesbegripont-wikkeling beïnvloed. Ten tweede is 'n dokument- en tematiese ontleding van verslae van assesseringsliggame wat geletterdheid- en syfervaardigheidsvlakke van leerders bepaal, gedoen. Die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Afrikaans Huistaal (KABV, Senior Fase) is ontleed, wat bevestig het dat die ontwikkeling van leesbegripvaardighede noodsaaklik is vir akademiese prestasie (DBO, 2011a). Die ontleding van die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Natuurwetenskap (KABV, Senior Fase) toon verbande met vakke wat leerders in die Verdere Onderwys- en Opleidingsfase kan kies (DBO, 2011b). Vakkeuses in die wetenskappe is noodsaaklik vir leerders se betekenisvolle deelname in die samelewing. Uit hierdie ondersoek vloei riglyne vir graad 8-Natuurweten-skaponderwysers om lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë in lesreekse te integreer om graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders in selfgerigte lesers en leerders te ontwikkel.The results of research completed in 2021 with a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners at a school in the Free State are discussed in this article. The problem statement of this study was that this group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners could not read and understand texts in a self-directed manner, and thus comprehension of these texts was lost. The learners'loss of comprehension had a huge impact on their academic performance. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative research method, convenience sampling and a variety of data-gathering techniques were used. The data collection methods were based on a content and thematic analysis of a literature review and the analysis of documents. From this, overlapping themes were identified which helped with curriculating of the lesson series. In addition, the effectiveness of the study was determined by analysing the eight learner-centred lessons and observation checklists, pre-journal entries, reflective post-journal entries and the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, the scientific investigation involved a literature review focused on multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies with the aim of integrating these strategies into the lesson series. The focus of the lesson series was to help these Natural Science learners become self-directed readers and learners of different Natural Science texts. The relationship between self-directed reading and learning was thoroughly explored, and it was discovered that self-directed reading leads to self-directed learning. The cognitive development phase of Grade 8 learners was investigated in this research to determine what type of thinking skills these learners used to comprehend the world around them. Secondly, a document and thematic analysis was done of reports of various assessment bodies, such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), to estimate the level of literacy and numeracy of South African learners. Reading comprehension issues were investigated, and it is shown that these are caused by a lack of reading comprehension instruction in learners 'home language and a variety of sociocultural variables. A document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Afrikaans Home Language (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that language skills, such as reading and viewing, are essential for academic performance. Furthermore, the document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Natural Science (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that Grade 8 Natural Science learners are presented with various domains of knowledge connected to specific subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase. It is critical for Grade 8 learners to be familiar with these different domains of knowledge to make subject choices at the end of Grade 9 that will affect their career choice. Thirdly, the constructivist teaching and learning approach was used to create a lesson series. This teaching and learning approach is based on scaffolding, which implies that the instructional events are built on one another. The core contribution of the study is that a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners was empowered to read and learn a variety of texts (with the purposeful integration of multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies) self-directedly. Furthermore, guidelines have been compiled for Grade 8 Natural Science teachers that explain how they can integrate multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies in lessons to develop Grade 8 Natural Science learners into self-dir...
Abstract: Die leesvermoë van leerders speel 'n groot rol in hul akademiese prestasie. 'n Wetenskaplike ondersoek is in 2021 tydens die aanbieding van 'n konstruktivistiese Natuurwetenskaplesreeks onderneem om te bepaal of 'n groep graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders van 'n skool in die Vrystaatprovinsie tekste op 'n selfgerigte wyse met begrip kon lees en leer. Die ondersoek het die interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma gevolg. Die eerste skrywer (onderwysernavorser) het die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik en 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingsmetodes aangewend. Die navorsingsresultate word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Ten eerste het die wetenskaplike ondersoek 'n literatuurondersoek behels wat op multimodale lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë toegespits is met die doel om dit in die lesreeks te integreer. Die verband tussen selfgerigte lees en leer is bestudeer om 'n groep Natuurwetenskapleerders tot selfgerigte leesbegrip van verskillende Natuurwetenskaptekste te begelei. Leesbegripkwessies is ondersoek aangesien onvoldoende leesbegriponderrig weens leerders se moedertale, 'n verskeidenheid sosiokulturele veranderlikes en leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkelingsfases hul leesbegripont-wikkeling beïnvloed. Ten tweede is 'n dokument- en tematiese ontleding van verslae van assesseringsliggame wat geletterdheid- en syfervaardigheidsvlakke van leerders bepaal, gedoen. Die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Afrikaans Huistaal (KABV, Senior Fase) is ontleed, wat bevestig het dat die ontwikkeling van leesbegripvaardighede noodsaaklik is vir akademiese prestasie (DBO, 2011a). Die ontleding van die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Natuurwetenskap (KABV, Senior Fase) toon verbande met vakke wat leerders in die Verdere Onderwys- en Opleidingsfase kan kies (DBO, 2011b). Vakkeuses in die wetenskappe is noodsaaklik vir leerders se betekenisvolle deelname in die samelewing. Uit hierdie ondersoek vloei riglyne vir graad 8-Natuurweten-skaponderwysers om lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë in lesreekse te integreer om graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders in selfgerigte lesers en leerders te ontwikkel.The results of research completed in 2021 with a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners at a school in the Free State are discussed in this article. The problem statement of this study was that this group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners could not read and understand texts in a self-directed manner, and thus comprehension of these texts was lost. The learners'loss of comprehension had a huge impact on their academic performance. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative research method, convenience sampling and a variety of data-gathering techniques were used. The data collection methods were based on a content and thematic analysis of a literature review and the analysis of documents. From this, overlapping themes were identified which helped with curriculating of the lesson series. In addition, the effectiveness of the study was determined by analysing the eight learner-centred lessons and observation checklists, pre-journal entries, reflective post-journal entries and the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, the scientific investigation involved a literature review focused on multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies with the aim of integrating these strategies into the lesson series. The focus of the lesson series was to help these Natural Science learners become self-directed readers and learners of different Natural Science texts. The relationship between self-directed reading and learning was thoroughly explored, and it was discovered that self-directed reading leads to self-directed learning. The cognitive development phase of Grade 8 learners was investigated in this research to determine what type of thinking skills these learners used to comprehend the world around them. Secondly, a document and thematic analysis was done of reports of various assessment bodies, such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), to estimate the level of literacy and numeracy of South African learners. Reading comprehension issues were investigated, and it is shown that these are caused by a lack of reading comprehension instruction in learners 'home language and a variety of sociocultural variables. A document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Afrikaans Home Language (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that language skills, such as reading and viewing, are essential for academic performance. Furthermore, the document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Natural Science (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that Grade 8 Natural Science learners are presented with various domains of knowledge connected to specific subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase. It is critical for Grade 8 learners to be familiar with these different domains of knowledge to make subject choices at the end of Grade 9 that will affect their career choice. Thirdly, the constructivist teaching and learning approach was used to create a lesson series. This teaching and learning approach is based on scaffolding, which implies that the instructional events are built on one another. The core contribution of the study is that a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners was empowered to read and learn a variety of texts (with the purposeful integration of multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies) self-directedly. Furthermore, guidelines have been compiled for Grade 8 Natural Science teachers that explain how they can integrate multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies in lessons to develop Grade 8 Natural Science learners into self-dir...
Abstract: Die leesvermoë van leerders speel 'n groot rol in hul akademiese prestasie. 'n Wetenskaplike ondersoek is in 2021 tydens die aanbieding van 'n konstruktivistiese Natuurwetenskaplesreeks onderneem om te bepaal of 'n groep graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders van 'n skool in die Vrystaatprovinsie tekste op 'n selfgerigte wyse met begrip kon lees en leer. Die ondersoek het die interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma gevolg. Die eerste skrywer (onderwysernavorser) het die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik en 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingsmetodes aangewend. Die navorsingsresultate word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Ten eerste het die wetenskaplike ondersoek 'n literatuurondersoek behels wat op multimodale lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë toegespits is met die doel om dit in die lesreeks te integreer. Die verband tussen selfgerigte lees en leer is bestudeer om 'n groep Natuurwetenskapleerders tot selfgerigte leesbegrip van verskillende Natuurwetenskaptekste te begelei. Leesbegripkwessies is ondersoek aangesien onvoldoende leesbegriponderrig weens leerders se moedertale, 'n verskeidenheid sosiokulturele veranderlikes en leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkelingsfases hul leesbegripont-wikkeling beïnvloed. Ten tweede is 'n dokument- en tematiese ontleding van verslae van assesseringsliggame wat geletterdheid- en syfervaardigheidsvlakke van leerders bepaal, gedoen. Die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Afrikaans Huistaal (KABV, Senior Fase) is ontleed, wat bevestig het dat die ontwikkeling van leesbegripvaardighede noodsaaklik is vir akademiese prestasie (DBO, 2011a). Die ontleding van die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Natuurwetenskap (KABV, Senior Fase) toon verbande met vakke wat leerders in die Verdere Onderwys- en Opleidingsfase kan kies (DBO, 2011b). Vakkeuses in die wetenskappe is noodsaaklik vir leerders se betekenisvolle deelname in die samelewing. Uit hierdie ondersoek vloei riglyne vir graad 8-Natuurweten-skaponderwysers om lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë in lesreekse te integreer om graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders in selfgerigte lesers en leerders te ontwikkel.The results of research completed in 2021 with a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners at a school in the Free State are discussed in this article. The problem statement of this study was that this group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners could not read and understand texts in a self-directed manner, and thus comprehension of these texts was lost. The learners'loss of comprehension had a huge impact on their academic performance. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative research method, convenience sampling and a variety of data-gathering techniques were used. The data collection methods were based on a content and thematic analysis of a literature review and the analysis of documents. From this, overlapping themes were identified which helped with curriculating of the lesson series. In addition, the effectiveness of the study was determined by analysing the eight learner-centred lessons and observation checklists, pre-journal entries, reflective post-journal entries and the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, the scientific investigation involved a literature review focused on multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies with the aim of integrating these strategies into the lesson series. The focus of the lesson series was to help these Natural Science learners become self-directed readers and learners of different Natural Science texts. The relationship between self-directed reading and learning was thoroughly explored, and it was discovered that self-directed reading leads to self-directed learning. The cognitive development phase of Grade 8 learners was investigated in this research to determine what type of thinking skills these learners used to comprehend the world around them. Secondly, a document and thematic analysis was done of reports of various assessment bodies, such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), to estimate the level of literacy and numeracy of South African learners. Reading comprehension issues were investigated, and it is shown that these are caused by a lack of reading comprehension instruction in learners 'home language and a variety of sociocultural variables. A document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Afrikaans Home Language (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that language skills, such as reading and viewing, are essential for academic performance. Furthermore, the document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Natural Science (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that Grade 8 Natural Science learners are presented with various domains of knowledge connected to specific subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase. It is critical for Grade 8 learners to be familiar with these different domains of knowledge to make subject choices at the end of Grade 9 that will affect their career choice. Thirdly, the constructivist teaching and learning approach was used to create a lesson series. This teaching and learning approach is based on scaffolding, which implies that the instructional events are built on one another. The core contribution of the study is that a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners was empowered to read and learn a variety of texts (with the purposeful integration of multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies) self-directedly. Furthermore, guidelines have been compiled for Grade 8 Natural Science teachers that explain how they can integrate multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies in lessons to develop Grade 8 Natural Science learners into self-dir...
Abstract: Die leesvermoë van leerders speel 'n groot rol in hul akademiese prestasie. 'n Wetenskaplike ondersoek is in 2021 tydens die aanbieding van 'n konstruktivistiese Natuurwetenskaplesreeks onderneem om te bepaal of 'n groep graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders van 'n skool in die Vrystaatprovinsie tekste op 'n selfgerigte wyse met begrip kon lees en leer. Die ondersoek het die interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma gevolg. Die eerste skrywer (onderwysernavorser) het die kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode gebruik en 'n verskeidenheid data-insamelingsmetodes aangewend. Die navorsingsresultate word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Ten eerste het die wetenskaplike ondersoek 'n literatuurondersoek behels wat op multimodale lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë toegespits is met die doel om dit in die lesreeks te integreer. Die verband tussen selfgerigte lees en leer is bestudeer om 'n groep Natuurwetenskapleerders tot selfgerigte leesbegrip van verskillende Natuurwetenskaptekste te begelei. Leesbegripkwessies is ondersoek aangesien onvoldoende leesbegriponderrig weens leerders se moedertale, 'n verskeidenheid sosiokulturele veranderlikes en leerders se kognitiewe ontwikkelingsfases hul leesbegripont-wikkeling beïnvloed. Ten tweede is 'n dokument- en tematiese ontleding van verslae van assesseringsliggame wat geletterdheid- en syfervaardigheidsvlakke van leerders bepaal, gedoen. Die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Afrikaans Huistaal (KABV, Senior Fase) is ontleed, wat bevestig het dat die ontwikkeling van leesbegripvaardighede noodsaaklik is vir akademiese prestasie (DBO, 2011a). Die ontleding van die Nasionale Kurrikulum- en Assesseringsbeleidsverklaring vir Natuurwetenskap (KABV, Senior Fase) toon verbande met vakke wat leerders in die Verdere Onderwys- en Opleidingsfase kan kies (DBO, 2011b). Vakkeuses in die wetenskappe is noodsaaklik vir leerders se betekenisvolle deelname in die samelewing. Uit hierdie ondersoek vloei riglyne vir graad 8-Natuurweten-skaponderwysers om lees-, kyk- en leerstrategieë in lesreekse te integreer om graad 8-Natuurwetenskapleerders in selfgerigte lesers en leerders te ontwikkel.The results of research completed in 2021 with a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners at a school in the Free State are discussed in this article. The problem statement of this study was that this group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners could not read and understand texts in a self-directed manner, and thus comprehension of these texts was lost. The learners'loss of comprehension had a huge impact on their academic performance. Within the interpretivist research paradigm, a qualitative research method, convenience sampling and a variety of data-gathering techniques were used. The data collection methods were based on a content and thematic analysis of a literature review and the analysis of documents. From this, overlapping themes were identified which helped with curriculating of the lesson series. In addition, the effectiveness of the study was determined by analysing the eight learner-centred lessons and observation checklists, pre-journal entries, reflective post-journal entries and the pre- and post-tests. Firstly, the scientific investigation involved a literature review focused on multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies with the aim of integrating these strategies into the lesson series. The focus of the lesson series was to help these Natural Science learners become self-directed readers and learners of different Natural Science texts. The relationship between self-directed reading and learning was thoroughly explored, and it was discovered that self-directed reading leads to self-directed learning. The cognitive development phase of Grade 8 learners was investigated in this research to determine what type of thinking skills these learners used to comprehend the world around them. Secondly, a document and thematic analysis was done of reports of various assessment bodies, such as the Annual National Assessment (ANA), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), to estimate the level of literacy and numeracy of South African learners. Reading comprehension issues were investigated, and it is shown that these are caused by a lack of reading comprehension instruction in learners 'home language and a variety of sociocultural variables. A document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Afrikaans Home Language (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that language skills, such as reading and viewing, are essential for academic performance. Furthermore, the document analysis of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for Natural Science (Grades 7 to 9, Senior Phase) indicated that Grade 8 Natural Science learners are presented with various domains of knowledge connected to specific subjects in the Further Education and Training Phase. It is critical for Grade 8 learners to be familiar with these different domains of knowledge to make subject choices at the end of Grade 9 that will affect their career choice. Thirdly, the constructivist teaching and learning approach was used to create a lesson series. This teaching and learning approach is based on scaffolding, which implies that the instructional events are built on one another. The core contribution of the study is that a specific group of Grade 8 Natural Science learners was empowered to read and learn a variety of texts (with the purposeful integration of multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies) self-directedly. Furthermore, guidelines have been compiled for Grade 8 Natural Science teachers that explain how they can integrate multimodal reading, viewing, and learning strategies in lessons to develop Grade 8 Natural Science learners into self-dir...
Open Access journal
