Research partnership between South Africa and China: Emergent literacy teaching and learning in early childhood education in South Africa

  • Norma Nel University of South Africa
  • Soezin Krog
  • Kesh Mohangi
  • Helene Muller
  • Oluyemi Stephens

Abstract

Due to concern about the literacy situation in South Africa (schools being near the bottom of the international systemic measures of performance in literacy), and the important role that literacy plays in China, the researchers of both countries embarked on a collaborative research project. The overall aim is to explore the literacy perceptions and classroom practices of teachers in primary schools in both countries. In this article, the second of a series, the researchers explored Grade R teachers’ attitudes towards reading literacy in primary schools and what the reading-literacy teaching practices are that they employ, with particular emphasis on reading comprehension. The expected outcome was to provide an overview of the literacy situation in Grade R in South Africa as a precursor for the next phase of the project. An exploratory, mixed methods design was employed of which the quantitative part is reported in this article. Grade R teachers were selected from ten schools which had Grade R classrooms in two cities in Gauteng Province and one city in Mpumalanga Province. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires. The statistical analyses were conducted using the SAS/STATS module of the Statistical Software System (SAS), version 9.4 statistical package. The findings are presented as part of the overview.

Author Biographies

Norma Nel, University of South Africa
Norma Margaret Nel is a Professor Emeritus, Research Fellow and NRF rated researcher at the University of South Africa. She holds a DED. She supervises Masters and Doctoral students as well as a Post-Doctoral fellow. She is actively involved in research related to education on a national and international level. Email: tnelnm@unisa.ac.za
Soezin Krog
Soezin Krog is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education at Unisa. She holds a D Ed degree and supervises Masters and Doctoral students.  Her research interest include, amongst others,  early childhood education, physical education, sports coaching and sports psychology.   Soezin is also an Educational Psychologist registered with the HPCSA.  Email: krogs@unisa.ac.za
Kesh Mohangi
Kesh Mohangi is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology of Education at Unisa.  Her research interests include, amongst others,  learning and learning support, developmental psychology as well as well-being in schools. Kesh is also an Educational Psychologist registered with the HPCSA. Email : mohank@unisa.ac.za
Helene Muller
Hélène Müller is a statistician in the College of Graduate Studies at Unisa and provides statistical support to academic staff and post graduate students. She recently completed her doctoral studies on factors that affect research output productivity (publications, post graduate degree-completion) and have authored/ co-authored 34 publications. E-mail: mulleh@unisa.ac.za
Oluyemi Stephens
Oluyemi Adetunji Stephens holds a Ph.D in Counselling Psychology with specialisation in Remedial and Reformation Counselling. He was a Post Doctoral Fellow at the University of South Africa between 2014 and 2016. His area of research interest include using education and positive life skills as a tool for rehabilitation. E mail:stephensoluyemi@gmail.com
Published
2016-05-13
Section
Articles