Faculty of Education - Theses

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Beginning readers and their written language: a comparison in schooling

Buckle, Mariette Carolyn ( 1994)

This study set out to examine the literacy development in the early levels of schooling and the influences of school policy, teacher methodology and classroom environment. The review of the relevant literature indicated a variety of teaching methods and learning styles which have led schools to continually evaluate their curriculum. This process of evaluation was considered in view of the collaborative decision-making process involving school community members and their changing needs and expectations. This study was undertaken using a naturalistic research method. Two schools were selected and a classroom teacher and student from each was investigated to consider a number of assumptions related to the development of early literacy skills, in particular, written language. These assumptions concerned the following: school philosophy and language policy, teacher methodologies and experience and classroom environment. The findings will provide teachers with a method of evaluating written language development in individual students. The findings also offer areas of discussion to assist schools in evaluating school policy and developing classroom language programs.