Exploring the use of visual aids as tool to understanding subject specific terminology in life sciences
| dc.contributor.advisor | Daniels, Doria | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | King, Carly | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-11-09T09:51:36Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2018-12-07T06:51:38Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-11-09T09:51:36Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2018-12-07T06:51:38Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2018. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT : In many South African schools the language needs of an increasingly diverse and multilingual learner population presents one of the greatest challenges to teaching and learning. This challenge stems from learners being taught in languages in which they are not necessarily conversant. In a subject such as Life Sciences, the already challenging situation of trying to master basic language skills is further complicated by specialist scientific vocabulary. The identified research problem was that Grade 10 learners who are taught in a language other than their mother tongue are disadvantaged by their inability to master the terminology and basic concepts in the Life Sciences curriculum. I argued that second language students’ comprehension could be improved with the use of visual materials during lessons. A programme was implemented for a purposively selected group of Grade 10 learners using a participatory action research design. Visual aids were utilised as a tool to facilitate students’ understanding of Life Sciences. Over a period of four weeks the group of Grade 10 learners taking Life Sciences and being taught in a language other than their mother tongue, took part in the programme after school. The teaching strategy introduced a variety of visual tools to facilitate comprehension during experiments and demonstrations. The aim with the visual stimulation and activities was to encourage student-centered learning. In addition, this was done to bridge the language barrier and to enable students to access information in a practical way. The findings show that communication among learners improved through peer mediation where students helped one another to make appropriate connections. The group work subsequently stimulated interaction and provided opportunities for conversation and mediation among peers. Students took charge of their own learning, which gave them a greater sense of independence and allowed them to construct their own knowledge based on their experiences. This in turn led to improved cognition, as learners began to develop a better understanding of the subject matter, which ultimately allowed them to build more comprehensive cognitive structures and enhanced their retention of information. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : In heelwat Suid-Afrikaanse skole bied ’n toenemend diverse en veeltalige leerderbevolking se taalbehoeftes een van die grootste uitdagings vir onderrig en leer. Hierdie uitdaging spruit voort uit die feit dat leerders onderrig word in tale waarmee hulle nie noodwendig vertroud is nie. In ’n vak soos Lewenswetenskappe word die reeds ingewikkelde situasie om basiese taalvaardighede te bemeester verder bemoeilik deur die spesialis- wetenskaplike terminologie. Die geïdentifiseerde navorsingsprobleem behels dat graad 10-leerders wat in ’n ander taal as hulle moedertaal onderrig word, benadeel word vanweë hul onvermoë om die terminologie en die basiese konsepte van die Lewenswetenskappe-kurrikulum te bemeester. Ek voer aan dat tweedetaalstudente se begrip deur die gebruik van visuele materiaal tydens lesse verbeter kan word. Deur die gebruik van ’n deelnemende aksienavorsingsontwerp is ’n program vir ’n groep doelbewus-geselekteerde graad 10-leerders geïmplementeer. Visuele hulpmiddels is gebruik as ’n werktuig om studente se begrip van Lewenswetenskappe te vergemaklik. Oor ’n tydperk van vier weke het die groep graad 10-leerders wat Lewenswetenskappe neem en onderrig in ’n ander taal as hulle moedertaal ontvang, aan ’n naskoolse program deelgeneem. Aan die hand van die onderrigstrategie is ’n verskeidenheid visuele werktuie bekend gestel om begrip tydens eksperimente en demonstrasies te vergemaklik. Die doel met die visuele stimulasie en aktiwiteite was om student-gerigte leer aan te moedig. Dit is ook gedoen om die taalstruikelblok te oorbrug en studente in staat te stel om die inligting op ’n praktiese wyse te bekom. Die bevindings dui daarop dat kommunikasie tussen leerders vanweë portuurgroepbemiddeling verbeter het waar leerders mekaar gehelp het om meer gepaste konneksies te maak. Verder het die groepwerk interaksie aangemoedig en geleenthede vir gesprek en bemiddeling tussen portuurgroeplede geskep. Leerders het beheer oor hulle eie leeraktiwiteit geneem, wat hulle ’n groter onafhanklikheidsin gegee het en hulle in staat gestel het om hulle eie kennis te konstrueer gebaseer op hul eie ervarings. Dit het tot verbeterde bewussyn gelei, aangesien die leerders ’n beter begrip van die leerstof begin ontwikkel het, wat hulle uiteindelik in staat gestel het om meer omvattende kognitiewe strukture te bou en hulle inligtingsretensie te verbeter. | af_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/104942 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Visual education | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Life sciences -- Study and teaching | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Visual aids -- Study and teaching | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Teaching -- Methodology | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | High schools -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Medium of instruction | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Language of learning and teaching | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Exploring the use of visual aids as tool to understanding subject specific terminology in life sciences | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |