TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. i
SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………………………………………….. iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………………………………………………….. vi
LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………………………………………………………… x
LIST OF FIGURES ………………………………………………………………………………………………… xi
ORIENTATION AND BACKGROUND ………………………………………………………. 12
1.1 BACKGROUND ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 12
1.2 THE CONTEXT AND RATIONALE OF THE STUDY …………………………………………………… 14
1.2.1 The context of the investigation ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
1.2.2 Language policy in Namibian schools ………………………………………………………………………………… 15
1.2.3 The theoretical background and rationale of the inquiry ……………………………………………………… 16
1.2.3.1 Theoretical framework …………………………………………………………………………………………… 16
1.2.3.1.1 Teaching pre-literacy skills as social mediation ……………………………………………………… 16
1.2.3.2 Rationale ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
1.3 THE RESEARCH PROBLEM……………………………………………………………………………….. 22
1.4 THE AIM OF THE INVESTIGATION …………………………………………………………………….. 23
1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGICAL ORIENTATION …………………………………………………….. 23
1.5.1 Research design ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23
1.5.2 Methods of data collection and analysis ……………………………………………………………………………. 24
1.5.3 Interpretation of data ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24
1.6 TERMINOLOGY …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25
1.6.1 Language ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 25
1.6.2 Phonology ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
1.6.3 Phonological awareness…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
1.6.4 Phonemic awareness ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25
1.6.5 Phonemic manipulation tasks …………………………………………………………………………………………… 25
1.6.6 Grade R learners/children ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 26
1.6.7 Grade R Teacher/ Practitioner ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
1.7 THE STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION…………………………………………………………….. 26
1.8 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27
……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28
PREPARING CHILDREN FOR READING ACQUISITION ………………………………………………… 28
2.1 INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 28
2.2 THE PROFESSION OF TEACHING ………………………………………………………………………. 28
2.3 KNOWLEDGE OF TEACHING AND KNOWING THE LEARNER……………………………………. 29
2.4 TEACHER EDUCATION AND THE TEACHING PROFESSION ………………………………………. 34
2.5 ADAPTIVE TEACHING FOR LITERACY PREPARATION …………………………………………….. 35
2.6 TEACHERS’ CONTENT KNOWLEDGE OF LINGUISTICS FOR READING ACQUISITION ……… 37
2.7 TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROLE OF SOUND AND SYMBOL……………………………. 39
2.8 LINGUISTIC AND LITERACY KNOWLEDGE PRACTICES ……………………………………………. 42
2.9 READING IN THE EARLY LITERACY YEARS …………………………………………………………… 45
2.10 THE GRADE R CURRICULUM FOR LITERACY PREPARATION ……………………………………. 55
2.11 PHONEMIC AWARENESS AS PREPARATION FOR FIRST STEPS IN READING ……………….. 59
2.12 PHONEMIC AWARENESS INSTRUCTION …………………………………………………………….. 61
2.13 THE GRADE R TEACHER WITH PCK OF THE PHONOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF READING 66
2.14 CONCLUSION: PCK OF THE GRADE R TEACHER OF PRE-READING SKILLS …………………… 67
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH DESIGN ……………………………………………………………………………. 69
3.1 INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 69
3.2 THE UNIT OF SAMPLING…………………………………………………………………………………. 72
3.3 DATA COLLECTION SOURCES …………………………………………………………………………… 74
3.3.1 Interviews ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 74
3.3.1.1 Paired interview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 75
3.3.2 Observation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 76
3.4 RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY ……………………………………………………………………………… 77
3.5 ANALYSIS OF DATA ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 78
3.6 RESEARCH ETHICS …………………………………………………………………………………………. 82
CHAPTER 4: THE DATA OF THE STUDY …………………………………………………………………… 85
4.1 INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 85
4.2 DATA COLLECTION ………………………………………………………………………………………… 85
4.3 INDUCTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE DATA ………………………………………………………………….. 87
4.4 GLIMPSES OF THE OUTCOME OF ANALYSIS………………………………………………………… 96
4.4.1 Theme 1: Teachers use word picture reading as if it shares principles with alphabetic reading … 97
4.4.2 Theme 2: Teachers use non-alphabetic word reading as if it is a gateway to reading ………………. 99
4.4.3 Theme 3: Teachers lack conceptual knowledge of phonemic awareness ……………………………… 100
4.4.4 Theme 4: Teachers have limited knowledge of the structure of language…………………………….. 102
and its sound systems required for initial reading pedagogy ………………………………………………………….. 102
4.4.5 Theme 5: Teachers have some tacit sense of phonological tasks and their contribution to learning
to read …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 104
4.4.6 Theme 6: Teachers are aware of child development and age appropriate approaches to teaching
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 106
4.4.7 Theme 7: Teachers are officially qualified and understand professional conduct ………………….. 107
4.5 CONCLUSION ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 108
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………. 109
5.1 INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 109
5.2 RESEARCH FINDINGS: THE MAIN THEMES ………………………………………………………… 109
5.2.1 Teachers use word picture reading as if it shares the principles with alphabetic reading ……….. 109
5.2.2 Teachers use non-alphabetic word reading as if it is gateway to reading ……………………………… 113
5.2.3 Teachers lack conceptual knowledge phonemic knowledge awareness ……………………………….. 116
5.2.4 Teachers have limited knowledge of the structure of language and its sound systems required for
initial reading pedagogy …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 118
5.2.5 Teachers have some tacit sense of phonological awareness tasks and their contribution to
learning to read …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 121
5.2.6 Teachers are aware of child development and age appropriate approaches to teaching ……….. 125
5.2.7 Teachers are officially qualified and understand professional conduct ………………………………… 126
5.3 LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY …………………………………….. 127
5.4 CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY …………………………………………………………………………. 128
REFERENCE LIST ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 130
ADDENDUM A: PERMISSION TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH IN SCHOOLS ………………………… 145
ADDENDUM B: OBSERVATION SCHEDULE ……………………………………………………………. 147
ADDENDUM C: ETHICS CLEARANCE APPROVAL …………………………………………………….. 151
ADDENDUM D: PARTICIPANTS CONSENT FORM ……………………………………………………. 152
ADDENDUM E: EXAMPLE OF TRANSCRIBED RAW DATA-INTERVIEW …………………………. 154
ADDENDUM F: FREQUENCIES OF DATA OCCURRENCE ……………………………………………. 169
ADDENDUM G: HOW DATA WAS CODED……………………………………………………………… 178
ADDENDUM H: DATA ON CD……………………………………………………………………………… 188