Department of Early Childhood Care and Development

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Browsing Department of Early Childhood Care and Development by Subject "English"

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    Investigating the vocabulary levels in both Otjiherero (L1) and English (L2) of grade 1 Otjiherero speaking learners in the Khomas education region
    (2015) Mutjavikua, Ewaldine U.
    The vocabulary levels that children acquire during the early years of development play a significant role in their reading and overall academic success. Reading is perceived as one of the major challenges in Namibian schools. This study investigated the Otjiherero and English vocabulary levels of grade 1 Otjiherero speaking learners in the Khomas region. The researcher also investigated the differences in vocabulary levels for boys and girls. A quantitative research design was employed and participants for the study were selected through purposive criterion sampling. The sample included two schools that offered a two language curriculum, with a total of 97 participants of which 25 were from one school and 72 from the second school. The average age of the sampled learners was 7 years and 5 months. The data was collected using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) which is a standardized test. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The main findings for the Otjiherero Vocabulary Age (OVA) and English Vocabulary Age (EVA) were that participants obtained a mean score that was far below their chronological age in both languages. Mean differences between the chronological ages and the vocabulary age for both Otjiherero and English were statistically significant (p<0.05). Participants performed only slightly better in the Otjiherero test than in the English test. No statistically significant differences were found with regard to variables such as school type and sex. Clear trends were established in the study, but further research is required before any final conclusions can be made about the vocabulary acquisition of Otjiherero speaking children. Recommendations were made with regard to further research as well as strategies to improve vocabulary levels of pre-school learners
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    A study to determine the Afrikaans and English vocabulary levels of Grade One Afrikaans mother tongue learners in Windhoek
    (University of Namibia, 2017) Feris, Lorraine Hendrina
    Vocabulary is key in the development of language, cognition and academic achievement. Learners, coming from different backgrounds, vary in the amount of vocabulary that they bring to school. Low vocabulary levels may contribute to reading difficulties which, in turn, affect later reading and general school success negatively. Reading is perceived as a major challenge in Namibian schools; therefore, this study investigated the vocabulary levels, as well as the class reading levels, in both Afrikaans first language (L1) and English second language (L2) of Grade One Afrikaans mother tongue learners. The class reading levels were assessed by teachers, who used a five-point assessment scale provided by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture. A standardised test, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT 4) was administered to determine the learners’ vocabulary levels. A quantitative research design was employed and 102 Grade One learners from three different schools in Windhoek were selected through purposive, criterion sampling. A one-sample t-test was used. It determined that there was a significant difference between the mean scores for Afrikaans Vocabulary Age and English Vocabulary Age and the chronological ages of the learners. Learners performed slightly better in the Afrikaans test than in the English test. The chronological age of the learners in the three schools were the same, but differences with regards to Afrikaans and English reading class assessment were observed. Further research is required before any final conclusions can be made about the vocabulary levels of Afrikaans speaking learners. Recommendations pertaining to further research, as well as policy monitoring and evaluation, were made.