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The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students

Thesis (PhD (Linguistics))--University of Pretoria, 2022.

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Other Authors: Fouche, Ilse
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2023
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Fouche, Ilse
author_browse Fouche, Ilse
author_facet Fouche, Ilse
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Thesis (PhD (Linguistics))--University of Pretoria, 2022.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:39:05.410Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2023
publishDateRange 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/89324 The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students Fouche, Ilse nandi.weder@up.ac.za Pretorius, E.J. Weder, Nandi Inferencing Reading comprehension Academic literacy Extended Curriculum Programme Reading instruction UCTD Thesis (PhD (Linguistics))--University of Pretoria, 2022. The reading crisis in South Africa is well-documented by now, and the implications of poor reading proficiencies can be observed in the limited outcomes and high attrition rates at primary, secondary and tertiary educational level. Reading comprehension is a fundamental aspect of academic literacy at tertiary level, but shortcomings in this relatively ‘invisible’ skill easily remain undiagnosed. Many South African universities provide foundational support to academically vulnerable students in the form of Extended Curriculum Programmes (ECPs) and academic literacy modules, but these tend to be writing-centred, with limited time dedicated to targeted instruction of advanced reading competencies, like inferencing, that often remain underdeveloped. Thus, more evidence-based research into reading instruction best practices for academically vulnerable students is urgently required. This study evaluated the effect of three different academic literacy interventions on the inferencing proficiencies of ECP students, in addition to the relationship between academic literacy and inferencing for this population. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests using the Test for Academic Literacy Levels and a self-designed instrument was augmented by data on participants’ reading habits and language profiles. Results indicate that many students who exit foundational interventions like ECPs and academic literacy modules need additional support in order to meet the reading demands of tertiary education, that inferencing and academic literacy are strongly correlated, and that targeted instruction on reading comprehension has a larger effect on improving inferencing skills than more writing-centred interventions. These results imply that more resources are needed to address the reading crisis at tertiary level by optimising existing remedial frameworks in order to provide the necessary support for vulnerable students. Unit for Academic Literacy PhD (Linguistics) Unrestricted 2023-02-08T09:14:28Z 2023-02-08T09:14:28Z 2023-04 2022 Thesis * A2023 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89324 https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.21982007 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Inferencing
Reading comprehension
Academic literacy
Extended Curriculum Programme
Reading instruction
UCTD
The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title_full The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title_fullStr The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title_full_unstemmed The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title_short The effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first-year students
title_sort effect of different interventions on the inferencing abilities of academically vulnerable first year students
topic Inferencing
Reading comprehension
Academic literacy
Extended Curriculum Programme
Reading instruction
UCTD
url https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/89324
https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.21982007