An investigation into the effect of mobile poetry-based instruction on theliteracy levels of Grade 8 English first additional language learners within the South African rural context : a case study

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is an addition to the growing body of research on the relevance of mobile assistedlearning (MALL) or m-learning. Grounded in a sound theoretical framework and informed bypractice, it identifies the importance of literacy as a liberating skill, as well as the groundbreakingimpact and potential of mobile technologies to enhance literacy levels in developingcountries. The ubiquity of mobile devices worldwide, and specifically in South Africa, coupledwith the educational needs arising from overcrowded classrooms, and a dearth of resourcesand textbooks in rural South Africa, led to the conception of this study. The objective was toascertain the viability of incorporating web- and mobile technology based instruction toenhance the English literacy levels of Grade 8 (Senior Phase) students within the South Africanrural context. The study showed that there was a significant improvement in the participants'reading comprehension, visual comprehension and writing skills. The encouraging results of thisstudy indicate that web-based mobile instruction can indeed improve the literacy levels oflearners from remote and disadvantaged communities. The implications of these findings forliteracy development and emerging literacy development in rural communities are discussed inthe final chapter of this thesis.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University