Investigating the grade four ESL teachers' and learners' attitudes and experiences of learning and teaching through the medium of English in five primary schools in the King William's Town district
- Authors: Gqamane, Gilbert Khangelani
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa , Curriculum planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6290 , vital:21070
- Description: In this study I investigated the attitudes and experiences of Grade four ESL learners and teachers in learning and teaching through the medium of English. The sample for the study was purposive and the design was a multiple case study which involved five primary schools from the rural environs of KWT. Grade four ESL teachers and learners of the five chosen primary schools participated in this study. The objective of this research study was to investigate the attitudes and experiences of grade four ESL teachers and learners in learning through the medium of English in order to establish how these experiences and attitudes may have an influence on teaching for effective school learning. The research method used was qualitative with a small quantitative component. The following research tools were used in collecting data: Language surveys, classroom observation schedules, teacher questionnaires, teacher level interviews, language comprehension tests and learner level interviews. The data were generated to provide answers to the main research question which was: ―What are Grade four ESL teachers‘ and learners‘ attitudes and experiences of learning through the medium of English in five primary schools in the KWT district? The analyses of data generated from the language surveys confirm that in the KWT rural schools from grade one to grade three isiXhosa is used exclusively. It is in grade four where the official transition from isiXhosa to English begins. The data generated from the language surveys further confirm that both learners and teachers use isiXhosa as their mother tongue and English is an additional language for both groups. The analysis of data generated from learner interviews suggests that the most prevalent attitude from the learners is that English is a hindering factor to school learning because they do not understand it. However, the learners also highlight the need to study English because it is the language of success and aspiration which is normally used in the global village. The analysis of the data generated from teacher questionnaires and the teacher level interviews also suggests that English is a barrier to school learning for ESL learners. ESL learners do not achieve optimally in English medium school learning. However, the same data suggest that English is still preferred to be the LoLT because it is perceived to be the language of success and aspiration. Moreover, the majority of written materials is in English and English is perceived to be an international language. The analysis of the data generated from language comprehension tests suggests that it had an effect on performance when the learners wrote a test that they had seen in another language. This is indicated by the learners‘ better levels of performance in the language tests when they have seen in another language. The main finding of the study is that English medium learning makes school learning difficult. The transition from isiXhosa medium learning to English medium learning in grade four is early. Teachers resort to code switching as a language strategy for effective teaching in order to minimise the blow caused by the use of English as the LoLT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
- Authors: Gqamane, Gilbert Khangelani
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , English language -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa , Curriculum planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6290 , vital:21070
- Description: In this study I investigated the attitudes and experiences of Grade four ESL learners and teachers in learning and teaching through the medium of English. The sample for the study was purposive and the design was a multiple case study which involved five primary schools from the rural environs of KWT. Grade four ESL teachers and learners of the five chosen primary schools participated in this study. The objective of this research study was to investigate the attitudes and experiences of grade four ESL teachers and learners in learning through the medium of English in order to establish how these experiences and attitudes may have an influence on teaching for effective school learning. The research method used was qualitative with a small quantitative component. The following research tools were used in collecting data: Language surveys, classroom observation schedules, teacher questionnaires, teacher level interviews, language comprehension tests and learner level interviews. The data were generated to provide answers to the main research question which was: ―What are Grade four ESL teachers‘ and learners‘ attitudes and experiences of learning through the medium of English in five primary schools in the KWT district? The analyses of data generated from the language surveys confirm that in the KWT rural schools from grade one to grade three isiXhosa is used exclusively. It is in grade four where the official transition from isiXhosa to English begins. The data generated from the language surveys further confirm that both learners and teachers use isiXhosa as their mother tongue and English is an additional language for both groups. The analysis of data generated from learner interviews suggests that the most prevalent attitude from the learners is that English is a hindering factor to school learning because they do not understand it. However, the learners also highlight the need to study English because it is the language of success and aspiration which is normally used in the global village. The analysis of the data generated from teacher questionnaires and the teacher level interviews also suggests that English is a barrier to school learning for ESL learners. ESL learners do not achieve optimally in English medium school learning. However, the same data suggest that English is still preferred to be the LoLT because it is perceived to be the language of success and aspiration. Moreover, the majority of written materials is in English and English is perceived to be an international language. The analysis of the data generated from language comprehension tests suggests that it had an effect on performance when the learners wrote a test that they had seen in another language. This is indicated by the learners‘ better levels of performance in the language tests when they have seen in another language. The main finding of the study is that English medium learning makes school learning difficult. The transition from isiXhosa medium learning to English medium learning in grade four is early. Teachers resort to code switching as a language strategy for effective teaching in order to minimise the blow caused by the use of English as the LoLT.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
Towards understanding the mechanism of dimerisation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A
- Authors: Gentz, Petra Monika
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Cytology Molecular biology Biochemistry Proteins -- Analysis Proteomics Polypeptides Amino acids -- Synthesis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3992 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004052
- Description: Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is the only known protein to contain hypusine, formed by post-translational modification of a highly conserved lysine residue. Hypusination is essential for eIF5A function, being required for binding of a specific subset of mRNAs necessary for progression of eukaryotic cells through the G1-S checkpoint. Little structural information is available for eIF5A other than that derived from archaeal homologues. The aim of this study was to conduct structure-function studies on Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) eIF5A, encoded by TIF51A. Homology models of eIF5A were generated from the Methanococcus jannaschii archaeal homologue (aIF5A) and two Leishmania eIF5As. The models, along with secondary structure predictions identified an a-helix on the C-terminal domain, unique to eukaryote eIF5A. The Neurospora crassa structural analogue, HEX-1, which dimerises in three configurations, was used to generate similar dimeric model configurations of eIF5A. A biochemical and functional analysis was used to validate the homology models of eIF5A.Since the crystal structures of aIF5A and eIF5A were solved from unhypusinated protein produced in Escherichia coli, 6 x His-tagged eIF5A (His-eIF5A) was used for biochemical analysis. This analysis revealed that eIF5A existed as a dimer in solution, dependent on the presence of the highly conserved Cys 39 residue. A yeast TIF51A/TIF51B null yeast strain, with a chromosomal copy of TIF51A under control of PGAL1, was used to confirm that HiseIF5A and selected eIF5A mutants were functional in vivo. Biochemical analysis showed that hypusinated His-eIF5A also exists as a dimer, but neither the dimerisation, nor the function of eIF5A are dependent on the presence of Cys 39. Rather they depend on the presence of hypusine (Hpu) 51 and the presence of RNA leading to the conclusion that RNA and hypusine are required for dimerisation and hence function, of native eIF5A in vivo. In contrast, a Lys 51 to Arg 51 substitution or RNase treatment of His-eIF5A produced in E. coli did not destabilize the dimeric form, suggesting different folding/dimerisation mechanisms in E. coli and yeast cells. The information obtained from the initial homology models, together with the results of the biochemical analysis was used to propose a mechanism for dimerisation of yeast eIF5A involving both hypusine and RNA.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Gentz, Petra Monika
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Cytology Molecular biology Biochemistry Proteins -- Analysis Proteomics Polypeptides Amino acids -- Synthesis
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:3992 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004052
- Description: Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is the only known protein to contain hypusine, formed by post-translational modification of a highly conserved lysine residue. Hypusination is essential for eIF5A function, being required for binding of a specific subset of mRNAs necessary for progression of eukaryotic cells through the G1-S checkpoint. Little structural information is available for eIF5A other than that derived from archaeal homologues. The aim of this study was to conduct structure-function studies on Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) eIF5A, encoded by TIF51A. Homology models of eIF5A were generated from the Methanococcus jannaschii archaeal homologue (aIF5A) and two Leishmania eIF5As. The models, along with secondary structure predictions identified an a-helix on the C-terminal domain, unique to eukaryote eIF5A. The Neurospora crassa structural analogue, HEX-1, which dimerises in three configurations, was used to generate similar dimeric model configurations of eIF5A. A biochemical and functional analysis was used to validate the homology models of eIF5A.Since the crystal structures of aIF5A and eIF5A were solved from unhypusinated protein produced in Escherichia coli, 6 x His-tagged eIF5A (His-eIF5A) was used for biochemical analysis. This analysis revealed that eIF5A existed as a dimer in solution, dependent on the presence of the highly conserved Cys 39 residue. A yeast TIF51A/TIF51B null yeast strain, with a chromosomal copy of TIF51A under control of PGAL1, was used to confirm that HiseIF5A and selected eIF5A mutants were functional in vivo. Biochemical analysis showed that hypusinated His-eIF5A also exists as a dimer, but neither the dimerisation, nor the function of eIF5A are dependent on the presence of Cys 39. Rather they depend on the presence of hypusine (Hpu) 51 and the presence of RNA leading to the conclusion that RNA and hypusine are required for dimerisation and hence function, of native eIF5A in vivo. In contrast, a Lys 51 to Arg 51 substitution or RNase treatment of His-eIF5A produced in E. coli did not destabilize the dimeric form, suggesting different folding/dimerisation mechanisms in E. coli and yeast cells. The information obtained from the initial homology models, together with the results of the biochemical analysis was used to propose a mechanism for dimerisation of yeast eIF5A involving both hypusine and RNA.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
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