Department of English

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Browsing by Subject "Academic literacies"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Making a case for the teaching of reading across the curriculum in higher education
    (Education Association of South Africa (EASA), 2012) Bharuthram, Sharita
    Over the past two decades there has been much written in the literature about the importance of reading and the importance of teaching students reading strategies to improve their reading comprehension. Reading is one of the most important academic tasks encountered by students. In higher education, students are exposed to a number of texts and textbooks that require independent reading. At this level they are expected to comprehend what they read so that they can analyse, critique, evaluate and synthesize information from various sources. Many students entering higher education are not adequately prepared to meet these challenges. This article highlights the literacy situation in South Africa with a particular focus on reading both in school and in higher education. In addition, the article highlights the importance of teaching students reading strategies across the curriculum in order to improve their reading comprehension, thereby enhancing their chances of academic success. The implications of this research for policy makers and academics in higher education institutions are outlined and some suggestions are made.
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    The reading habits and practices of undergraduate students at a higher education institution in South Africa: a case study
    (Independent Institute of Education, 2017) Bharuthram, Sharita
    Research conducted in South Africa has shown that the reading literacy level of students entering higher education is lower than is desirable. In an attempt to gain an understanding of students� reading habits and practices, this study explored students� goals in reading, the challenges they face while reading, and the reading behaviours experienced and modelled in their homes. The data were collected by means of a student questionnaire and interviews. The findings of this research have implications for all stakeholders, as they show that reading is marginalised at all levels, and that measures need to be implemented immediately to develop positive reading habits and practices in students. Amongst other things, it is suggested that in order to position students as producers of knowledge, it is imperative for lecturers in various disciplines to play a greater role in encouraging students to read and in helping them attain the reading conversancy required in these lecturers� disciplines.
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    Students� navigation of the uncharted territories of academic writing
    (Taylor & Francis, 2013) Bharuthram, Sharita; McKenna, Sioux
    Many students enter tertiary education unfamiliar with the �norms and conventions� of their disciplines. Research into academic literacies has shown that in order to succeed in their studies, students are expected to conform to these norms and conventions, which are often unrecognized or seen as �common sense� by lecturers. Students have to develop their own �map� of their programme�s expectations in order to make sense of the seemingly mysterious practices they are expected to take on. This study, undertaken at a University of Technology in South Africa, details students� perceptions of their writing difficulties and their attempts to navigate their way through various writing tasks. The findings reveal that students experience a range of difficulties and that the students often feel unsupported in their travails with academic writing.