Assessment results from rural schools have shown little improvement in over a decade, mainly because many of the barriers to learning, such as poverty and limited resources, still prevail. Without the necessary English language skills, language can become another barrier to learning. The assessment results of Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies (PIRLS) in 2011 and 2016 reinforce the need for instructional practices to address the difficulties learners' experience with English in primary school. The aim of our study was to provide a detailed analysis of how English as a second language is taught, to guide policy makers in developing the instructional skills of teachers in rural settings, and consequently to improve the educational outcomes of the learners. A comparative case study was used to provide evidence-based descriptions of the teachers' instructional practices from three Grade 3 classes. Findings indicated that language instruction appeared to focus on the structural components of language, compromising the development of the independent academic language skills needed to make the transition in Grade 4 to English as the language of learning and teaching. The results of this research can inform the planning and monitoring of future literacy development initiatives, and thereby, improve assessment results of learners.

This paper explores resilience in gay and lesbian parent families from a chrono-system perspective, which refers to the development of resilience through time. Resilience is characterised differently by different cultures. In one sub-culture, research on the experiences of children raised in gay or lesbian parent families in South Africa shows that the children often feel vulnerable facing societal heteronormativity), even though gay and lesbian parent families often work diligently to create a sense of belonging within the society in which they live. However, many family studies have either ignored general familial bonding with society or dealt with it only generally. With the significant impact of South African legal transformation over time regarding gay and lesbian parent families’ position in society, a chrono-system perspective of factors that influence resilience in gay and lesbian parent families becomes relevant for theory building and psychological support.

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Co-funded by the European UnionThis publication has been developed as part of the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme which is funded and being implemented through a partnership between the Department of Higher Education and Training and the European Union. The content is based on a research project undertaken by the University of Pretoria, focusing on visual impairment. The contents of the publication are the sole responsibility of the respective authors of the chapters and cannot be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.