Critical literacy in South Africa : possibilities and constraints in 2002

This article examines the Curriculum documents produced in South Africa since the election of a democratic government in 1994 in order to consider the possibilities they create for the inclusion of critical literacy in the teaching of home languages. This discussion is set against an analysis of the apartheid curriculum documents prior to 1994 and a consideration of the ongoing inequalities in the provision of human and material resources across the system. Despite real constraints with regard to implementation, it is argued that the new Curriculum effects a significant break with the past and makes a positive contribution to transforming language education

The viability of individual oral assessments for learners: Insights gained from two intervention evaluations

It is essential for learners to develop foundational literacy skills, ideally, in the first grade of formal education. These skills are then firmly entrenched and can be expanded in the following grades to form a basis for all future academic studies. Appropriate assessment practices and tools to aid this process can inform the achievement of quality education. Assessment and the curriculum are intertwined concepts in relation to teaching and learning. Through assessment, it can be established if all learners have attained curriculum content, knowledge and proficiencies in a given year. Furthermore, assessment can assist in advising teachers on which specific areas learners are struggling with as well as provide insight for remedial measures. Together, this can offer ways to improve education. In this article, individual oral assessment using the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tool is discussed based on two recent impact evaluations of teacher interventions. Each intervention conceptualised its own theory of change to improve learner language and literacy development. The interventions also differed in relation to the target language; English as First Additional Language and Setswana as Home Language. Despite these differences, using the EGRA tool in both intervention evaluations allowed for a discussion on its usefulness in South Africa. This was done with regard to suitability, reliability and validity, assistance to educators, amendments and suggestions to overcoming challenges related to practicalities. In conclusion, recommendations for improving education and the development of literacy in South African schools are made

Occupational exposure to bloodborne viruses amongst medical practitioners in Bloemfontein, South Africa

Background The possibility of occupational exposure to bloodborne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an everyday reality to health care workers. This study reports on doctors' extent and outcome of exposure to bloodborne viruses in Bloemfontein. Methods A descriptive study was done. Doctors (n=441) actively involved in public and/or private medical practice were requested to anonymously complete a questionnaire regarding occupational exposure to bloodborne viruses (HIV, HBV, and HCV). Results A response rate of 51.7% was obtained. More than half (54.2%, 95% CI [ 47.7% ; 60.5% ]) of respondents were exposed to bloodborne viruses; 48.3% occurring with HIV positive patients and 4.3% with known HBV positive patients, and no positive HCV patients. After exposure occurred, 68.9% of patients were tested for HIV, 10.9% for HBV and only 4.2% for HCV infection. The frequency of serological testing for doctors immediately after exposure was 65.3% for HIV, 21.7% for HBV and 8.2% for HCV. No seroconversion to HIV or HCV was reported, while two seroconversions to HBV were reported. Most exposures occurred as a result of needle stick injury (85%) and occurred in the operating theatre during procedures 59.3%. The majority (59.8%) of exposed doctors did not take any prophylactic treatment and those who did, did not always complete the treatment Conclusions The risk of seroconversion to HIV after occupational exposure was as expected, while seroconversion to HBV was less than expected. The lack of adequate follow up serological testing after occupational exposure is alarming. It is the responsibility of the occupationally exposed doctor to adequately comply with prophylactic measures and undergo serological testing to ensure the least possible risk of contracting infection from a bloodborne virus. South African Family Practice Vol. 49 (3) 2007: pp. 1

Sudden and unexpected childhood deaths investigated at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, South Africa, 2007 - 2011

Background. Sudden and unexpected death is well known to occur in infants, and although sudden deaths are less frequent after the first birthday, they still account for a significant proportion of childhood deaths. In 2009, 1.9% of the total deaths in the USA were childhood deaths. In South Africa (SA) this proportion was much higher at 11.85%. According to the law, sudden and unexpected deaths are generally investigated as unnatural deaths. Establishing an exact underlying anatomical cause of death will depend on available resources and can be difficult in a substantial proportion of cases.Methods. A retrospective descriptive case audit was conducted at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory (PMLL), SA, from 1 January 2007 through to 31 December 2011. All children aged 1 - 18 years who died suddenly and unexpectedly were included.Results. Ninety-eight cases were identified, which constituted nearly 1% of total admissions to the PMLL. The majority of the deaths were of children aged 1 - 5 years, and the male/female ratio was 1.04:1. In the largest proportion of cases (n=28, 28.6%), the medicolegal investigation, including autopsy and ancillary investigations, did not establish an underlying anatomical cause of death. In the cases where a cause of death was established, pneumonia was the most common diagnosis (n=22, 22.4%).Conclusions. The fact that the cause of the largest proportion of deaths could not be ascertained emphasises the need for consideration of additional investigative techniques, such as molecular/genetic screening, which have provided an underlying cause of death in a significant number of cases in other countries. There is a lack of published research on the causes and incidence of sudden unexpected deaths in children in SA, and further research in this area is needed

Graduateness of computing students in a Sub-Saharan African context

This paper surveys graduate attributes as is required of students in Computer Science and Information Systems disciplines in Africa in general and in South Africa in particular. Graduate attributes as envisioned by students and employers internationally are discussed complemented by an international, liberal education perspective to indicate the importance of graduate attributes from both of these groups’ perspective. This discussion is followed by insights specific to computing disciplines in Sub-Saharan African countries. An overview of the graduate attributes required by the South African National Qualifications Framework and the South African Qualifications Authority is compared to the attributes suggested by the Association for Computing Machinery for Computing syllabi. It is felt that this may help African and in particular South African computing departments to self-assess their programmes in terms of international standards

The passive protection of lambs against Clostridium perfringens type D with semi-purified hyperimmune serum

Weaned lambs, having a detectable level of maternal antibodies (1-2 units/ml) against C. perfringens type D, showed protective antitoxin levels lasting for 29 days after receiving a single parenteral dose of 200 units/kg hyperimmune serum. Lambs, having no maternal antibodies (<0,07 units/ml) to C. perfringens type D but receivIng the same dose of hyperimmune serum, maintained protective antibody levels for only 21 days. Three weeks after the titres fell below the minimum protective level of 0,15 units/ml, both these groups were treated again in the same manner. The passive immunity conferred in both groups now lasted for 42 days. When the hyperimmune serum was administered to lambs already immunized by vaccination, a slight increase was noted in the antibody titre.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.lmchunu2014mn201

Leksikografiese datakassies. Deel 2. Tipes datakassies en hulle inhoud, met spesifieke verwysing na woordeboeke vir Engels en die Afrikatale

This article, the second in a series of three on lexicographic data boxes, focuses pri-marily on the types and contents of data boxes with particular reference to dictionaries for English and African languages. It will be proposed that data boxes in paper and electronic dictionaries can be divided into three categories and that a hierarchy between these types of boxes can be distin-guished, i.e. (a) a bottom tier — data boxes used as mere alternatives to other lexicographic ways of presentation such as the bringing together of related items and/or to make entries visually more attractive, (b) a middle tier — addressing more salient features e.g. range of application, contrast, register, restrictions, etc. and (c) a top tier — vital salient information, e.g. warnings, taboos and even illegal words. A distinction is made between data boxes which are universal in nature, i.e. applicable to any language, data boxes pertaining to a language family and data boxes applicable to a specific language.Hierdie artikel, die tweede in 'n reeks van drie oor leksikografiese datakassies, fokus hoofsaaklik op die tipes datakassies en hulle inhoud, met spesifieke verwysing na woordeboeke vir Engels en die Afrikatale. Daar sal voorgestel word dat datakassies in papier- en elektroniese woor-deboeke in drie kategorieë verdeel kan word en dat 'n hiërargie tussen hierdie tipes kassies onder-skei kan word, d.w.s. (a) 'n onderste vlak — datakassies wat slegs as alternatiewe vir ander leksiko-grafiese aanbiedingsmetodes gebruik word soos die bymekaarbring van verwante items en/of om inskrywings visueel aantrekliker te maak; (b) 'n middelvlak — om meer opvallende kenmerke aan te spreek, bv. die reikwydte, kontras, register, beperkings, ens. en (c) 'n hoogste vlak — essensiële inligting, bv. waarskuwings, taboes en selfs onwettige woorde. Daar word onderskei tussen data-kassies wat universeel van aard is, dit wil sê van toepassing op enige taal, datakassies wat ter sake is vir 'n taalfamilie en datakassies wat van toepassing is op 'n spesifieke taal.This is the second in a series of three articles dealing with various aspects of lexicographic data boxes.The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR).http://lexikos.journals.ac.zaam2022African Language

Leksikografiese datakassies. Deel 3. Aspekte van datakassies in tweetalige woordeboek en 'n perspektief op huidige en toekomstige data-kassies

This article, the third in a series of three on lexicographic data boxes, firstly focuses ona number of aspects of data boxes in bilingual dictionaries with the emphasis on different approaches in bilingual dictionaries with an African language as one of the members of the treated language pair. It is not possible to provide a comprehensive discussion within the limitations of an article. Then the discussion proceeds by looking at some new ways of using data boxes in online dictionaries. It is shown that the possibilities of the new medium allow lexicographers to employ data boxes in both traditional and non-traditional ways. It is argued that data boxes are expected to fulfil a variety of purposes ranging from navigational information and the provision of salient information to giving access to relevant data in dictionary-internal and dictionary-external sources. Lexicographers of online dictionaries have introduced new ways of using data boxes that have not yet been fully discussed in metalexicographic literature. This article gives an identification and a brief discussion of some of these innovative uses of data boxes. It stresses the potential that the online environment offers lexicography. Practical and theoretical lexicographers need to be aware of these possibilities and challenges. By embarking on a more comprehensive use of data boxes dic-tionaries can become even better containers of knowledge and can serve their users in an optimal way.Hierdie artikel, die derde in 'n reeks van drie oor leksikografiese datakassies, fokus eerstens op aspekte van datakassies in tweetalige woordeboeke met die klem op verskillende benaderings in tweetalige woordeboeke met 'n Afrikataal as een van die lede van die behandelde taalpaar. Daarna gaan die bespreking voort deur te kyk na 'n paar nuwe maniere om datakassies in aanlyn woordeboeke te gebruik. Daar word aangetoon dat die moontlikhede wat die nuwe medium bied, leksikograwe in staat stel om datakassies op sowel tradisionele as nie-tradisionele maniere te gebruik. Daar word aangevoer dat die datakassies gebruik kan word om 'n verskeidenheid doel-eindes te bereik, wat wissel van navigasie-inligting en die verskaffing van belangrike inligting tot toegang tot relevante data in woordeboek-interne en woordeboek-eksterne bronne. Leksikograwe van aanlyn woordeboeke het nuwe maniere bekendgestel om datakassies te gebruik wat nog nie volledig in die metaleksikografiese literatuur bespreek is nie. Hierdie artikel gee 'n identifisering en 'n kort bespreking van sommige van hierdie innoverende gebruike van datakassies. Dit beklem-toon die potensiaal wat die aanlynomgewing aan die leksikografie bied. Leksikograwe moet bewus wees van hierdie moontlikhede en uitdagings. Deur met 'n meer omvattende gebruik van datakas-sies te begin, kan woordeboeke selfs beter kennishouers word en hul gebruikers op 'n optimale manier dien.This is the third in a series of three articles dealing with various aspects of lexicographic data boxes.The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR)http://lexikos.journals.ac.zaam2022African Language

Leksikografiese datakassies : Deel 1 : Leksikografiese datakassies as tekskonstituente in woordeboeke

This article, the first in a series of three on lexicographic data boxes, focuses primarily on the occurrence of lexicographic data boxes as text constituents in dictionaries. Following a brief look at what data boxes are, the focus shifts to the different venues where these boxes can be accommodated within the central list of a dictionary. Boxes containing items and/or item texts can be positioned within articles, or article-externally as phased-in inner texts within a partial article stretch of a dictionary. Data boxes are used to convey data that need to be highlighted and are therefore often formally marked (a coloured background or within a frame) and are put in an arti-cle slot that has a position of salience. As dictionary entries they can participate in procedures of both lemmatic and non-lemmatic addressing. It is shown that a box should preferably be inserted close to its address. In articles of polysemous words, the user should unambiguously know for which sense(s) the box is relevant. As phased-in inner texts data boxes can be addressed at a lemma within the same partial article stretch but also, in the case of synopsis boxes, at lemmata in other article stretches. This demands procedures of remote addressing.The National Research Foundation of South Africahttp://lexikos.journals.ac.zaam2022African Language

Integrable Spin Chains with U(1)^3 symmetry and generalized Lunin-Maldacena backgrounds

We consider the most general three-state spin chain with U(1)^3 symmetry and nearest neighbour interaction. Our model contains as a special case the spin chain describing the holomorphic three scalar sector of the three parameter complex deformation of N=4 SYM, dual to type IIB string theory in the generalized Lunin-Maldacena backgrounds discovered by Frolov. We formulate the coordinate space Bethe ansatz, calculate the S-matrix and determine for which choices of parameters the S-matrix fulfills the Yang-Baxter equations. For these choices of parameters we furthermore write down the R-matrix. We find in total four classes of integrable models. In particular, each already known model of the above type is nothing but one in a family of such models.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, references correcte