Performance of EAL learners on a non-South African Articulation Test (GFTA-2)

Abstract

Research on the various aspects of child language development in South Africa has generally been an area neglected by specialists in the study of language. In South Africa's multilingual urban settings, English is the language of mutual understanding in most classrooms. The assessment of language (including speech sound production) in English additional language (EAL) pre-schoolers is hampered by the fact that insufficient standardised resources are available for use with young multilingual South African children. Research indicates that the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation – Second Edition (GFTA-2) is a popular formal assessment instrument used for assessing children's articulation abilities by many speech-language therapists in South Africa. The study described the performance of English second language learners, aged between four and nine years, on the GFTA-2 in an urban region in the Gauteng province of South Africa. A descriptive, dominant-less-dominant model research design was used. No significant difference in performance between the second language learners and the normative indicators was noted. The results illustrate the need to adapt the GFTA-2 for the South African context.