https://doi.org/10.15344/2455-3867/2017/125
Abstract
This study investigated school lunch and achievements in literacy in a sample of South African primary school children. Data was collected through a quantitative survey administered with pupils (N= 160) from four grade 5 to 7 classes in a school in Soweto. The survey consisted of five literacy tests that were standardized by Do-It- Profiler, a UK based institute, and Shape the Learner, a South African based consultancy. Additionally, the survey included questions pertaining to the children taking lunch to school. The results show that learners who sometimes do not have lunch obtained statistically significantly lower marks on the combined learner profiler tests than learners who had some form of lunch provided. More specifically, learners who sometimes do not have lunch performed noticeably lower in the sound text, correct word, and most likely real word test. Based on social justice theory the author discusses the implications of the findings for literacy achievement in children who do not take lunch to school.