Profile
International Journal of Psychology & Behavior Analysis Volume 3 (2017), Article ID 3:IJPBA-125, 5 pages
https://doi.org/10.15344/2455-3867/2017/125
Research Article
Is School Lunch Connected to Literacy Achievement in Primary School Children? A South African Perspective

Jace Pillay

South African Research Chair in Education and Care in Childhood, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Prof. Jace Pillay, South African Research Chair in Education and Care in Childhood, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, Room GNA 119, Robert Sobukwe Building, Soweto Campus (SWC), Chris Hani Road, Soweto, 1809, South Africa, Tel: +27(0)11 5595063; E-mail: jacep@uj.ac.za
17 January 2017; 14 March 2017; 16 March 2017
Pillay J (2017) Is School Lunch Connected to Literacy Achievement in Primary School Children? A South African Perspective. Int J Psychol Behav Anal 3: 125. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15344/2455-3867/2017/125
This work is based on the research supported by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation of South Africa’. South African Research Chair: Education and Care in Childhood: Faculty of Education: University of Johannesburg South Africa. Grant Number: 87300.

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.