ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE (SENIOR PHASE)

PGCE: SENIOR PHASE

LYCEUM ©
 ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE SENIOR PHASE
(EHS1437N)

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©Copyright Lyceum 1 English Home Language Senior Phase

 TABLE OF CONTENT

Module Information, Purpose, Outcomes and Content -----------------------------------------2

Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3

UNIT 1: Teaching Listening and Speaking Skills ---------------------------------------------------4

Developing Listening Skills ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

UNIT 2-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Reading Process -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7

Interpretation of Visual Texts------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

UNIT 3: Teaching Literacy Texts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

The key Features of Library Texts ------------------------------------------------------------------- -10

Approaches To Teaching Literature ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Teaching Novel and Short Story -------------------------------------------------------------------- -12

Teaching Poetry -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13

UNIT 4: Teaching and Assessing Writing Skills --------------------------------------------------- 14

Writing Process--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14

References--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16

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MODULE INFORMATION, PURPOSE, OUTCOMES AND CONTENT

MODULE NAME ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE SENIOR PHASE

NQF LEVEL 7

CREDITS 20

NATIONAL HOURS 200

MODULE PURPOSE The purpose of English Home Language Teaching in the Senior
Phase is to develop a scope of integrated knowledge and the ability
to apply and evaluate the key terms, concepts, facts, general
principles, rules, and theories in English Home Language Teaching
in the Senior Phase (Grades 7 to 9) in the context of a curriculum
that incorporates the CAPS, and how this relates to other
subjects/learning areas, grades/phases of the modules as covered
by the topics.
SO1: Upon completion of this module, the student should be able to
demonstrate integrated knowledge of English Language Teaching,
apply and evaluate key terms, concepts, facts, general principles,
rules, and theories, and how this relates to other subjects/learning
areas, grades/phases of the following:
OUTCOMES Learning outcome 1: Upon completion of this module, the student
should be able to demonstrate integrated knowledge of English
Language Teaching, apply and evaluate key terms, concepts, facts,
general principles, rules and theories, and how this relates to other
subjects/learning areas, grades/phases.

Learning outcome 2: Select and apply a range of English teaching,

learning and assessment strategies to identify and resolve problems
to meet the Grades 7-9 learner and context needs.
Learning outcome 3: Gather information and develop processes to
validate information, evaluate, plan, design, and reflect on learning
programmes that are appropriate for the grade/phase learners and
learning contexts in English Language Teaching in the GET.
LO4: Demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with all
learners. LO5: Discuss meaningful and appropriate approaches to
language teaching.
SO2: Select and apply a range of English teaching, learning and
assessment strategies to identify and resolve problems to meet
Grade 7 - Grade 9 learner and context needs.
SO3: Identity, analyse, evaluate, and critically reflect on and address
complex problems in English Language Teaching in the Senior
Phase and apply evidence-based solutions and theory-driven
arguments.
SO4: Gather information and develop processes to validate
information, evaluate, plan, design, and reflect on learning
programmes that are appropriate for the grade/phase learners and
learning contexts in English Language Teaching in the Senior Phase.

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 SO5: Manage English Language teaching, curriculum delivery and
assessment methods in various contexts.
SO6: Function responsibly within the education system, the
institution, and the community in which the institution is located by
taking full responsibility for work, decision-making and use of
resources in the grade/phase
CONTENT OF THE MODULE This module covers:
• Introduction to English Language Teaching in the Senior
Phase – Development of languages, linguistic theories,
and approaches to language teaching.
• Teaching and assessing listening skills
• Approaches to the teaching of reading skills
• Teaching literary texts
• Teaching and assessing writing skills
• Teaching grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary – focuses on
language structures and conventions.
• Teaching visual literacy and media texts - focuses on various
kinds of media such as newspapers, poetry text, etc.
• Assessment requirements in relation to CAPS and setting
different types of assessment

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK AND Prescribed reading

LEARNING RESOURCES Van der Walt, C., Evans, R., Kilfoil, W.R. (2017) Learn 2 teach.
Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers,
DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior
Phase, Home Language English Grades 7 – 9.
CAPS SP HL ENGLISH GR 7-9 web.pdf (education.gov.za)
ASSESSMENT You will be required to complete both formative and summative
assessment activities.
Formative assessment:
You are required to complete 2 mandatory formative assignments
which contribute to your final mark.

Summative assessment:
There is one examination that contributes to your final mark.

Assignments: 60%
Examination: 40%

Module outline

Welcome to the Module that deals with English Home Language Teaching in the GET phase.

The reality in South Africa is that many of the learners taking English Home Language will not
to be English first language speakers. English may be their second, third or even fourth
language. This situation is challenging but it is also exciting, because it encourages diversity
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and supports the policy of additive multilingualism. It is, therefore, important that you, as a
prospective teacher, keep an open mind as regards supporting all languages and improving
the English language skills of your learners in Grades 7-9. You will find it necessary to address
any gaps in the learners’ knowledge or skills with the aim of having fully-rounded learners who
will do well in their further studies and careers. The National Curriculum and Assessment
Policy Statement (CAPS) says the following about language levels:

“Language learning in the Senior Phase includes all the official languages in South Africa,
namely, Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi (Sesotho sa Leboa),
Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga – as well as Non-official Languages.
These languages can be offered at different language levels.

Home Language is the language first acquired by learners. However, many South African
schools do not offer the home languages of some or all of the enrolled learners but rather
have one or two languages offered at Home Language level. As a result, the labels ‘Home
Language’ and ‘First Additional Language’ refer to the proficiency levels at which the
language is offered and not the native (Home) or acquired (as in the additional languages)
language. For the purposes of this policy, any reference to Home Language should be
understood to refer to the level and not the language itself.” (DBE, 2011: 8)

Designing your annual teaching plan

The CAPS document divides the teaching year into two-week cycles. The designers of the
curriculum envisage that the teacher will view each two-week period as a continuum, where
the different skills are reviewed and practised with a particular goal. As Section 3.5 states:

When designing an integrated two-week cycle, the teacher may cluster activities around a
topic (e.g., Working World), an issue (e.g., climate change), a setwork, a skill from the
curriculum (e.g. debate, argumentative writing, argument structures), or a text or group of
texts from ‘Texts used for the integrated teaching of language skills. The sequence of
lessons in a two-week cycle can follow any order (e.g., a cycle might start with reading and
progress to discussion (speaking), which is followed by writing). Either the setwork text
(where appropriate) or another text can be used for the activities outlined below.
(DBE, 2011: page 41).

UNIT 1: Teaching listening and speaking skills

1. Teaching and assessing listening skills

The skill of listening is usually not given as much attention as speaking in that fewer assessments are
required for listening (usually only one formal assessment a year). However, the ability to speak and
comprehend depends almost entirely on the ability to listen well. Effective communication involves
both speaking and listening. In the South African context, this is especially important as learners
have to cope with different South African accents.

Teaching listening skills

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 Think point
1. Review the section on Creating and Evaluating Listening materials in
van der Walt et al., 2017: pages 133-135. Focus on motivation including
contextualisation, purpose, task orientation, feedback, choice
variation and multimedia.
2. Look for a suitable spoken text that you think will be appropriate for a
Listening Comprehension task for a Grade 9 class. Consider:
▪ the length of the text,
▪ its appropriateness to this level,
▪ whether you can create questions according to Barrett’s Taxonomy
using the text and, lastly,
▪ if the task can be read/played and questions completed within a
period of 40 minutes.
3. Paste the transcript or video/audio link into your Learning Journal and
attempt setting questions with a memorandum on the text you have
chosen.
4. Finally, reflect on the challenges you faced and how you dealt with
these. During your journaling, review Section 6.5: Testing listening
comprehension and Section 6.6: Practical problems in conducting
listening activities in van der Walt et al., 2017: pages 143-145.
Think point

Reflect on the following questions and record your answers in your Learning
Journal. Your answers can be brief.

1. Is there a difference between teaching a lesson on listening and

assessing listening skills?
2. If you believe that listening skills should be taught specifically, how
would you go about structuring a lesson to do this? Consider the
purpose of listening in your planning.
3. In assessing listening:
▪ How would it help the learning if you introduced the subject
matter in some way before the learners listen?
▪ How could you introduce the topic in a way that creates interest?
▪ How do you assess listening competence?
4. What are some practical (logistical) problems you could encounter in a
lesson on listening?

DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,

Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, pages: 14 – 17

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 123-147

Think point

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 Based on your reading of van der Walt et al., note your responses to the
following in your Learning Journal:

1. What does the Schema Theory mean in practice?

2. Explain the three requirements for input to be successful as a provider
of learning material, according to Krashen’s Input Theory.
3. How do paralinguistic signs and clues support listening?
4. Briefly discuss the criteria for successful listening practice (see pages
133-135).

DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS

Developing listening skills involves considering listening activities for various purposes (specific
information; comprehension and speaking; critical appreciation and interaction; analysis and
evaluation). No matter which skill you focus on, there are various distinct stages in the listening
process.

Receiving Understanding Remembering Evaluating

The first of these is the receiving stage – the listener hears the message (literal recognition). This is
followed by the understanding stage where the listener attempts to discern the meaning of the
message. The next stage is the remembering stage when the listener stores the information in
his/her memory and retrieves it (recall). Next is the evaluating stage when the listener applies
his/her mind to the content of the information (evaluation and appreciation).

Practice

Carefully consider the suggestions in van der Walt et al., 2017: pages 140-141.

1. Following these suggestions, prepare an English SP listening activity for

learners in Grade 8. Record your lesson plan in your Learning Journal.
2. Reflect on the process of preparing the lesson, considering what you
have learnt about teaching/assessing listening skills, and the value of
the lesson for the learners.
Practice

1. Find a short video that is current and newsworthy.

2. Prepare the pre-listening activity for your learners in Grade 9.
Consider, for example, vocabulary, in a way that would focus their
attention and generate curiosity. What other schema/schemata
would the learners need to activate?
3. Refer to the heading in the CAPS document, Listening for critical

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 analysis and evaluation, page 16. Prepare a task or activity,
focusing on one or more of the descriptors. Remember to include
middle and higher order questions (according to Bloom’s or
Barrett’s taxonomy).

UNIT 2: Reading and viewing

• Approaches to the teaching of reading skills

Reading is the ability to decode written words with understanding. Reading is an active process
which involves complete engagement from the reader. It is not possible to read and simultaneously
be thinking about something else. Reading is an essential part of teaching in the GET phase because
learners are expected to be competent readers by this stage, and it is expected that learners will
read effectively in their future studies and careers. It is true, however, that many learners struggle to
read with understanding, especially those expected to operate at home language level, and their
backgrounds might not have adequately prepared them for this.

Reading process

• Pre-reading activity which alerts them to surface features of this text type, and helps
them make associations with their own experience. Pre-reading the text (skimming,
interacting with title(s), headline(s), drawings/illustrations, reading first and last lines,
activating schemata for prior knowledge, etc.) is important.
• Then, during reading, reading activities would help them analyse its structure and
language features in more detail. Learners engage all their schemata for de-coding
texts. Teachers should consider word walls/vocabulary in context lists, etc. for all those
words identified as new to the learners. Learners should vary the pace at which they
read the whole text or parts of the text, depending on the focus and purpose for which
they are reading, for example, to analyse figures of speech, to understand register and
to identify themes/motifs.
• In the post-reading stage, post-reading might involve learners in trying to reproduce
the genre in a written text of their own. Learners will complete one or more activities
to reflect their engagement and understanding. This might involve a formal/informal
‘comprehension test’ with graded/scaffolded questions.

Apply
Think point

Refer to van der Walt et al., 2017: page 153 and answer the following in your
Learning Journal:

1. What four types of reading should learners by able to do?

2. Briefly explain each type of reading.
3. List seven valuable reading strategies.

Comments and discussion

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 ▪ Van der Walt et al. (2017) deals in detail with the stages in this process on pages 158-171.
There is informative discussion and challenging observations on which the teacher needs to
reflect and suggestions for lessons and activities.
▪ Van der Walt et al. (2017) explains schema theory (page 150) and the three types of schemata
readers bring to reading – linguistic, content and formal. Content schemata are activated
during the pre-reading phase. This section also summarises the results of research into
reading by Goodman (1967), Kolers (1969), Clarke and Silberstein (1977), Long and Richards
(1987), and the top-down, bottom-up approach, evaluated by Wilson (2003) and by Faure,
Ridge and van der Walt (2004).
▪ Landsberg et al. (2016, page 177) notes different approaches to reading instruction: the
bottom-up approach, top-down approach and the interactive/combined approach. The
interactive approach seems to be the most popular as the other approaches have different
limitations. This approach includes code-emphasis and meaning-emphasis by accommodating
both word identification and comprehension.
▪ There is useful discussion which can inform the teacher’s strategies to the reading process in
Landsberg et al. (2016, pages 176-179). Landsberg covers: previewing, activating schemata,
summarising and organising, elaboration and metacognitive strategies, as well as various signs
learners provide that indicate challenges to reading. There are more reading strategies on
page 206ff.
▪ Van der Walt et al. (2017) include a section on note-taking or summarising, pages 164-166.
▪ There is also a very important section on cohesion and coherence that future teachers should
apply their minds to (van der Walt et al.,2016: pages 166-171).
▪ Vocabulary is critical for comprehension. Section 7.4.4 of van der Walt et al. (2017:pages 175-
180) includes a useful technique for mind mapping word associations (page 178) and
derivatives (page 179).
▪ Van der Walt et al. (2017) discusses the importance of integrating all the skills (page 180) and
gives an example of a reading lesson that does exactly that.
▪ There is an extremely useful test for reading skills on pages 181-182 of van der Walt et al.
(2017).

Study group / Online forum discussion

1. In your study group, discuss:
What are the different strategies that a teacher can implement to
instil in the learners in Grades 7 - 9 an eager curiosity and
enjoyment in relation to non-literary texts?
2. After your discussion, review the strategies you have discussed and
record, in your Learning Journal, the top ten.
Practice

Design a reading lesson using the following as guidelines:

1. Find a non-literary text that is about 400-450 words long that will be
of interest to learners in the Senior Phase.
2. Prepare a reading lesson in which you will teach one or more of the
reading strategies discussed.

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 3. Draw up a lesson plan indicating what you will do in each phase of the
lesson (pre-reading, during-reading and post-reading) and what
materials you will use.
4. State two or three outcomes for this lesson.

INTERPRETATION OF VISUAL TEXTS

It is a prerequisite of CAPS that learners know how to analyse visual texts. We are going to focus on
teaching advertisements and cartoons because these texts are assessed in examinations.

Think point
What difficulties did you or your friends have when dealing with a cartoon or
the advert from your schooling? What challenges can you predict that a
teacher will face when presenting such visual texts?
Write your responses in your Learning Journal.
a) Teaching a comic strip or cartoon

A cartoon is usually a drawing or a sequence of drawings showing a humourous situation. When

teaching cartoons to Grades 7-9, please ask your learners to pay attention to the following: body
language of characters (How do they use their bodies to convey a certain message: non-verbal
communication); gestures, i.e., movement of hands; facial expression (Do they look sad, sad,
frustrated, etc); verbal communication (What do the characters say?); tone (of voice,
emotion/emotion being demonstrated through voice); setting (What is the background to the
pictures?); scale (Is one character/object bigger than the other?); stereotypes (a generalised picture
or that which is built on prejudices or ideas that they do not have proof of) and caricatures (a
drawing/picture that distorts a person or thing to create humour or get a message across); speech
bubbles (Words of characters); thought bubbles (Thoughts of characters); font size (Size of letters in
text).

b) Teaching an advertisement

Advertising is a way that ideas or products are promoted (made known). When teaching
advertisement to Grades 7-9, please ask your learners to pay attention to the following: the visual (the
picture, the font (the style of the writing), the way that it is set out (layout); the slogan, e.g., words
with emotions, scientific terms, alliterations, exclamations, rhyme, questions, everyday expressions,
famous lines from idioms/proverbs or quotes from famous people, exaggerations, commands, puns
(the sentence or phrase that you will associate with the product should attract attention; the target
market e.g., teenagers, females/males, graduates (the people for whom the advertisement is intended
should relate to the people, message or the visual (picture); desires, i.e, does the advert should
address our desires, fears, hopes and dreams like popularity, security, adventure, romance, hero
worship, efficiency and convenience, status, health, love, fun.

Readings

UNIT 3: Teaching literary texts

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The purpose of this unit is to provide an overview of literature and ways in which we can teach
learners to transfer their reading skills so as to have meaningful interaction with different literary
texts. In this unit, we will consider poetry, drama, novels and short stories.

The purpose of teaching literature, according to the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy
Statement (CAPS), is to develop in learners “a sensitivity to a special use of language that is more
refined, literary, figurative, symbolic and deeply meaningful than much of what else they may read.”
(DBE, 2011: 10).

READINGS
Prescribed reading:

DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,

Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, pages: 10-11; 31 – 34

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 187 – 232

3.1 THE KEY FEATURES OF LITERARY TEXTS

Literary texts have their own ‘key features’ but these overlap to a large extent so that poetry, drama,
short stories and the novel share many of the same features. These key features include plot, i.e., the
sequence of events; setting meaning the location and time frame in which the action of a narrative
takes place; character implies any person, animal or figure represented in a literary work; point-of-
view, meaning the perspective from which the story is seen and told, and the most commonly
employed are omniscient or all-knowing, limited or objective third person and limited first person,
theme, i.e., the underlying meaning of a literary text and mood, which is the atmosphere or feeling
created in the reader by a literary work.

Study group / Online forum discussion

1. Share the key features of a literary text as you can with your study
group.
2. Discuss and try to decide whether different genres share the same key
features or whether they have discrete features.
3. In your Learning Journal, record the key features and start to consider
ways of teaching these in the context of the genres set for study at the
GET level.

Comments and discussion

▪ Understanding the key features of various literary texts develops ‘discourse competence’ (van
der Walt et al., 2017: page 188).
▪ The Communicative Approach can be used for teaching literature.
▪ Ways that a teacher can be as effective as possible as a teacher of literature are listed on page
193 of van der Walt et al. (2017).

Think Point

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 On page 194 of Learn 2 Teach, van der Walt et al. (2017), there is a discussion of what
literature to teach. Unfortunately, there is little choice in Grades 7-9, but the
discussion itself is interesting and the Questions (on page 195-196) are really valuable
as a tool for the teacher to engage with values and attitudes. These questions can
inform your teaching in a most beneficial way.
3.2 HOW TO TEACH LITERATURE

Teachers experiment constantly with various methodologies; they reflect on why an approach worked
with one text/class/grade but not another; they share successful lessons; they research constantly for
new ideas/approaches/techniques/lesson plans. In teaching literature, there is no right answer;
neither is there one right way in which to approach literature. At the same time, the interpretation of
a poem is not entirely open or the idea that literature is 'open to interpretation' is not entirely true. It
is true that literature often work and engage us because the good poem, or novel or drama engage
since it has multiple meanings and can be interpreted on many levels. But these multiple meanings
must always relate to the words on the page, the words the author puts down.

APPROACHES TO TEACHING LITERATURE

A learner-centred approach is preferred, in which learners form responses to the text and engage
with it on a cognitive and emotional level. Learners can work in groups or in pairs and they should be
encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning in the process and not wait for the teacher
to tell them what the text means or how it should be interpreted. They should formulate an
individual response and be able to discuss their interpretations and reasoning.

Prepare

Think point

Reflect on the following questions and record your answers in your Learning
Journal.

1. What is your attitude towards teaching poetry, drama, novels and

short stories?
2. Which do you text type do think would pose particular challenges for
teachers and why?

Study
Read the prescribed pages.

DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,

Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, pages: 10-11; 31 – 34

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 187 – 206

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Apply
Think point

Note your responses to the following in your Learning Journal.

1. What are the features of a literary text?

2. List five advantages of studying literature.
3. Describe the process in a reader-response approach.

Practice

1. Design a reading lesson encouraging a reader-response approach with

a short story of your choice. Refer to the guidelines in van der Walt et
al. (2017: page 201) to guide you.

Teaching drama

Learners should be exposed to a range of plays which can be read or viewed on stage or film – if
practically possible. There are many playwrights from different cultural backgrounds whose works
are worthy of study.

Prepare
Think point

Discuss the following in your Learning Journal:

1. What has been the most memorable play you have read or viewed?
What about this play makes it memorable?
2. What value do you think teaching plays has for the learner of today?
3. Do you agree with the following statement?
It is not advisable to simply read a play from start to end without
any exposure to actual productions.
4. If you do agree, what are the implications and challenges for the
teacher of drama?

Study
Read the pages indicated. The section covers the pre-reading, reading and focused re-reading and
post-reading stages. The poetic devices and techniques that learners need to learn are included.
Teaching methods and procedures are discussed for the teaching of plays and Shakespeare in
particular. There is a brief look at Shakespearean language.

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 215 – 221

DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,

Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, page: 33; 59

Teaching plays should focus on the dramatic experience and expose learners to actual productions
as far as possible. If this is not possible, the teacher should plan for small groups so that all learners

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participate in reading part of the text. For more complex plays where multiple characters enter and
exit such as a long scene from a Shakespearean play, be more flexible. For example:

▪ Divide the class into groups according the number of characters in the scene.
▪ The groups allocate readers to characters (perhaps including one to read out stage directions).
▪ Tell the learners which lines must be read, emphasising where they must stop.
▪ Give a short task to be completed when the lines are read, to allow time for every group to
finish. Move the learners into new configurations to continue the scene and repeat until the
whole scene has been read.

Teaching a novel and a short story

English HL teachers in the SP are expected to teach at least one novel and some short stories each
year.
Novelists and playwrights, generally follow a specific plan when developing the plot in their novels
and plays, thus, when teaching a literary essay based on one of the set works you are doing or you
have completed with your learners, understanding the plot structure is key. It is important to teach
your learners how a story is organised by highlighting the five main parts of a story in succession:

• exposition meaning beginning of the story where characters and settings are introduced
• rising action meaning where the main character faces of conflicts
• climax meaning the most exciting part of the story; when we learn the outcome
• falling action meaning events leading to the end of the story and
• resolution/denouement meaning end of story or the final part of a novel or play in which
aspects of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

Prepare
Think point

Discuss the following in your Learning Journal:

1. What novels/short stories did you and your friends/peers read in

Grades 7-9?
2. Reflecting on your own reading experiences in these grades, what
novels/short stories are most enjoyed by learners in the SP?

Study
Read the pages indicated. The section covers the pre-reading, reading and focused re-reading and
post-reading stages. The key features that learners need to learn are included.

DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,

Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, page: 34

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 221 – 232

Teaching poetry

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Poetic devices are discussed within the context of a particular poem, but the concept or figure of
speech can be applied to other poems as well. You need to teach your learners some of the following
devices but the list is not exhaustive: irony, allusion, intention, tone, form, metaphor, diction, sound
devices, contrast, alliteration, style, simile, rhetorical question and personification.

Again, a reader-response approach is preferred. Learners should be encouraged to form their own
responses and opinions about the poem. There is seldom a singular interpretation of a poem and
learners can offer their ideas and interpretations to the rest of the class and, in this way, meaning is
created and negotiated. Importantly, the teacher’s role is not to dissect the poem into figures of
speech and then teach these in isolation. The same reading process applies to reading poetry: pre-
reading, reading and focused re-reading and post-reading.

Besides, the following activities may help you in teaching poetry to Grades 7-9 learners:

• Read the poem aloud. This will help the learners to hear the rhythm of the poem and
effect of the rhythm. Read the poem in any way you like, and work in groups, on your
own, or in pairs.
• Discuss the artworks that accompany some of the poems with a small group or class. Do
you think that they add something to your understanding of the poem? Would you choose
the same artworks or different ones?
• In small groups or in pairs, put the poem into your own words. Work through the poem
line by line, and ensure that you have included all the figures.
• Choose some of the poems and act them out. What props, if any, would you use for your
performance? How does the choice of props change the way in which you interpret the
poem?
• In pairs, draw up mind maps for the poems that you have studied. Include explanations
of all the poetic devices that apply to teach poem.

In a nutshell, these teaching and learning activities are suggestions, hopefully helpful to teachers.
Teachers, of course, can develop their own and further activities. After all, they are in the best position
to guide learners through this tricky but exciting area.

Think point

In your Learning Journal, reflect on the following:

1. Do you enjoy reading or writing poetry? Briefly give reasons for your
answer. To prepare for this, review van der Walt et al., pages 192-193,
206-215
2. What do you think makes poetry so powerful that it has existed in all
cultures for thousands of years, pre-dating any written text?
3.
• UNIT 4: TEACHING AND ASSESSING WRITING SKILLS
The purpose of this unit is to focus on how to teach writing skills. As much as most learners claim to
speak English fluently, many do not know how to write effectively for the variety of purposes required.
Writing tasks must be skilfully prepared for: you need to introduce a topic (e.g., a dialogue/interview)

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in the listening and speaking lessons; read examples in the non-literary text lessons; discuss the key
language features and conventions in all the lessons; and so, provide enough material for discussion
and writing to create a foundation for the written task.

THE WRITING PROCESS

Writing skills are important for both informal/formal assessment tasks and for the learners’ future as
students/employers/employees. Written texts include creative writing; i.e., Narrative, Descriptive,
Reflective, Argumentative, Discursive; transactional writing, i.e., Informal letter, formal letter, letter
of application, letter to the editor, curriculum vitae and covering letter, magazine and newspaper
article, agenda and minutes of a meeting, report, speech, dialogue/interview, review, obituary; and
literary writing, i.e., novel, short story and drama essays.

Teachers must guide learners through Process Writing, emphasising the following:

▪ When planning, the writer has to decide on the genre and purpose of the text and who the
target audience is. This will then determine the register and style of the writing. The teacher’s
role is to make students think consciously about all these aspects.
▪ Drafting involves brainstorming and selecting relevant ideas. If it is a task that is given over a
period of time, then allow the learners to research. However, learners need to practise
generating ideas for tasks written as controlled tests and examinations.
▪ The teacher needs to consider when and how to use rough drafts, self and peer editing, and
rewriting to improve versions of the product.
▪ In Home Language tests and examinations, there is usually no time for a complete rough draft.
Practising writing drafts during term time is a way to strengthen planning and writing skills, so
that learners are able to write effective texts in the limited time given in examinations.
▪ Learners do not fully grasp the editing process which involves substantial rewriting and
reorganisation, such as tightening (removing all unnecessary words or phrases, repetition, and
redundancy), fixing errors (punctuation, spelling, grammar), checking sentence and paragraph
construction (length, variety), evaluating the use of diction (tone, imagery, register,
vocabulary), cohesion (transitional words, links, references), and the length of the text.
▪ Writing is part of the Communicative Approach, see for example, van der Walt et al., 2017:
page 262.
▪ Van der Walt et al. (2017) support CAPS in talking about the process of writing, (see
pages 260ff) and deal with the stages in great detail. The editors also discuss creative
and functional writing: see van der Walt et al., 2017: pages 271ff. They discuss
interesting ideas about collaborative writing, including large and small-group writing,
and research/community writing.

Prepare
Think point

Reflect on the following questions and record your answers in your Learning
Journal. Your answers can be brief.

1. Do you enjoy writing for pleasure? Enlarge on your response.

©Copyright Lyceum 16 English Home Language Senior Phase

 2. Reflect on writing lessons that you experienced at school. Outline the
elements that made for successful lessons and the strategies you
would avoid.
3. What are the elements that make a well-written text? What are the
challenges of teaching each of those elements?
4. How could a teacher create an interest in writing for learners?

Study
Read the pages indicated.
DBE, National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Senior Phase,
Home Language English Grades 7 – 9, pages: 35 – 48

Van der Walt, Evans, Kilfoil, Learn 2 teach, pages: 255 – 289

Practice

You have been asked to provide information for a lesson on the three stages
of the writing process.

1. Prepare a mind-map (or flow chart or diagram) that shows your ideas
and thought processes about how you will teach each stage and what
materials you could use along the way. You do not need to write up an
entire lesson plan. Prepare only the mind-map.
The writing process is very important because learners need to be able to write successfully and
confidently, both for academic performance in school and in their later lives. The teacher’s heavy
responsibility is to ensure that learners produce the best texts they can. Learners must be encouraged
to write often; the more they write, the better the writing becomes.

Practice
In order to teach writing with a degree of insight as to the challenges
involved, it is useful for the teacher to attempt the tasks he/she gives the
learners. To allow you to explore Process Writing, complete the following task
in your Learning Journal.
Imagine that you are in a Grade 9 class and have been given the following
topic:
Covid-19.
Following the steps of Process Writing, produce a suitable essay of
approximately 250-300 words. Ensure that you:
1. Plan, preferably using a mind map. (Although there are teachers who
are averse to mind mapping, this is an excellent technique that
becomes more appreciated the more the practitioner employs it.)
2. Draft your first attempt.
3. Edit your work. Focus on transition words and cohesion.
4. Write the final version.

©Copyright Lyceum 17 English Home Language Senior Phase

REFERENCES:
DBE, 2011. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, Department of Basic Education: Pretoria

Van der Walt, C., Evans, R., Kilfoil, W.R. (2017) Learn 2 teach. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers,

©Copyright Lyceum 18 English Home Language Senior Phase