Teaching English Today

Editorial

Editorial: Where have all the writers gone?   Malcolm Venter   Although editing and compiling Teaching English Today is always an interesting and challenging task, there is one thing that always bugs and frustrates me. And that is the reluctance of teachers and lecturers to write for a publication such as this. In this issue, [...]

What can we read?

In looking at ways to encourage children and teenagers to read more, it is useful to know what books are available for them to read. South African literature is not publicized as it should be, with few spaces for reviews available. Yet there are many fine books being published which would be good additions to schools or libraries catering for teenagers.

NEWSFLASH: PUTTING A CAP ON THE CAPS

It has been noted that there are some provincial departments of education which are going beyond their brief and authority in adding to the CAPS and in making things mandatory which are not. This is contrary to the spirit of the CAPS and the instruction of the Minister of Basic Education to allow for flexibility.

Short, Sharp, Snappy plays for schools to be launched

Short, Sharp & Snappy   by Robin Malan   (This article first appeared on the LitNet website www.litnet.co.za )   ‘If I see another modern adaptation of a fairy tale, I’ll scream!’ Teachers who have to do with school theatre have been having it tough lately. Why? Well, no one wants to inflict on school [...]

Putting the daily newspaper to work

What can we do about the incidence of reading retardation and reluctance to read in so many of our classes? How can we quickly redress the balance and pull some of our chestnuts out of the fire? How can those of us who have not actually been trained to teach beginning reading teach children the basic reading skills – how to decode running words, as opposed to words in isolation?

DANAË

The Glosa form of poetry might be of interest to English teachers (merely to inform about the existence of such a poetic form). I tried my hand at writing one and it was a fascinating exercise.

Another species endangered!

Today many species are being endangered with extinction; their names can be found listed in a book called the Red Book. In some sense of the word, the Teacher of English Grammar today should be added in the list, too. The mere difference between the two cases is that whereas the former means species being hunted, the latter – being chased away, to near extinction.

Tips on building your vocabulary

Tips on building your vocabulary: Advice to learners        Samson E Philipo     Mastery of the vocabulary of the language is essential to become a good writer. Good writers are obsessed with words, which are the tools of their trade. These are a few things you can do to build your vocabulary: Rally [...]

Stepping off the Treadmill for a Change

This article describes a method of analyzing Grade 12 English Home Language literature exam scripts with a view to pin-pointing a manageable number of academic skills that underperformers may need to master in order to perform at their level of competence.

Assisting teachers to teach effectively

ADVERTORIAL Assisting teachers to teach effectively  Giving credit where credits are due   To support our educators in classroom practice, the Kaleidoprax Institute offers a Short Course, “Classroom Tactics”, to assist teachers in the interpretation of CAPS and other, much-needed information to confidently interact with prescribed administration and assessment practice. Not only will the teacher [...]

Athol Fugard honoured by English Academy

At the Gala Dinner of the English Academy Conference held at the Bloemendal Restaurant in Durvanville on , Athol Fugard, distinguished South African playwright, actor and producer, was awarded the English Academy Gold Medal for 2011 on 22 September this year.

Aversion or allure?

Many second- and additional-language English speakers in South African high schools are reluctant to read and study English literature, especially poetry. Reasons for this resistance include language and comprehension difficulties, a lack of personal and critical engagement with texts, rigid or outdated methodologies, poorly trained or unenthusiastic English teachers and the allure of non-print media. Hillis Miller maintains that literature “gives access to a virtual reality not otherwise knowable” (2008, 28).

Helping SA students overcome the language and literacy barrier

Being from Nigeria, a country rumoured to have hundreds of indigenous languages and endemic inter-ethnic rivalries, I am fascinated by the apparent ease with which the average South African negotiates this country’s multi-lingual setting. As a postgraduate student, writing consultant and tutor of an academic literacy module at a leading university, I have also very keenly followed the debates on the dire challenges faced by students at all levels in South African schools and universities with regard to language proficiency and literacy

Sharing good practice: toise high school launches a reading club

The Institute for the Study of English in Africa (ISEA) at Rhodes University felt honoured to be invited to deliver the opening speech at the launch of a reading club at Toise High School in King William’s Town on 4 May 2011, a few days after World Book Day.

English spelling – what a nightmare!

English, as anyone knows it, has long been “notorious” for its spelling, which is said to be “unreliable”, or even “deceitful”: In one way it is spelled, but in quite another pronounced (just as meant to trap people)

Some tips on pronunciation and the dictionary

The pronunciation of English is not easy. The spelling system is far from phonetic. The spelling of Afrikaans and the indigenous African languages gives a much clearer indication of pronunciation.

Romeo and Juliet: suggestions for group discussions

The following are some multiple-choice questions that can be set for group discussions. Note that more than one answer may be appropriate – the aim of the exercise is to stimulate discussion.

Goodnight Mr Tom: a project

1. Draw a rough, labelled plan of Mr Tom’s house (exterior only) and its immediate environs.

A comment on Lord of the Flies

The violence on the island follows the pattern of the violence in the adult world: