GOODBYE TO ‘LANGUAGE’ TEACHING
The final version of the CAPS for English Home Language in the FET Phase has done away with a separate language paper in the formal examinations.
SCHOOLING 2025 & English: Towards textbook selection in South Africa
Based mainly on participant observations, this paper argues that an abundance of English Language textbooks has ironically compromised the teaching-learning of English Language in the country.
WEB-BASED RESOURCES
There are a number of websites – both local and international – which provide very useful resources for English teachers.
ENGLISH ALIVE
English Alive is an annual anthology of writing from high schools and secondary colleges in southern Africa (i.e. Grades 8–12). The first edition of English Alive was published in 1967, and it has been published every year since then.
The Matthew Effect: Why extensive reading is so important to literacy developmen
It is common knowledge that, generally speaking, South African children don’t read and write well.
CLASSROOM OBSERVATION AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICE
It is vitally important that teachers reflect on the success or otherwise of their lessons.
GETTING THEM INVOLVED IN LITERATURE
This article is based on an article which was originally published in CRUX, October 1986, by André Lemmer. It illustrates effectively how to teach (in this case a short story) in an interactive manner – although the original was written many years before OBE claimed to be the originator of such a style.
Maskew Miller Longman calls for drama entries for its annual literature awards competition
Leading South African educational publisher, Maskew Miller Longman, is calling for entries for its 2012 Literature Awards, which will be for youth dramas.
PROFESSI0NAL ADVICE ON CREATIVE WRITING
In interviews on the creative writing process with four successfully publishing South African authors in 2009, I asked questions angling for advice for young aspiring writers at school and to teachers of writing. What follows is a summary of the advice given by bestselling novelist, journalist and film maker, Margie Orford, using as far as possible her own words.
COACHING OF TEACHERS FOUND TO BOOST STUDENT READING
An innovative study of 17 schools along the East Coast of the US suggests that putting literacy coaches in schools can help boost students’ reading skills by as much as 32 percent over three years.