CHL2601 Assignment 4 2026 Portfolio | Distinction - Due 8 October 2026

CHL2601 Assignment 4 2026 Portfolio | Distinction - Due 8 October 2026 CHL2601/ASSESSMENT 4/0/2026 QUESTION 1 (30 marks) CASE STUDY 1.1 Read the case study and look at the picture below and answer the questions that follow. In July 2024, a tragic road accident in South Africa claimed the lives of twelve school children and their driver while they were travelling to school in an overloaded and unsafe vehicle. News coverage and public commentary highlighted the deep inequalities that continue to place children from low-income communities at risk in their everyday journeys. For surviving children, families, and communities, the tragedy was not only a loss of life, but also a disruption of childhood safety, imagination, and trust in the adult world. Within early childhood and foundation phase contexts, children often encounter such events indirectly through conversations, media exposure, or changes in family and community emotions. Children’s literature plays a critical role in helping young learners make sense of fear, loss, and injustice in developmentally appropriate ways. Through stories, picture books, and oral narratives, children are offered language, symbols, and characters that can help them process difficult realities while reinforcing messages of care, protection, and hope. For pre-service teachers studying Children’s Literature (CHL2601), this case highlights the responsibility of selecting and mediating texts that acknowledge children’s lived realities without overwhelming them. It also raises important questions about representation, whose stories are told, and how literature can both reflect social inequalities and serve as a tool for healing, empathy, and advocacy. Accessibility description of the above picture: A screenshot of an Instagram post from the account including society shows a news article headline reading, “A dozen school kids and their driver die in horror crash,” dated 10 July 2024 and credited to Drum Digital. Below the headline is a distressing photograph of a damaged vehicle at a crash site, with a human body covered by a silver emergency blanket lying on the ground next to the vehicle. The image is partially obscured by a red banner indicating that only subscribers can listen to the article audio. The post interface includes social media icons for likes, comments, sharing, and saving, with visible engagement counts. The overall tone of the image is sad and highlights a tragic loss of life involving CHL2601/ASSESSMENT 4/0/2026 1.1.1 Explain how children’s literature can support young children in understanding difficult social realities such as accidents, loss, or community trauma. (4 marks) 1.1.2 Discuss TWO key factors a teacher should consider when selecting children’s books to address sensitive topics like death or safety for foundation phase learners.(4 marks) 1.1.3 Identify and discuss TWO themes that could be explored in children’s literature to help children process the events described in the case study. (6 marks) 1.1.4 Describe how a teacher can mediate a story dealing with loss or safety concerns to ensure it is emotionally supportive and developmentally appropriate. (6 marks) 1.1.5 Using the case study above, describe how children’s stories can foster empathy and awareness of social inequalities without instilling fear in young readers. (4 marks) 1.1.6 Suggest ONE child’s literature-based activity (e.g. storytelling, drawing, role-play, or shared reading) that could help learners express their feelings about safety and care in their community. Explain why you chose that activity and how it will benefit both the teacher and learners. (6 marks)