TEACHING ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN THE
INTERMEDIATE PHASE (TMN3701)
LEARNING UNIT 1: THE CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT POLICY
STATEMENT:
Introduction:
The National Curriculum Statement Grades R–12 (NCS Grades R–12) is
composed of three documents with a focus on the Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
CAPS:
CAPS is South Africa's national curriculum, providing comprehensive
guidelines for teachers from Grade R–12. It emphasizes the significance of
language in teaching and learning, outlining clear teaching plans and
assessment guidelines for each subject and grade.
Language Teaching in the Foundation Phase (Grades R–3):
South African students should initially be taught in their home
language, but some are immersed directly into English.
Teachers need to be aware of the foundational skills taught in Grades
R–3 to build upon them in subsequent grades.
In the Foundation Phase, emphasis is on listening and speaking.
Reading and writing are introduced gradually with a lot of repetition.
There's a progression from oral language in Grade 1 to reading and
writing in Grades 2 and 3.
, Language structure and vocabulary are foundational to the
development of all four language skills.
First Additional Language Teaching in the Intermediate Phase (Grade
4–6):
By the Intermediate Phase, learners should have a good command of
their First Additional Language. However, many learners are not
proficient, necessitating support and a structured curriculum.
English FAL is essential as a language of learning and teaching
(LoLT).
Listening and speaking activities range from conversations to group
discussions.
Reading activities encompass a variety of text types, from fiction to
media texts.
Writing in an additional language is challenging, and learners need
ample support. They engage in collaborative writing, structured tasks,
and creative writing. Teachers play a pivotal role in scaffolding these
writing tasks.
In essence, the CAPS curriculum ensures a structured progression in
language learning from foundational to intermediate phases, emphasizing
the significance of English as a First Additional Language in South Africa's
educational landscape.
, LEARNING UNIT 2: ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE LEARNING AND
TEACHING
Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning:
Acquisition is a natural and unconscious process similar to how a
child learns their native language. It doesn't necessarily involve
formal teaching and typically results from consistent exposure in real-
life settings.
Learning, on the other hand, is a conscious effort to learn a new
language, usually in a formal setting like a classroom. Here, one is
explicitly taught grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Critical Period for Language Acquisition:
There's a hypothesis called the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)
which suggests that there's an optimal period in a person's life (from
birth to around age 10) where acquiring a new language is easiest
and most effective.
This theory is based on observations that children tend to acquire
new languages more easily and naturally than adults, often without
noticeable accents.
However, this idea is debated. Some believe that adults don't acquire
languages as easily due to other factors like societal expectations,
fear of mistakes, less time, and lack of confidence rather than
biological constraints.
Theorists suggest that adults do not acquire a new language easily
due to internal and external factors:
, Children have more time to dedicate to learning
Children are less pressured ~ errors are overlooked
Praised for small efforts
Simple language
Children are able to make mistakes
There is also research that shows older children learn
languages easier that younger children
Adults who are exposed to a language long enough can
acquire the language without the knowledge of language
rules.
Role of the First Language:
A learner's first language plays a pivotal role in learning an additional
language. This is referred to as language transfer or cross-
linguistic influence.
This transfer can be positive, where similarities between the two
languages aid learning, or negative, where differences lead to
mistakes.
The Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) concept suggests that
there is a shared foundation of cognitive skills and knowledge
underlying all languages, which is why skills from one language can
aid in learning another.
INTERMEDIATE PHASE (TMN3701)
LEARNING UNIT 1: THE CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT POLICY
STATEMENT:
Introduction:
The National Curriculum Statement Grades R–12 (NCS Grades R–12) is
composed of three documents with a focus on the Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
CAPS:
CAPS is South Africa's national curriculum, providing comprehensive
guidelines for teachers from Grade R–12. It emphasizes the significance of
language in teaching and learning, outlining clear teaching plans and
assessment guidelines for each subject and grade.
Language Teaching in the Foundation Phase (Grades R–3):
South African students should initially be taught in their home
language, but some are immersed directly into English.
Teachers need to be aware of the foundational skills taught in Grades
R–3 to build upon them in subsequent grades.
In the Foundation Phase, emphasis is on listening and speaking.
Reading and writing are introduced gradually with a lot of repetition.
There's a progression from oral language in Grade 1 to reading and
writing in Grades 2 and 3.
, Language structure and vocabulary are foundational to the
development of all four language skills.
First Additional Language Teaching in the Intermediate Phase (Grade
4–6):
By the Intermediate Phase, learners should have a good command of
their First Additional Language. However, many learners are not
proficient, necessitating support and a structured curriculum.
English FAL is essential as a language of learning and teaching
(LoLT).
Listening and speaking activities range from conversations to group
discussions.
Reading activities encompass a variety of text types, from fiction to
media texts.
Writing in an additional language is challenging, and learners need
ample support. They engage in collaborative writing, structured tasks,
and creative writing. Teachers play a pivotal role in scaffolding these
writing tasks.
In essence, the CAPS curriculum ensures a structured progression in
language learning from foundational to intermediate phases, emphasizing
the significance of English as a First Additional Language in South Africa's
educational landscape.
, LEARNING UNIT 2: ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE LEARNING AND
TEACHING
Language Acquisition vs. Language Learning:
Acquisition is a natural and unconscious process similar to how a
child learns their native language. It doesn't necessarily involve
formal teaching and typically results from consistent exposure in real-
life settings.
Learning, on the other hand, is a conscious effort to learn a new
language, usually in a formal setting like a classroom. Here, one is
explicitly taught grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.
Critical Period for Language Acquisition:
There's a hypothesis called the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)
which suggests that there's an optimal period in a person's life (from
birth to around age 10) where acquiring a new language is easiest
and most effective.
This theory is based on observations that children tend to acquire
new languages more easily and naturally than adults, often without
noticeable accents.
However, this idea is debated. Some believe that adults don't acquire
languages as easily due to other factors like societal expectations,
fear of mistakes, less time, and lack of confidence rather than
biological constraints.
Theorists suggest that adults do not acquire a new language easily
due to internal and external factors:
, Children have more time to dedicate to learning
Children are less pressured ~ errors are overlooked
Praised for small efforts
Simple language
Children are able to make mistakes
There is also research that shows older children learn
languages easier that younger children
Adults who are exposed to a language long enough can
acquire the language without the knowledge of language
rules.
Role of the First Language:
A learner's first language plays a pivotal role in learning an additional
language. This is referred to as language transfer or cross-
linguistic influence.
This transfer can be positive, where similarities between the two
languages aid learning, or negative, where differences lead to
mistakes.
The Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP) concept suggests that
there is a shared foundation of cognitive skills and knowledge
underlying all languages, which is why skills from one language can
aid in learning another.
