ASSIGNMENT 1 2025
UNIQUE NO:
DUE DATE: MAY 2025
, ENG1517
Assignment 1 2025
Unique Number:
Due Date: May 2025
Applied English Literature Foundation Phase Home Language
Question 1: Why Dassies Have No Tails
Question 1.1 (10 marks)
The story Why Dassies Have No Tails is written for children between the ages of 6 and
9 years old, and it suits this age group very well for different reasons.
For 6-year-olds, stories need to have simple plots and characters that are easy to
understand. In Why Dassies Have No Tails, the animals are easy to recognize, and the
story is not complicated. For example, the dassie simply loses his tail because he is
lazy. This makes it easy for young children to follow the events and learn a lesson.
For 7-year-olds, children enjoy stories with clear messages and beginnings, middles,
and ends. In this story, we can clearly see how the dassies wanted tails, what the plan
was, and how the dassie ended up with no tail at the end. This clear sequence helps 7-
year-olds understand cause and effect.
For 8-year-olds, children are beginning to think more about why things happen. They
enjoy stories that explain the world in a fun way. In this case, the story explains why
dassies have short tails (or none), even though it's not scientifically true. This kind of
imaginative explanation sparks curiosity and creativity in 8-year-olds.
For 9-year-olds, children start appreciating character traits like responsibility and
consequences. In Why Dassies Have No Tails, the dassie's laziness leads to him losing
his tail. This helps 9-year-olds see how behavior has consequences and gives them
something to reflect on in their own lives.