Module code: ENG2613
Module name: Applied English Literature for Intermediate Phase First
Additional Language
Assignment number: Assignment 03
Unique number: 172594
Due date: 4 August 2025 at 23:00
, Question 1
Evaluating the Appropriateness of The Robin’s Lament and Why the Bat Flies at
Night for an Intermediate Phase First Additional Language South African
Classroom
Introduction
Selecting literary texts for Intermediate Phase First Additional Language (FAL) learners
in South Africa involves balancing several pedagogical and developmental
considerations. These include cognitive readiness, emotional maturity, moral
development, linguistic accessibility, and cultural relevance. The Department of Basic
Education (DBE, 2011) emphasizes the importance of using texts that are contextually
appropriate and that support both language development and broader educational
outcomes. This essay evaluates the appropriateness of The Robin’s Lament by Amy
Gozelski and Why the Bat Flies at Night by Kgosi Kgosi for use in the Intermediate
Phase FAL classroom. The evaluation considers four dimensions: age appropriateness
(style and themes), moral and ethical learning, emotional and mental development, and
the promotion of inclusivity.
Age Appropriateness: Style and Themes
Appropriateness in terms of style and themes is critical when selecting literature for
learners aged approximately 9 to 12 years. According to the Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for English FAL (DBE, 2011), texts should match
learners’ developmental levels, using accessible vocabulary and concrete imagery.
Kgosi’s Why the Bat Flies at Night exemplifies stylistic and thematic alignment with this
age group. It employs simple, repetitive sentence structures, an engaging narrative arc,
and familiar characters drawn from the natural world specifically animals with
anthropomorphic traits. These features are characteristic of traditional folktales, which
are widely accepted in pedagogical theory as ideal for this developmental phase
Module name: Applied English Literature for Intermediate Phase First
Additional Language
Assignment number: Assignment 03
Unique number: 172594
Due date: 4 August 2025 at 23:00
, Question 1
Evaluating the Appropriateness of The Robin’s Lament and Why the Bat Flies at
Night for an Intermediate Phase First Additional Language South African
Classroom
Introduction
Selecting literary texts for Intermediate Phase First Additional Language (FAL) learners
in South Africa involves balancing several pedagogical and developmental
considerations. These include cognitive readiness, emotional maturity, moral
development, linguistic accessibility, and cultural relevance. The Department of Basic
Education (DBE, 2011) emphasizes the importance of using texts that are contextually
appropriate and that support both language development and broader educational
outcomes. This essay evaluates the appropriateness of The Robin’s Lament by Amy
Gozelski and Why the Bat Flies at Night by Kgosi Kgosi for use in the Intermediate
Phase FAL classroom. The evaluation considers four dimensions: age appropriateness
(style and themes), moral and ethical learning, emotional and mental development, and
the promotion of inclusivity.
Age Appropriateness: Style and Themes
Appropriateness in terms of style and themes is critical when selecting literature for
learners aged approximately 9 to 12 years. According to the Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for English FAL (DBE, 2011), texts should match
learners’ developmental levels, using accessible vocabulary and concrete imagery.
Kgosi’s Why the Bat Flies at Night exemplifies stylistic and thematic alignment with this
age group. It employs simple, repetitive sentence structures, an engaging narrative arc,
and familiar characters drawn from the natural world specifically animals with
anthropomorphic traits. These features are characteristic of traditional folktales, which
are widely accepted in pedagogical theory as ideal for this developmental phase
