ASSIGNMENT 3
DUE DATE: AUGUST 2026
Write an essay of approximately 400 words in which reflect on the story’s
appropriateness for a Grade 2 Foundation Phase English First Additional Language
class. Please ensure you address the following points in your discussion:
The plot of the story, and why this is appropriate to children in a Grade 2
Foundation-phase FAL English class.
The use of pictures in the story. Remember to be specific in your consideration of the
pictures look at elements such as line, colour, shape, texture, space, composition, and
perspective.
THE APPROPRIATENESS OF ’THINK BIG!’ FOR A GRADE 2 FAL CLASS
The story 'Think Bigl' by Kat Kronenberg is an excellent choice for a Grade 2 English
First Additional Language (FAL) class. It has a simple but meaningful plot, beautiful
pictures, fun rhymes, and teaches children about helping each other. This makes it
,ENG1516 Assignment 3 2026
DUE AUGUST 2026
Watch the following video of the story ‘Think Big!’ by Kat Kronenberg. The video can be
accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB1lx8MOBNs.
Write an essay of approximately 400 words in which reflect on the story’s
appropriateness for a Grade 2 Foundation Phase English First Additional Language
class. Please ensure you address the following points in your discussion:
The plot of the story, and why this is appropriate to children in a Grade 2
Foundation-phase FAL English class.
The use of pictures in the story. Remember to be specific in your consideration of the
pictures look at elements such as line, colour, shape, texture, space, composition, and
perspective.
THE APPROPRIATENESS OF 'THINK BIG!' FOR A GRADE 2 FAL CLASS
The story 'Think Big!' by Kat Kronenberg is an excellent choice for a Grade 2 English
First Additional Language (FAL) class. It has a simple but meaningful plot, beautiful
pictures, fun rhymes, and teaches children about helping each other. This makes it
perfect for young learners who are still learning English.
The plot of 'Think Big!' is about animals in Africa who face problems like hunger and fire.
They learn to believe in themselves and help each other. For example, Giraffe cannot
, reach leaves to eat, and Kudu is scared of the fire. They all learn to "think big" and find
solutions. This story is good for Grade 2 learners because the plot is easy to follow (Unit
4 of the Study Guide explains that stories for young children should have a simple and
clear series of events). Children of this age, around seven to nine years old, can
understand the problems the animals face and learn the lesson that they should never
give up, just like the characters in the story.
The pictures in the story are very effective. The use of bright colours like red for the fire
and green for the trees helps set the mood and shows the characters' feelings. For
instance, when the fire starts, the use of red and dark colours shows danger and fear
(Unit 3 of the Study Guide explains that colours can show feelings and set the mood).
The shapes of the animals are big and clear, making it easy for children to see what is
happening. The illustrator also uses different angles, like close-ups of the animals'
faces, to show their emotions, such as when Giraffe is sad or when Baboon is being
bossy. These visual elements help children understand the story even if they do not
know all the words.
The story uses rhyme in a way that is good for young learners. According to the criteria
in the study guide, poems for Foundation Phase learners should have ideas that are
true to life and relevant to children (Unit 5 of the Study Guide). 'Think Big!' has rhymes
like "I believe in me, I am extraordinary" which are positive and easy to remember. The
rhymes are not too complicated, and they help children learn new words and sounds in
English. The story also repeats phrases like "I can," which makes it easier for children to
join in and remember the story.
Lastly, the story is very appropriate for a multicultural classroom. It is set in Africa and
features African animals, which many South African children will recognise. The story
teaches important values like helping others, being brave, and not giving up. These are
values that all children, from any background, can understand and learn from (Unit 6 of
the Study Guide explains that children's literature can help learners understand and