TMN3701
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 28 MAY 2026
, TMN3701 ASSIGNMENT 1 2026
DUE 28 MAY 2026
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow:
Thabo is a Grade 4 learner who has just transitioned from a Foundation Phase
classroom,where he was taught in his Home Language, to an Intermediate Phase
classroom where
QUESTION 1
1.1 Cummins’ dual‑iceberg representation and Thabo’s situation
Cummins (1980) developed the dual‑iceberg model to explain the relationship between
a bilingual learner’s two languages. According to this model, the visible surface features
of each language such as pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar are separate and
can be observed as two distinct iceberg tips above the water (Nieman & Mukhari, 2020,
p. 13). Below the surface, however, the two languages share a Common Underlying
Proficiency (CUP), which is a unified cognitive base containing the learner’s conceptual
knowledge, problem‑solving abilities, and academic skills. Because the CUP is shared,
skills and knowledge developed in the home language (HL) can easily transfer to the
additional language once the learner has acquired the necessary vocabulary and
language structures in the new language.
Nieman, M. M., & Mukhari, S. (2020). TMN3701 Study Guide:
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 28 MAY 2026
, TMN3701 ASSIGNMENT 1 2026
DUE 28 MAY 2026
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow:
Thabo is a Grade 4 learner who has just transitioned from a Foundation Phase
classroom,where he was taught in his Home Language, to an Intermediate Phase
classroom where
QUESTION 1
1.1 Cummins’ dual‑iceberg representation and Thabo’s situation
Cummins (1980) developed the dual‑iceberg model to explain the relationship between
a bilingual learner’s two languages. According to this model, the visible surface features
of each language such as pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar are separate and
can be observed as two distinct iceberg tips above the water (Nieman & Mukhari, 2020,
p. 13). Below the surface, however, the two languages share a Common Underlying
Proficiency (CUP), which is a unified cognitive base containing the learner’s conceptual
knowledge, problem‑solving abilities, and academic skills. Because the CUP is shared,
skills and knowledge developed in the home language (HL) can easily transfer to the
additional language once the learner has acquired the necessary vocabulary and
language structures in the new language.
Nieman, M. M., & Mukhari, S. (2020). TMN3701 Study Guide:
