INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Dear facilitator

This facilitator’s guide has been specifically compiled to aid you in helping the learners master Grade 11. It is important to note that this guide should be used together with the learners’ study guide. It outlines how the work should be attempted and what you as facilitator should focus on during each lesson. It is important that the activities that the learners must do from the study guide be done independently. Under no circumstances should the learners see the answers prior to first completing the given activities. The success of this course is determined by learners realising their mistakes and learning from them.

The focus is on the learners and much of the work is based on good principles as inherited from parents and the stable society in which the learners have been raised and nurtured. Effective and correct use of English is valued higher than, for instance, its relation to other international languages.

The aspects which you should concentrate on during the course of the year are:

1. Developing learners as sound listeners. They should be able to listen for specific information, listen for main and supporting ideas, make meaningful notes, be aware of a speaker’s body language, distinguish between facts and opinions, interpret and evaluate the tone of messages, recognise language which is intended to manipulate you and listen critically to a text.

2. Encourage learners to speak as much English as possible without making serious language errors. They should be able to take turns in a conversation; ask questions; respond to language, gestures, eye contact and body language; signal interest and attention appropriately through expression, posture etc.; respond to communication situations; use voice modulation (e.g. stress and intonation); pronounce words correctly; read fluently; argue and voice their opinion; express themselves in various social contexts; participate in group discussions; and present a speech.

3. The importance of reading. Learners must be able to read for comprehension and the formal study of the prescribed literature. Emphasise the importance of reading independently as reading is the easiest way for learners to expand their knowledge of the language. Encourage learners to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and images, identify figures of speech and their purpose, draw conclusions, evaluate texts, and compare and contrast texts.

4. Writing is one of the most important skills in the acquisition of language. Pay special attention to: using a good dictionary, learning and applying the knowledge of the different pieces of writing that they are expected to write (essays, longer and shorter transactional pieces). Learners should plan and organise ideas before attempting to write these

pieces. The editing, revising and polishing of the final product are often neglected by learners.

5. Learners should be aware of language structures and conventions. They should build on their general knowledge of for example synonyms, antonyms, idioms and proverbs.

They should know the structure of a sentence and be able to identify the different parts of speech. They should be able to use their tenses correctly, formulate questions, negatives, tags, passives, reported speech, etc.

The best help you can give is to encourage them to read and speak English as much as possible.

To prepare for the language, oral or creative writing examination papers, learners must practise the different skills taught during the course of the year.

Working out old examination papers may be very useful.

Learners should speak as much English as possible. Encourage them to practise reasoning and debating skills and when reading a book or magazine to practise reading aloud. This will be good preparation for the oral examination.

The different creative writing pieces are practised during the course of the year. Look at old essay topics and encourage learners to write some of those essays. Read through it and give them advice on how to improve.

Before you answer a question make sure that you understand the words that are used in the question.