A study of the suitability of a modern African novel such as "Things fall apart" by Chinua Achebe for black pupils in Ciskeian schools in contrast to a prescribed novel such as "Silas Marner" by George Eliot
- Authors: Daley, Nirmala
- Date: 1991
- Subjects: Eliot, George, 1819-1880. Silas Marner -- Study and teaching Black people -- Education -- South Africa English literature -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Achebe, Chinua. Things fall apart -- Study and teaching
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1784 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003669
- Description: The enjoyment of any form of literature presupposes, in the reader, an understanding of the subject matter and a fundamental inclination to identify with the characters, to empathize with them and to appreciate varying perspectives. It follows that the choice of text is an important consideration especially, when the reader is not reading in the mother tongue. The choice of novel prescribed by the DET for Second Language, non-White, non-English-speaking, Ciskeian pupils poses many problems which lead to poor examination results. The increasing unpopularity of English Literature among Ciskeian pupils and teachers appears to stem largely from the predominance of works selected from the Great Tradition. To determine how far the choice of texts is responsible for the lack of success of literature teaching in Ciskei is the aim of this investigation. The DET syllabus for Black schools and the set books prescribed for Stds. 9 and 10 between 1980 and 1990 are examined to expose their Euro-centric focus. The effects of the DET examinations on literature study in Ciskei are also considered to show how examinations complicate the situation further. The aims of teaching literature to Second Language pupils are reviewed. Literary merit, relevance, aesthetic value and scope for moral seriousness, skill development are suggested as criteria suitable for an appropriate choice of literary texts for Second Language pupils. A comparative study of the prescribed novel, Silas Marner and an alternative African novel in English, Things Fall Apart has been attempted to find out whether Things Fall Apart is of equal literary value to Silas Marner and, perhaps, more relevant than Silas Marner to the experience of Black pupils. Six teachers have been interviewed for their opinions of the books prescribed. A miniature survey also has been conducted among pupils of Stds. 9 and 10 from selected schools to verify general attitudes to the study of literature. The findings indicate a dire need to make the syllabus more flexible and more open to include good African writing in English, such as Things Fall Apart.
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- Date Issued: 1991
Enrichment strategies for gifted English first language (HG) pupils at the senior secondary level : a critical evaluation of a programme implemented at Grey Boys' High School, Port Elizabeth, 1986-1988
- Authors: Cunningham, Gregory Mark
- Date: 1990
- Subjects: English language -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Gifted children -- Education (Secondary) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Gifted children -- Education -- Research
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1510 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003392
- Description: Programmes developed specifically for the gifted and talented pupil are not a novel idea. Yet, by comparison, the history of gifted education is a brief one. Highly gifted and talented pupils often have difficulty being challenged in a conventional classroom situation. Since classroom instruction is usually designed for the benefit of pupils who function at the level of the majority of their peer age-group, this teaching, no matter how well done, may not be appropriate for the extremely gifted pupil whose abilities differ greatly from this group. Even special programmes for gifted and talented students may be designed for a broad group of gifted students and may not meet the specific needs of the gifted child, especially ones with a special intellectual talent. While it is important to bear aspects such as the characteristics of giftedness and the attributes of the talented individual in mind, the basis of this dissertation examines what enrichment and acceleration strategies may be utilised by the English First Language (HG) teacher when presented with a preselected group of pupils who are gifted in English, utilising a composite gifted educational model as a mechanism for the development of this specific programme.
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- Date Issued: 1990
The fellowship experience : an investigation into the shared exploration of children's fiction by teacher and pupils in the senior primary school
- Authors: Haschick, J D
- Date: 1987
- Subjects: Children's stories -- Study and teaching (Elementary) , English literature -- Study and teaching (Elementary) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: vital:1374 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1001440
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- Date Issued: 1987