Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools) - Grade Four
Learning Area: Languages - First Additional Language
Learning Outcome 1: Listening
The learner will be able to listen for information and enjoyment, and respond appropriately and critically in a wide range of situations.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Understands stories (told or read to learners):
- answers literal questions;
- predicts what will happen next;
- responds personally;
- discusses ethical and social issues (e.g. whether something is just or fair), codeswitching if necessary;
- retells the story in the right sequence;
- summarises the story with teacher’s support.
- Understands oral instructions, directions and descriptions:
- responds physically to instructions (e.g. how to make something);
- listens to simple oral directions and follows a route or locates a place on a simple map or plan.
- Understands oral descriptions:
- identifies people, objects or places;
- labels a diagram.
- Understands recounted events:
- answers questions about what happened first, second, etc.
- Respects other learners:
- gives them a chance to speak;
- listens to them;
- encourages their attempts to speak their additional language.
Learning Outcome 2: Speaking
The learner will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Interacts in additional language:
- asks simple questions (e.g. asks for clarification);
- gives short answers to questions;
- takes part in a short conversation on a familiar topic.
- Acts in culturally appropriate ways:
- role-plays some familiar situations (e.g. giving directions);
- shows some awareness of social and cultural differences (e.g. how to express politeness in the additional language);
- switches from one language to another where appropriate (e.g. greeting a stranger who does not speak own language).
- Uses additional language to communicate information:
- recalls and describes (recounts) a sequence of actions using connecting words (e.g. first, then, next);
- gives simple instructions;
- describes people, objects and simple processes.
- Uses additional language creatively:
- tells a simple story;
- creates and performs simple play scripts;
- performs a familiar short rhyme, poem or song;
- plays a game involving language.
- Shows awareness of the way language constructs knowledge and identity and positions people:
- resists name-calling of any kind (e.g. cruel names, racist names, xenophobic names).
Learning Outcome 3: Reading and Viewing
The learner will be able to read and view for information and enjoyment, and respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and emotional values in texts.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Understands in a simple way some elements of stories:
- title (e.g. chooses the best title from alternatives and gives reasons);
- characters (e.g. thinks of appropriate names for unnamed characters);
- notices how characters and plots are constructed to represent a particular view of the world (e.g. What roles do girls and boys play in the story? Are they stereotyped, or do boys and girls have the same possibilities?);
- notices the role that pictures play in the construction of meaning (e.g. How are boys and girls depicted in the pictures?).
- Understands, in a very simple way, some elements of poetry:
- rhyme (e.g. ring, sing);
- words which begin with the same sound (e.g. ‘Naughty Nomsa never listens.’);
- words which imitate their sound (e.g. swish, swish);
- differences in the way languages represent these sounds (e.g. ‘cluck cluck’ and ‘kri kri’).
- Reads for information:
- reads simple maps and plans (e.g. follows a route);
- reads and follows texts involving procedures (e.g. a recipe);
- reads and follows timetables;
- reads diagrams, graphs and charts (e.g. a family tree);
- summarises a paragraph with support (e.g. fills in missing words in written summary);
- reads texts across the curriculum (e.g. textbooks in other Learning Areas).
- Reads media texts:
- understands the layout and design of a poster or public notice.
- Reads for pleasure and information:
- reads fiction and non-fiction books at an appropriate reading and language level;
- evaluates books in a book report;
- reads and solves puzzles (e.g. a crossword puzzle).
- Uses reference books and develops vocabulary:
- uses a dictionary;
- demonstrates a reading vocabulary of between 1000 and 2500 common words. Learners who will study other Learning Areas through their additional language should aim for 2500 words.
Learning Outcome 4: Writing
The learner will be able to write different kinds of factual and imaginative texts for a wide range of purposes.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Writes to communicate information:
- draws and labels simple maps, diagrams, graphs and charts;
- writes lists with headings;
- writes simple instructions;
- writes a recount of events;
- expresses an opinion in writing (e.g. whether a book was interesting or boring);
- using a ‘frame’ or structure, writes a book review.
- Writes for social purposes:
- writes a simple note or message.
- Writes creatively:
- uses some techniques for creative writing:
- words which imitate their sound (e.g. swish),
- words beginning with the same sound (e.g. ‘Naughty Nomsa’),
- repeating the same structure to create a poetic rhythm and pattern, for example:
- "The wind blows
Leaves flutter
The grass sings
Autumn calls";
- "The wind blows
- with structured support, writes a simple play script or dialogue;
- with structured support, writes a simple story.
- uses some techniques for creative writing:
- Designs media texts:
- designs a simple poster and/or notice.
- Uses developing knowledge of language structure and use:
- writes paragraphs with the support of a ‘frame’ or structure;
- spells familiar words correctly;
- begins to use a wider range of punctuation (e.g. apostrophes).
Learning Outcome 5: Thinking and Reasoning
The learner will be able to use language to think and reason, as well as to access, process and use information for learning.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Uses language across the curriculum:
- explains some concepts used in other Learning Areas (e.g. nutrition in Life Skills);
- knows and is able to use some of the vocabulary of other Learning Areas;
- understands and produces texts used in other Learning Areas (e.g. a timeline).
- Uses language for thinking:
- answers and begins to ask some more complex questions (e.g. ‘Why...?’ ‘How do you think ...?’);
- sequences things according to criteria (e.g. oldest to newest);
- classifies things (e.g. different kinds of vehicles) according to criteria (e.g. their purpose, capabilities);
- identifies similarities and differences between things (e.g. between a helicopter and an aeroplane);
- distinguishes parts from the whole (e.g. car: engine, steering wheel, tyres);
- expresses cause and effect;
- expresses an opinion and gives a reason for it;
- with support, discusses advantages and disadvantages (e.g. of travelling by taxi);
- with support, writes simple definitions and gives examples (e.g. matches a concept and its definition with an example).
- Collects and records information in different ways:
- describes a simple process orally and, with support, describes it in writing;
- designs, draws and labels simple maps, plans, charts, graphs and diagrams.
- Transfers information from one mode to another (e.g. chart to text):
- listens to a short talk and records information on a chart, or labels a diagram;
- uses information from a written text to create a graph or chart, or to label a diagram;
- uses information from a chart, graph or diagram to write a short text.
Learning Outcome 6: Language Structure and Use
The learner will know and be able to use the sounds, words and grammar of the language to create and interpret texts.
Assessment standards
We know this when the learner:
- Understands and uses some question forms, such as ‘Why didn’t ...?’, ‘Have you ever ...?’, ‘Do you think ...?’.
- Uses the tenses introduced in the Foundation Phase to communicate orally and in writing, for example:
- simple present (e.g. ‘She likes school.’);
- present progressive (e.g. ‘He is reading.’);
- present perfect (e.g. ‘I have finished.’);
- simple past (e.g. ‘I saw him yesterday.’);
- future (e.g. ‘I will see him tomorrow.’ ‘I’m going to see him tomorrow.’);
- Understands and uses adverbs of frequency (e.g. ‘She hardly ever visits me.’).
- Understands and uses modals to express possibility, probability and necessity, for example:
- I can go to the party;
- I can’t go to the party;
- I could go to the party;
- She must go to the party;
- She mustn’t go to the party;
- Smoking will damage your health;
- Eating too much may damage your health.
- Understands and uses singular and plural forms of nouns:
- ordinary nouns (e.g. one shirt, two shirts);
- nouns which do not have plurals (e.g. soccer, cricket);
- nouns which only have plurals (e.g. scissors, trousers).
- Understands simple sentence structure:
- co-ordinates sentences with ‘and’;
- analyses simple sentences (e.g. ‘Bongi/always/goes to school.’).
- Develops own vocabulary:
- identifies words which mean the same thing (e.g. angry, cross);
- identifies opposites (e.g. loud, soft);
- uses personal dictionaries;
- understands between 2000 and 3500 common spoken words in context by the end of Grade 4. Learners who will study some of the other Learning Areas through their additional language should aim for 3500 words.