South Africa Grade 5 First Additional Language

This course aims to develop learners' proficiency in an additional language, focusing on listening, speaking, reading, writing, and language structures and conventions. The curriculum is designed to build upon the foundation laid in earlier grades and further develop learners' ability to use the language for communication and learning. The teaching time for this subject is 5 hours per week.

Curriculum Breakdown

The curriculum is structured around four main language skills:

1. Listening and Speaking: Learners engage in various oral activities, including conversations, discussions, giving and following directions, retelling stories, and delivering short talks. These activities aim to improve learners' ability to understand spoken language, communicate effectively in social situations, and express their ideas and opinions.

2. Reading and Viewing: Learners read and analyze a variety of texts, including stories, poems, plays, information texts, social texts, and media texts. They also develop visual literacy skills by interpreting images, charts, diagrams, and other visual materials. This component focuses on improving reading comprehension, expanding vocabulary, and developing critical thinking skills.

3. Writing and Presenting: Learners practice different forms of writing, such as narratives, descriptions, dialogues, and transactional texts (e.g., letters, messages, and notices). They also learn to use the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and presenting) to produce well-organized and grammatically correct written pieces.

4. Language Structures and Conventions: This component focuses on developing learners' understanding and application of grammar rules, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary. Learners are taught to identify and use different parts of speech, tenses, sentence structures, and spelling rules. Vocabulary development is emphasized through exposure to a wide range of texts and targeted vocabulary activities.

Assessment

Assessment is an integral part of the learning process and includes both informal and formal methods. Informal assessment involves daily observation of learners' performance in class activities, while formal assessment includes tests, examinations, and practical tasks. The formal assessment program comprises seven tasks throughout the year, accounting for 75% of the final mark, and a year-end examination accounting for the remaining 25%.