Subject: English Home Language
Subject Description:
English is a subject that takes students on a journey through literature while allowing them to develop their skills of critical thinking and analysis, as well as teaching them to form and communicate their own opinions logically and coherently through writing and speaking. English allows students to think independently and gives them the opportunity to listen and respond to perspectives that differ from their own. English is a core subject and is a requirement to pass Grade 12.
Value of English as Home Language subject:
As English is a compulsory subject, it is easy to think that you can just get by without working too hard. This mentality prevents you from seeing the real-life value of the skills learnt in this subject. This subject is the best way to learn and develop critical thinking through writing, speaking, and listening.
Critical thinking is an important skill to have in modern society and employers are looking for employees who have this skill.
Thinking makes you act effectively and makes you beat the challenges and obstacles you will face.
English is about teaching and guiding young people to think for themselves and communicate those thoughts to others. If you can think, speak, and write correctly, nothing can get in your way of chasing your dreams and achieving your potential. You are given infinite opportunities and influence if you can formulate arguments coherently, communicate well with people, and deliver presentations effectively.
English is also a requirement for most university degrees and most University or College courses require at least a 60% mark for English.
Even if English is not a requirement, every single course has an English module which requires students to use the skills they learned and developed in FET English.
Skills/Content Carried over from Grade 10-12:
Skill | Content |
|---|---|
Writing and Presenting | Essay writing (long), transactional writing (short), written responses, creative tasks |
Listening and Speaking | Oral assessments, class discussions, listening tests, debate |
Reading and Viewing | Reading, analysis, and interpretation of literature (novels, plays, poetry, films), visual literacy |
Structures and Conventions | Language, grammar, and spelling principles applied to all skills and tasks |
Grade 10 Curriculum:
Skill | Content |
|---|---|
Literature | |
Language | All grammar, spelling, and language rules and principles |
Writing | |
Speaking | Prepared speech, debate, poetry recital, class discussions, prepared reading, unprepared reading |
Visual Literacy | Cartoons, advertisements, graphs, infographics, posters, film study |
Grade 11 Curriculum:
Skill | Content |
|---|---|
Literature | |
Language | All grammar, spelling, and language rules and principles |
Writing | |
Speaking | Prepared speech, debate, poetry recital, class discussions, prepared reading, unprepared reading |
Visual Literacy | Cartoons, advertisements, graphs, infographics, posters, film study |
Grade 12 Curriculum:
Skill | Content |
|---|---|
Literature: IEB picks new literature every three years | |
Language | All grammar, spelling, and language rules and principles |
Writing | |
Speaking | Prepared speech, debate, poetry recital, class discussions, prepared reading, unprepared reading |
Visual Literacy | Cartoons, advertisements, graphs, infographics, posters, film study |
Common Assessment Task – the IEB picks the theme for the CAT each year | |
Students must have read 7 books independently by the time they reach Matric | All seven can be fiction but can include one non-fiction, one biography/autobiography, one book from a trilogy/series |
Grade 9 Requirements:
English is a core subject, and all students must take the subject. However, students need to ensure their foundation is solid before entering Grade 10. English at the FET level is difficult, and if students try to keep up their foundations while keeping up with the subject's rigour, they will struggle.
To achieve their potential in FET English, students must make sure of the following:
Requirements | Content |
|---|---|
Minimum Marks | Aim to achieve at least a 60% mark for English at the end of Grade 9 |
Have a firm grasp of the following concepts: | |
Work ethics | Be ready to tackle a large amount of content each term |
Time management skills | Have good time-management skills to keep on track with all tasks |
Ask for help or assistance! | Be willing to attend extra lessons and ask questions when a concept is unclear |
Stationary Requirements:
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