A TASK- BASED SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH I N SOUTH AFRICAN

A TASK- BASED SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH I N SOUTH AFRICAN

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

by

suzette Uvalde de Vil l iers B. A. , B. Ed. , M . Ed ., H. E . D.

A thesis accepted in Subject Didactics

for the degree Philosophi ae D octor

i n the Postgraduate School fo r Education of the

Potchefstroornse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoer Onderwys

Promoter: Prof. J.L . van der Walt

May 199 7

I wish to thank :

- Prof. J.L. van der Wal t for expert guidance and · assistance . - Dr. J.L. Clark for invaluab le insight s and expertise.

- The H.S.R.C. and the Potchefstroom College of Education for financial assistance.

- Pro f . R .P. van Rooyen, Dr . P. Brugman and Prof . M. Spamer for invaluable s upport.

- My brother, Arnold van Dyk, for his example . - M a ndi Uys and Ludwig Wernich for proofreading.

- My parents, family and friends for interest, encouragement and support.

- My husband, Chris and children Philip, Uvalde and Chris for encouragement and support .

YOUR GRACE WAS SUFFICIENT UNTO ME.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

l.;t 1. 2 1.3 1.4

1.5

CHAPTER 2

Orientation

Statement of the problem The aims of the study Method·of research Programme of study

Page

1 1 4 4 4

ESL IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL - AN OVERVIEW

2.1 2.2

2.2.1

2.2.2 2.2.3

2.2.4

2.2.5

2.2.6

2 .3

2 .3.1

.2.3.1.1

2.3.1.2 2.3.1.2.1 2. 3.1.2.2

·2.3.1.3

2.3.1.3.1 2.3.1.3.2 2.3.1.3.3

2.3.2

2.3.2.1 2.3.2 .2

Introduction 6

Th e learner as vari able 7

Beh aviour ist t heory and practice 8 Innatist theory and practice 9 Interacti o nist theory and practice 12 Cognitive theory and practice

Creative Construction theory and practice

Recent research f i ndings

Factors that relate to the primary school

learner

Characterist ics of the primary school

pupil

Learners' beliefs about language learning 22

Affective states

Motivation and attitude 22

Anxiety and the affective filt er 24 General factors that influence the

primary,school learner · 25

Age and the critical age hypothesis

Learner styles and strategies 26

Persona l ity

The learning tasks of the primary

school pupil

Phonological tasks

semantic tasks 33

2.3.2.3 2.3.2.4 2.3 .3 2.3.3.1 2.3.3.2

2.3.3.3 2.3.3.3.1 2.3.3.3.2 2.3.3.3.3 2.3.3.3.4 2.4

2.4. 1 2.4.2 2.4.3 2.4.3.1

2.~.3.2

2.4.4

2.5

2.5 . 1 2 . 5 . 2

2.5.4 2.5.5

CHAPTER 3

Syntactic tasks

Developing a communicative system

Le~rning

outcomes Proficiency

The description of learning outcomes for English

Means for achieving targets: the four language skills

Listening Speaking Reading Writing

34 35 36 36 39

42 42 43 43 46

context as variable in the prim ary school 48 'rhe pupil's social background 48 Mu ltil ingualism and multiculturalism 49 ESL in · classr oom context 51 The traditional language classroom 51 The

language classroom 52 The implementation of medium of

instruction programmes 57

The ESL primary school teacher as

variable 58

The teacher's proficiency The role of the teacher The teacher's attitude

The use of materials and resources syllabus implementation

conclusion

58

APPROACHES TO SYLLABUS DESIGN

3 .1

3 . 2 . 2

3. 3 3.4 3.4.1

3 . 4 . 2

Introduction

·The terms 'curriculum' and 'syllabus'

curriculu m Syllabus

Models for syl l a bus design

68 68 68 69

71

Ideological approaches to syllabus design 73

The classical humanist approach 73

The reconstructionist approach 77

The progressivist approach 81

...

'3. 5 .

3.5.1 3.5.1.1 3.5.1.2 3. 6 3.6.1 3.6.2 .3. 7

3.7.1 3.7.2

3.f3 3.9

CHAPTER 4

The process of syllabus design The situation analysis

Decision-making

A typology of ESL n eeds Aims and objectives Aims

Objectives

Selection and grading of content Selecting content for ESL

The grading of content for ESL Teaching-learning opportunities Assessment

Syllabus evaluation

Constraints on renewal in syllabus design

Pol icy constraints Pragmatic constraints Conclusion

TASK-BASED APPROACHES TO SYLLABUS DESIGN

4.1 4.2

4.~

4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5 4.3.6

4.4 4.4. 1

4.6 4.6.1 4.6.2 4.6.3

Introduction

A _defi nitio n of 'task'

Theoretical bases of a task-based approach to ESL

I nput theory o utput theory Discourse theory

Language and thought theory Functional theory

General learning theory

Task-based models for syllabus design Introduction

Prabhu's procedural syl labus

Breen'and Candlin's process syllabus Long and Crookes' task syllabus

A synthesis and critique of task-based mode ls

Designing a task-based syllabus rhe select ion and grading of.tasks reaching-l earning opportunities Asse ssment

83 84 85 86 88 88 89

9 2 -.A;

92 94 98 100 101

102 103 l04 106

l09 109

111 112 113 114 117 123 127 132 132 133 l38 142

146 l49 149 153 l54

4.7 Conclusion

CHAPTER 5

CURRENT SYLLABUSES: AN ANALYSIS

5 .1

Introduction 160

5.2 Graded Levels of Achievement in Foreign

Language Learning (GLAFLL) 161

Two American syll a bu$es for First

Lang uage Learning 168

5.3.1

Alabama Course of study - English

Language Arts 168

The Alaska Model Curriculum Guide -

Language Arts 174

5.4 The Dutch syllabus for ESL 177

The Botswana syllabus for ESL 182

The Australian language progra mme

The Target Oriented Curriculum progr amme

of study for ESL

5.8

Conclusion 206

CHAPTER 6

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENT SITUATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

6.1 6 .2 6 .2.1

6.3 6.3.1 6.3.2 6.3.2 .1 6.3.2.2

6.3.3

6.4

Introduction

The present South African ESL syllabus The proposed app roach to education in South Africa

The ESL context in South African primary schools

Primary school pupils in South Afr ica A survey of teaching in some South African primary schoo ls .

Themes and topics used in some South African primary schools

Teaching practices in some south African primary scho ols

The teacher in South African ESL c lassrooms

Conclusion

210

210

217

220 220

229

232

233

238

CHAPTER 7

A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FOR A TASK-BASED SYLLABUS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Introduction

7.2

Major findings

7.3

A generative model for task design

A framework for a task-based syllabus

The situation analysis

7.4.2

Aims and objectives

7.4.3

Content and teaching-learning opportunities

7.4.4

Assessment

Conclusion

CHAPTER 8

A TASK-BASED SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH IN SOUTH AFRICAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.5:1 8.5.2 8.5.3 8.5.4 8.5.5 8.5.6

8.5.7 8.5.7.1 8.5.7.2 8.5.7.3 8.5.7.4 8.5.8 8.5.9 8.6 8.7

Introduction

Situation analysis The aims of the course

Objectives for the primary phases Content and teaching-learning opportunities

Criteria for task selection

Criteria for the grading of tasks Themes and related topics

Vocabulary Resources

Language forms and communicative functions

Skill outcomes Listening

Speaking Reading Writing

Learning strategies Affective outcomes

Guidelines for teaching Assessment

241 241 249 253 254 254 255 255 255

257 258 258 260

261 262 262

·263 265 266 268 271 271 272 272 273 273 276 276 279

8.7.1 8.7.2 8.8 8.8.1 8.8.2 8.8.3

8.9

CHAPTER 9 .CONCLUSION

9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4

Formative assessment Summative assessment

An integrated presentation of the syllabus

A generic profile of Grade 6 learners

An

example of planning for one cycle An example of integrated lesson units for sixth graders

Conclusion

Introduction

The proposed syllabus Limitations

Future research

280 280

283 283 284 288 295

297 297 298 299

BIBLIOGRAPHY 300

LIST OF FIGURES

1. White's representation of the Taba-Tyler

curriculum development model 74 2 .. The Australian Language Levels - a model

for syllabus design 75

3.

The TOC process of carrying out a

learning task 200

4. A generative model for task design 252

LIST OF. TABLES

1.

2.

3.

4.

A schematic representation of cognitive levels, teaching methods, assessment and

questions 95

Factors influencing task implementation 154 An example of a holistic task description

and discrete functions and notions · 162 The overlapping nature of levels and

stages of GLAFLL 164

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Task description in GLAFLL

The ALL typology of activities and exercises

An overview of the hierarchy of

Learning Targets and objectives of TOC An example of a TOC task

A summary of task selection and grading A summary of the assessment of pupil performance of seven syllabuses

Lincoln school: Elementary ESL Scope and Sequence

Dimension targets and detailed targets for the Senior Primary Phase

Specific concepts and vocabulary for the Senior Primary Phase of English MOI

schools as suggested by Stribling and Thurstone

Bands of performance for the Senior Primary Phase (adapted from the Target Oriented Curriculum 1994)

165

190

196 203 207

208

225

260

266

282

LIST OF ADDENDA

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

ABSTRACT ABSTRAK

The Australian Language Levels assessment

criteria 331

An example of the Target Oriented

curriculum learner profile (conversion

to marks) 334

The Australian Language Levels 'Table of Language Use'

The Target Oriented Curriculum 'Bands of Performance - Experience·nimension (Key

335

Stage 2) 336

An example of a Target Oriented Curriculum

assessment task 339

Observation form - classroom practice 343

344 346

I