Abstract
This article reports on a study undertaken as an assignment for an Honours degree. The study was a critical and comprehensive evaluation of the prescribed textbook Piekfyn Afrikaans vir Graad 8 Huistaal (Viljoen, Lamprecht, Ligthelm, Murray, Van Tonder, Conradie and Plaatjies 2013), which was undertaken based on the teaching directives as set out in the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS, Department of Basic Education 2011), and on the annual teaching plan (DBE 2021). The three tables for analysing textbooks suggested by Lawrence, Le Cordeur, Van der Merwe, Van der Vyver and Van Oort (2014) were used in the investigation. Several textbook series, including Platinum Afrikaans Huistaal (Anker, Fouché, Gouws, Hugo, Jansen van Nieuwenhuizen and Janse van Rensburg 2012) and Viva Afrikaans Huistaal (Scholtz and Vorster 2014), have been written to meet the CAPS educational objectives.
The following research questions are posed in the evaluation:
- To what extent does the textbook Piekfyn Afrikaans vir Graad 8 Huistaal meet the requirements of the CAPS curriculum?
- To what extent does the textbook correspond with the annual teaching plan as endorsed by the Department of Basic Education?
- What recommendations can be made to improve the textbook?
For this research, a document-analytical approach was followed to ensure triangulation of the findings. The CAPS document, the annual teaching plan and the three tables providing criteria for the evaluation of textbooks from Lawrence et al. (2014) were consulted to determine whether Piekfyn Afrikaans vir Graad 8 Huistaal meets the requirements for successful teaching.
In the study on which the article is based, six modules were evaluated. Due to the limitations of length and to avoid unnecessary repetition, only one module, Module 6, is discussed here. I chose the module because it contains the theme of globalisation, with which most teenagers identify. Module 6 contains all four language skills as well as all four teaching approaches, as required by the CAPS. The content of Module 6 vaguely corresponds to the teaching plan.
In term 2, week 1–2, the teaching plan requires for “Listening and speaking” that learners complete a listening comprehension test, based on a novel. The textbook contains a listening text that deals with instructions, and a group discussion that deals with a baluchitherium – so the textbook differs from the teaching plan.
For the skill “Reading and viewing”, the teaching plan requires that learners read a novel. The focus must be on important features of a literary text, such as characterisation, plot and so on. The textbook requires that learners must read a text and thus follow the reading process, but the text is a poem, not a novel. The textbook requires an analysis of a short story and investigation of literary characteristics that can be identified in the story.
According to the teaching plan, learners must write a descriptive essay for the skill “Writing and presenting”. In the textbook, however, learners are required to write instructions and directions.
The teaching plan requires, with regard to the skill “Language structures and conventions”, that learners focus on adverbs of time and place, word order, question forms, euphemisms, sentence structure, style, tone and register, figurative, literal, and contextual meaning, abbreviations, question marks, exclamation marks, periods, and commas. The textbook focuses on some of the same elements, like adverbs and punctuation, but it also focuses on aspects not required by the teaching plan, like antonyms, synonyms, paronyms, homophones, homonyms, numerals, and interjections.
Module 6 is only fairly effective and learner friendly, as the layout is confusing, and the design of the book presents all information as disordered and even chaotic.
Activities are often interrupted by framed language notes. The notes should either follow or precede the activity, rather than interrupting it. Notes in the middle of activities simply create confusion.
The illustrations are visually stimulating and fit in well with the theme of the module. All concepts build on learners’ prior knowledge.
There is an adequate variety of texts in this module. However, there are no visual texts with questions. That is, learners do not have the opportunity to practise critical language awareness.
The module contains vocabulary that is not at the learners’ level of competence, for example, “modus operandi”, “politics” and “capitalists”. There are no tools that can assist learners to expand their vocabulary within context.
According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) report (De Beer, De Jager, Du Toit, Gräbe, Taylor, Terblanche, Van Den Berg, and Van Rooyen 2023) reading comprehension among Afrikaans learners is very poor. It is clear from the report that learners’ reading skills are not properly addressed at school level. As a result, learners struggle to understand and interpret questions during assessments. The problem does not stop at school level – first-year students at universities and colleges struggle to read and to master masses of subject information (De Beer et al. 2023).
Most of the texts in the module deal with the growth and progress of man, as well as with the negative impact that man has on the planet earth – an interesting and relevant topic. There are indeed elements in some of the texts that are no longer truly relevant – for example, the poem in the module deals with the social media platform, Facebook. Today’s teenagers do not use Facebook any longer, but rather Instagram or TikTok. One of the activities also refers to BBM (Black Berry Messenger) which was shut down in May 2019. Nowadays, learners use WhatsApp.
Module 6 meets the CAPS requirements, but the module differs to a large extent from the annual teaching plan.
Some activities required by the teaching plan do not appear in the textbook at all. Many of the activities are indeed present in the textbook, but they do not fall under the correct term or week, as stipulated by the annual teaching plan. For example, for the skill “Writing and presenting”, the learners must write a narrative or descriptive essay in term 1, week 1–2 according to the textbook, while the teaching plan requires the learners to write a descriptive essay in term 2, week 1–2.
Even though the textbook does not comply with the teaching plan, it does contain a number of pleasing features, such as good language activities that are well integrated – for example, a class discussion on a certain topic such as braces for teeth. They read an informative text that deals with rules to be followed when wearing braces and answer comprehension questions about it. Learners work with adjectives, an activity followed by questions on this part of speech from the text “Rules for braces”.
The themes in the modules are appropriate and up to date and refer to common problems with which teenagers struggle. There is also a very good example of the friendly letter in the textbook, to which learners can refer to ensure that their format is correct. Another excellent feature is the language and literature guide at the back, containing all-important language structures and conventions, as well as literary terms.
The final question addresses the matter as to what recommendations could be made to improve the textbook.
A number of aspects could be improved. The layout and design could be adjusted so that the textbook does not appear as cluttered and confusing as it does at present. The notes for literature and language that appear in the “In ’n neutedop” frames could be separated from one another so that it is easier to distinguish between language and literature notes.
The “Pitkos” notes, which explain the reading and writing processes, could include more detailed examples of the different formats of writing. I suggest that vocabulary lists should be added to each text. In this way, learners can expand their vocabulary within context. Learners are very often not exposed to reading at their parents’ homes, resulting in inadequate vocabulary.
The pictures and texts that appear in the textbook are often outdated. I recommend that updated texts be included. The Department of Education has recently decided that more activities on critical language awareness should be included in the curriculum. More texts could be included that refer to South Africa’s diverse reality. Activities in the book should also be revised to ensure that all cognitive thinking levels are included.
My overall impression of the textbook is not very positive. The textbook is confusing and even bewildering for Grade 8 learners, who are sometimes still very unsure of themselves – such a perplexing textbook only makes them even more hesitant.
It is frustrating and stressful to work with a textbook that does not correspond with the teaching plan. The Department of Basic Education checks very strictly whether teachers adhere to the teaching plan, through visits by subject advisors and circuit managers. If they do not comply, they are sternly addressed and reminded of the department’s requirements.
It is frustrating to have to deal with a textbook that is not up to standard. It makes lesson planning and class preparation more difficult, because information that is in the teaching plan must constantly be found in the textbook and when it is missing it must be printed for the learners – a time-consuming and financially senseless exercise.
The textbook meets the requirements of the CAPS, but does not correspond with the annual teaching plan. The results of the evaluation are further discussed in the article.
Keywords: Afrikaans Home Language; annual teaching plan; CAPS; document analysis; Piekfyn Afrikaans (Graad 8); prescribed textbook
- This article’s featured image was created by Siora Photography and obtained from Unsplash.
Lees die volledige artikel in Afrikaans
’n Kritiese ondersoek en resensie van die handboek Piekfyn Afrikaans vir Graad 8 Huistaal