Now – after Covid 19 – the Firm Foundations books are more relevant than ever. They were written for learners who had gaps in their basic understanding of the English language with a view to giving them a solid foundation on which to build to matric. Although many of us were able to carry on teaching uninterrupted or...

When I considered this question, I realised that it is far from easy to answer. Imagine how much more difficult it might be for our learners who generally have far less experience with the genre that we have. As I often do, I turned to Mr Google where I stumbled upon a website that drew many important constructs...

August brings us National Women’s Day in South Africa – a time when we are encouraged to remember and praise strong female role models who exude positivity, skill and courage. With this in mind, I started to consider the important literary women in my life, both writers and characters. I thought back to my childhood...

‘Africa has a wonderfully rich store of folk tales that have been passed down from one generation to the next. There are stories about how the world came into being, stories that tell of the relationships between human beings and between man and his environment, and of the lessons to be learned from everyday...

To Kill a Mockingbird is not only a classic, it is a genuine favourite for most of us, and I am sure we have inspired many teenagers to love the novel as much as we do. Do you know that Harper Lee wrote another novel before To Kill a Mockingbird, but her editor suggested she take the character, Scout, and set it in...

For many of us, reading is a pleasure that we cannot always describe to others who do not have a similar appreciation. Imagine not being able to read, or not being allowed to read – what an awful existence! Earlier this year I read a poem that excited me as it phrased exquisitely how I feel about reading. A little...

A colleague has suggested that as World War I will be commemorated during the period 2014 – 2018, it would be appropriate to bring some related literature into the classroom. Below are reviews of some of the titles she felt were worth exploring in the classroom. Stay Where You Are and Then Leave (John Boyne)‘Stay...

With many schools and learners using electronic devices for study and research, should ‘digital literacy’ be taught in school, and if so, how should it be taught? ‘Digital literacy’ can be defined as ‘the ability to effectively and critically navigate, evaluate, and create information using a range of digital...

If the burning of books is symbolic, what is it symbolic of? This question was asked by Karin Schimke in an article (Cape Times, 7 Feb 2014) that reported the gutting of the Zithobeni Community Library in Bronkhorstspruit, which serviced not only the community, but also two high schools and three primary schools. She...

Macrat’s free worksheet this term (suitable for Gr 8) uses extracts that look at the movie Monsters University. (If you still need a copy of this worksheet you can go to our website. I was amazed at the trouble that the makers of the film have gone to, as they have created a website dedicated to this fictional...