Does dystopian literature have a place in the classroom? See what the author of Macrat’s study manual for ‘Brave New World’ has to say … It is notable that some of the literary texts chosen by the IEB (for English Home Language) in recent years reflect concepts about dystopian societies. A reader might ask: In what...
Notes from the author of Macrat’s study manual for this novel … “Stories of rottenness and corruption are always the best stories, aren’t they?”- Balram aka The White Tiger - The anti-hero trope has been trending in fiction and film. With their flawed morals, questionable actions and personal struggles, anti-heroes...
COMPETING WITH ‘FAKE NEWS’ THAT WAS RECENTLY VOTED THE 2017 WORD OF THE YEAR (WOTY), AND THE 2016 WOTY ‘POST-TRUTH’, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY WE HAVE SELECTED ‘COPYWRONG’. The short answer is: Because it is wrong to infringe copyright. This year has brought the question of copyright into sharp focus at the Macrat office,...
DOES HOLDING BACK YOUR CHILD A YEAR MEAN THEY WILL DO BETTER AT SCHOOL? The answer to these important questions – of course – is dependent on the child – and it also depends on the school and the teachers at the school. By law, in South Africa, children should start Grade 1 when they are six years old – or more...
Greetings fellow teachers... yes, it's the great divide again. Do you go for the classic and enjoy a brief classic, with issues about gender and class? Or are you keen to explore the life of a young Nigerian, who blogs for a living? Either way, you're in for a treat. What made me elect "Americanah" as my choice of...
There are many positive aspects to teaching Oscar Wilde in the Twenty-First Century in South African schools. Firstly, there is the joy of working with the writing of an author who clearly delighted in the clever use of words. Hardly a page goes by in which the reader is not surprised or provoked to thinking more...
I have had the pleasure (and the pain) of teaching a variety of prescribed novels for literature which is why I was quite taken aback when I first saw the list for the DBE matric titles in 2017. I had been expecting something Afrocentric, like ‘Things Fall Apart’ or a traditional, classic title from English...
MAKING SENSE OF 'ABSOLUTION' While the year swirls to a close, perhaps you too, dear teacher, are aware that the falcons cannot hear the falconers … At least, not when it comes to ‘Absolution.’ “This book sucks!” “Why can’t it be written in the proper order?” “And they don’t even remember properly or tell the whole...
We celebrate book week this month, 7 – 13 Sept. In addition, we are reminded on International Literacy Day (8 Sept), that approximately 776 million adults worldwide can't write their own name or read a line from a book. How can each one of us make a difference when the need is so great? You can start in the classroom...
THE DBE HAS ANNOUNCED THE NEW GRADE 12 PRESCRIBED LISTS FOR 2016, AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN MET WITH VARIED REACTIONS. One teacher that I know still believes it is an extended April Fool’s Day joke. I would love to hear what you think – please leave your comments below. The controversial choice for the novel is...