Name : Maria Ndlovu

Student number:46994807

Module code TMN3701 EXAM 2023

DECLARATION Your exam script will not be marked if this is not completed.

I, Maria C Ndlovu . (Name & Surname) Student number: 46994807. Module code: TMN3701

Hereby declare the following:

I understand UNISA’s policy on plagiarism. This examination is my original work, produced by myself.

I have duly acknowledged all the other people’s work (both electronic and print), through the proper
reference techniques, as stipulated in this module.

I have not made use of ChatGPT or any other similar AI programme to generate responses to the
questions.

I have not copied work of other and handed it in as my own. I have also not made my work available to
any fellow students to submit as their own.

I have utilised the Invigilator app during my examination. Signature: MC NDLOVU Date: 20 October
2023
1.1 Briefly explain what the Interaction and Comprehensible Output Hypotheses

Entail.

Interaction and Comprehensible Output Hypotheses

The Interaction Hypothesis and the Comprehensible Output Hypothesis are two theories in second
language acquisition that explain how language learners acquire proficiency in a second language.

Interaction Hypothesis

According to Michael Long’s Interaction Hypothesis, learning a language involves engaging in meaningful
conversation with people who are native or highly skilled in the target language. This theory proposes
that language learning occurs through conversation and feedback from the interlocutors. This interaction
gives students the chance to explain misconceptions, negotiate meaning, and accept input that is just a
little bit above their current competency level. Learners are able to recognize and internalize new
language forms and structures through this process.

Comprehensible Output Hypothesis

Merrill Swain’s Comprehensible Output Hypothesis emphasizes how crucial language production is for
students to improve their linguistic skills. This theory holds that in order to identify knowledge gaps and
push oneself to utilize new language forms and structures, language learners need to actively produce
language. By making an effort to communicate in the target language, learners are able to spot their
areas of weakness and ask their interlocutors for explanation or correction. Producing understandable
output during the learning process aids in the development of language competency.

1.2

You can use a variety of activities in an additional language classroom to promote engagement and
comprehensible output opportunities in each of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading,
and writing). Here are a few instances:

1. Listening: Use audio resources like podcasts, music, or recorded conversations to conduct listening
comprehension tasks.

- Plan class discussions so that students can actively listen to the opinions of their peers and react
appropriately.
- Role-playing exercises that require students to pay close attention and respond appropriately.

2. Speaking: Promote discussions in pairs or groups when students are required to share knowledge or
their ideas on a particular subject.

- Have pupils discuss their points of view in debates or persuasive speaking exercises.

- Make use of oral presentations to develop communication skills and offer opportunity for the use of
specific language structures.

3. Reading:

Language structures and conventions can be taught through:

- Providing grammatical explanations and practice activities.

- Incorporating vocabulary-building exercises using word lists, flashcards, or contextualized sentences.

- Focusing on sentence structure, verb tenses, prepositions, and other language features through
targeted exercises and drills.

1.3

Reading: Assign readings on various subjects, including both fiction and non-fiction, and then have
conversations or comprehension tests to follow up.

- Use realistic materials to introduce pupils to language usage in the actual world, such as articles
from newspapers, magazines, or websites.
- Encourage students to participate in literary analysis exercises where they evaluate characters,
themes, and literary devices.

4. Writing

- Assign written assignments like essays, reports, or narratives to help students improve their
writing.
- Offer diaries or writing prompts so that children can express their thoughts and ideas in a unique
and creative way.
- Include peer editing and revision exercises to introduce grammatical rules and boost writing
proficiency.

It Is possible to teach language structures and conventions by:

 - Offering practice exercises and grammatical explanations.
- Including exercises to increase vocabulary using word lists, flashcards, or context-specific
sentences..

Question 2

. “It is generally accepted that young children acquire a new language naturally and that older learners
struggle to learn an additional language with ease.” According to the innatist theory, there is a critical
period for language learning. Do you agree with the above statement? Indicated whether you ‘agree’ or
‘disagree’ and substantiate your answer.

2.1 Agree

The innatist theory suggests that there is a vital period for language learning, which lends credence to
the idea that younger children naturally pick up new languages while older students struggle.

According to the crucial period hypothesis, language acquisition is most successful during a certain age
range. It is thought that this time spans from infancy to adolescence. Children can pick up language more
easily during this period since the brain is very malleable and open to language input.

The critical period idea is backed up by a lot of data. For instance, research has shown that young
children who are exposed to various languages have a propensity to become fluent speakers of those
languages. Additionally, compared to kids who are adopted later in life, those who are adopted before
the age of seven tend to pick up the new language more quickly.

On the other hand, older learners frequently have difficulties when learning a new language. Age-related
declines in brain plasticity make learning new pronunciations and language structures more challenging.
Older learners might also be affected by their first language, which could hinder their ability to learn a
second language.

The crucial period idea is largely recognized, however there are several outliers to this general pattern, it
is important to mention. Through perseverance and efficient language learning techniques, some older
language learners can still reach high levels of proficiency. Language acquisition can be significantly
influenced by individual differences in motivation and aptitude for language learning at any age.

In conclusion, I concur that small children pick up a new language naturally, however older students may
find it difficult. Although there are certain exceptions and individual variances to take into account, the
critical period hypothesis offers a theoretical framework that supports this result.
Explain how you would teach learners to write a newspaper article, by following the steps of the writing
process. Remember to refer to all seven stages of the writing process and explain/discuss, in detail, how
you would go about teaching each of the stages.

Question 2

2.1

Teaching Learners to Write a Newspaper Article Using the Writing Process

The writing process consists of seven stages: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading,
publishing, and reflecting. Each stage plays a crucial role in helping learners develop their newspaper
article writing skills. Here’s how you can teach each stage:

1. Prewriting:

Start by going or discussing over the objective and target audience of a newspaper piece.

Teach students how to use tools like mind maps or outlines to organize their thoughts, do research,
and generate ideas. To acquire pertinent information, exhort them to think about the 5 Ws (who,
what, when, where, and why) and the H (how).

2. Drafting:

On the basis of their prewriting efforts, assist students in writing a rough draft. Stress the value of a
compelling lead (first paragraph) to engage readers. Teach students to divide their piece into
paragraphs, with each one concentrating on a different concept or element of the narrative.
Encourage students to write with proper language and tone in a clear, succinct, and interesting
manner.

3. Revising:

Explain the concept of revision and its purpose: to improve the content, structure, and clarity of the
article.

Teach learners to review their draft critically, considering the overall flow, coherence, and logical
progression of ideas. Teach students to analyze their work critically, taking into account the general
coherence, flow, and logical order of the ideas. To improve the efficacy of the piece, encourage them to
add, remove, or rearrange sentences or paragraphs. Give advice on how to make their arguments
stronger, cite supporting data, and fill in any gaps or contradictions.

4. Editing:

Introduce learners to the editing stage, which focuses on correcting grammar, punctuation, spelling, and
sentence structure. Teach students to thoroughly proofread their own writing, utilizing editing
techniques including reading aloud, checking for typos, and using grammar and spell-checking software.
Discuss how crucial it is to keep your writing consistent and to use the right language for a newspaper
story.

5. Proofreading:

Explain the distinction between editing and proofreading, making sure to emphasize that the latter
concentrates on identifying and fixing minor problems. Teach students to look for small things like
grammatical errors, missing words, or improper formatting. Encourage them to read their essay
several times, preferably with intervals in between, to catch any mistakes that might have gone
unnoticed.

6. Publishing:

Discuss about the steps involved in publishing a newspaper story, including the format, design, and
submission requirements.Teach students how to modify their articles to match the needs and standards
of the newspaper.

Encourage them to think about the visual components, including headlines, subheadings, and
photographs, that improve the presentation of the content.

Reflecting:

The value of reflecting on the writing process and the finished output should be emphasized. Students
should be encouraged to assess their areas of strength and growth. To encourage critical thinking and
writers’ development, offer chances for peer and self-evaluation. You may assist students in acquiring
the abilities and self-assurance necessary to produce quality newspaper articles by helping them through
each step of the writing process.

2.2. Explain what you would consider when assessing the learners’ completed newspaper article.

Assessing the Learners’ Completed Newspaper Article

There are a number of things to take into account while evaluating students’ finished newspaper pieces.
To remember, have the following in mind:

Content: Analyze the article’s information to determine whether it is accurate and current. Verify that
the article delivers a clear and logical argument or narrative, tackles the primary issue, and gives
supporting details.

Structure: Evaluate the article’s structure and coherence. Check for a concise introduction, body
paragraphs that flow naturally, and a conclusion that restates the thesis. Verify the story’s headline,
byline, lead, and body conform to the accepted newspaper article format.
Language and Style: Take the learners’ level of language proficiency into account. Review the
terminology, grammar, and sentence structure they utilize. Keep an eye out for language that is clear,
succinct, and effectively descriptive. Determine whether the article’s tone and style are appropriate for a
newspaper audience.

Assess the students’ capacity for original thought and perspective presentation. Examine the topic,
headline, and supporting information for inventiveness. Check to see if the students gave the article their
unique perspectives and voices.

Study and Resources: Verify the students’ use of reliable sources and in-depth study to back up their
assertions. Check to see if they avoided plagiarism and appropriately referenced their sources.

Visual Elements: Consider the use of visuals such as images, graphs, or charts to enhance the article.
Evaluate if the visuals are relevant, well-designed, and effectively integrated into the text.

Overall Presentation: Assess the learners’ attention to detail in terms of formatting, spelling,
punctuation, and overall presentation. Look for a polished and professional-looking article.

Audience Engagement: Consider how well the learners can captivate their intended audience. Analyze
the article’s interest, information, and readership relevance. Determine whether the students used the
right hooks, stories, or quotes to grab the readers’ interest.

Critical thinking: Assess the students’ capacity for critical thought by having them analyze and evaluate
information. Look for indications of critical thinking abilities, such as the capacity to provide multiple
viewpoints, evidence-based arguments, and logical reasoning.

Feedback and Development: Offer insightful criticism to help students hone their writing abilities. Point
out their qualities and propose ways they could be improved. Encourage students to review their writing
and edit it in light of the criticism they receive.

Question 3

3.1 Grammar ideas are frequently taught using the PPP (Presentation, Practice, Production)
methodology. This method can be used to teach Grade 4 students common and proper nouns in the
following ways:

Talk: Begin by outlining the notion of nouns and distinguishing between proper and common nouns. Give
each type’s precise definition and examples. To improve understanding, make use of visual aids like
photos or flashcards.
Practice: Assist pupils in distinguishing between proper and common nouns by assigning them exercises.
This can involve tasks requiring them to classify nouns as proper or common, or to fill in the blanks with
the relevant noun type. To add interest and interactivity to the practice, assign worksheets, play
interactive games, or organize group activities.

Production: Lastly, allow pupils the chance to use what they’ve learned about proper and common
nouns in authentic settings. Writing exercises involving the creation of sentences or brief paragraphs
with common and proper nouns can help with this. To strengthen learning, promote creativity and offer
feedback.

You can successfully teach Grade 4 students common and proper nouns by using this PPP method.

3.2 Pre-reading and post-reading exercises can be included to improve understanding and engagement
with the content. Here are some ideas to consider:

Activities for Pre-reading:

Engage Previous Understanding: Have pupils come up with a list of things they already know about the
subject or related ideas. This aids in their comprehension of the passage by allowing students to draw
connections and lay a foundation.

Preview Vocabulary: Explain the definitions of the important vocabulary words found in the passage.
Students’ comprehension improves and they become more familiar with key concepts as a result.

Prediction: Ecourage your students to guess what the passage will include based on its title, headings,
and any accompanying images. This sharpens their analytical abilities and gets them ready for the
reading they are going to do.

KWL Chart: The KWL (Know-Want to know-Learned) chart should be completed by the students. What
they already know about the subject can be listed in the “Know” column. They can record their queries
or their hopes for learning from the passage in the “Want to know” column. As a result, reading has a
purpose.

Activities for After Reading:

Discussion: Get the class or group of students to talk about the passage. Encourage them to talk about
their ideas, perspectives, and any fresh understandings they may have had from reading. This enables a
deeper comprehension of the text and encourages critical thinking.

Summarizing: Ask students to summarize the material in a few sentences using their own words. They
are able to better organize their knowledge and recognize the key concepts and illustrative details as a
result.

Questions: Provide a series of questions about the passage’s comprehension. Students can work in
groups or in pairs to solve these questions. This promotes critical thinking about the content and aids in
the assessment of their comprehension.

Extension Activities: Give students extra assignments that call on them to use the information they
learned from the passage. They could make a poster, write a reflection, or carry out more study on a
connected subject, for instance. Deeper involvement with the topic, creativity, and independent thought
are all encouraged by this.

Recall to modify these exercises according to the proficiency and requirements of your students.
Fostering critical thinking, active reading, and a deeper comprehension of the passage are the objectives.

3.3 Level 1: Acknowledging

“Last month, how many elephants were killed in Chad and Cameroon?” (Recall) “How many elephants
were killed in Africa in 2012?” (Recalling)

Level 2: Comprehension

“Why are so many elephants being killed, based on the passage?” (Comprehension) “How much ivory is
demanded in China?” (Comprehension)

Level 3: Applying “How did Gabon respond to the illicit ivory trade issue?” (Applying) “What is the
purpose of burning Gabon’s ivory stockpile?” (Desiring)
Level 4: Examining “What effects does China’s ivory demand have on Africa’s elephant population?”
(Analyzing) “What could happen if China doesn’t take stronger action to stop the illegal ivory trade?”
(Examining)

Level 5: Assessing

Do you believe that the illegal ivory trade was effectively addressed by burning the ivory stockpile in
Gabon? “Why not, and why?” (Evaluating) “Is there anything more that can be done to safeguard the
African elephant population?” (Appraising)