ENG1516 Assignment 1 Guidance Letter

This document is intended to provide you with additional support in completing

Assignment 1. The information provided in this letter are guidelines and do not get into
the specifics of the question answer. Rather, it focuses on how to approach each of
the questions and sub-questions in answering them. The key to answering this
assignment is not answering questions by simply copying what the textbook and
tutorial letter are saying. This does not show us how you are understanding and
applying that understanding. We are, therefore, interested in your own individual
responses to the questions and sub-questions. The mark allocation for all questions in
the assignment indicate how many points should be covered or discussed.

QUESTION 1

This question contains three sub-questions which ask you to think about the value of
children’s literature in addressing stereotyping, and the value of multimodal storytelling
in the classroom. Unit 1 of Tutorial Letter 501/0/2020 will be particularly useful in
considering your answers to the sub-questions.

1.1. The first sub-question is straightforward and asks you to define what children’s
literature is in your own words. The question requires you to consider the
various aspects of children’s literature so that you not only say what it is, but
also what its characteristics are and what its purpose is.
1.2. The second sub-question focuses on how to counteract gender stereotyping
through the types of stories/books that children are exposed to. To answer this
question, think about what kinds of stories would reinforce gender stereotyping
and then figure out how to mitigate this. Also indicate what the consequences
of counteracting gender stereotyping through the stories you select would be.
1.3. The third sub-question asks you to consider how multimodal storytelling might
benefit learners. Remember that your response to this question should be in
your own words. While it may be tempting to simply quote, you are encouraged
to represent your own understanding in your own way.
QUESTION 2

This question comprises three sub-questions and asks you to apply your
understanding of the folktale, the communication of values, and the appropriateness
of the text (i.e. the folktale) for a Foundation Phase audience. You will be primarily
drawing from Unit 1 of Tutorial Letter 501/0/2020, as well as the textbook, Introducing
Children’s Literature: A Guide to the South African Classroom (2017) by Evans, et al.
The chapter section to particularly focus on is Section 5.2.1. However, note that, as
with the previous question, we are not looking for you to simply relate information from
the tutorial letter or textbook. You should demonstrate an understanding that is
reflected through how you apply what you know to the folktale. Remember that this
folktale should remain your focus in terms of justifying how you respond to each sub-
question.

2.1. This sub-question asks you identify the folktale category to which ‘Ananse and
the Pot of Wisdom’ belongs. Remember to express your answer in a full
sentence rather than as a single word or two.
2.2. The second sub-question asks you to provide reasons as to why ‘Ananse and
the Pot of Wisdom’ belongs to this specific category of folktale. Here, you will
be required to not just simply list all characteristics of this type of folktale, but to
rather discern which ones are the most appropriate for the folktale.
2.3. The third and last sub-question of Question 2 is an evaluation question. You will
be required to determine whether the text (i.e. the folktale) is appropriate for a
Foundation Phase class. Your response needs to be in the form of a single
paragraph, and the mark allocation indicates that four points need to be covered
in your response. Evaluation questions require you to first, based on your
understanding of the text, determine whether the folktale is appropriate—yes, it
is, or no, it isn’t. Once you have determined your answer, you need to refer to
aspects of the folktale’s text, as well as to what you understand about what is
discussed in Section 5.2.1 of the textbook, that would lead you to make this
judgement. Also be aware of the cultural context of the story.
QUESTION 3

This question consists of three sub-questions that assess your understanding of the
different learning styles, as well as applying your understanding to a text from a
specific children’s literature genre. Units 1 and 2 of the Tutorial Letter 501/0/2020 will
also be useful in answering these sub-questions.

3.1. The first sub-question asks you to discuss the three learning styles that teachers
should keep in mind when they teach. You can find information on the three
learning styles on pp.31-32 of Tutorial Letter 501/0/2020. The sub-question
counts six marks. This means that you will get one point for each learning style
that you identify and one point for your brief discussion of this style. Again, this
sub-question should not be answered by simply restating or copying what the
Tutorial Letter says. Rather you should show that you understand each of the
learning styles by explaining them in your own words.
3.2. The next sub-question requires you to identify into which children’s literature
genre ‘Miss Polly had a dolly’ falls. Correctly doing so will earn you a mark. The
other two marks are allocated for providing reasons, that are specifically
relevant to the text, as to why you think so.
3.3. The last sub-question of Question 3 asks you to write a paragraph in which you
explain how you would appeal to learners according to the three learning styles
in teaching the excerpted text, ‘Miss Polly had a dolly’. This is an opportunity to
show application of what you have learned in developing strategies to
accommodate the three learning styles. You can even showcase some
creativity in developing new and exciting ways to engage these learning styles.
The question counts six marks. This means that each of the three reading
activities needs to be explained in terms of how it appeals to the three learning
styles.
QUESTION 4

This question relates specifically to developmental theories for teaching children’s

literature. You will find these in Unit 2 of Tutorial Letter 501.The two sub-questions in
this question ask you to represent an understanding of a specific theory—namely, the
Cognitive Theory—and to then apply this understanding to developing activities, based
on a specific story, that are guided by this theory’s tenets.
4.1. The first sub-question asks you to explain the key tenets of Piaget’s Cognitive
Theory. To answer this question, it is first important to understand what the word
‘tenets’ means. Essentially, tenets are a set of guiding principles related to the
theory. To answer this question, it is important to understand Cognitive Theory,
based on reading the tutorial letter and prescribed textbook. When representing
that understanding do not write the tenets as a list. You must write a paragraph
of at least four sentences.
4.2. The second sub-question of Question 4 asks you to consider how you would
use the principles of Cognitive Theory to engage learners in the story, ‘Jerry’s
Box’ and the potential lessons that could be learned from it. First, it is important
to understand how the principles of Cognitive Theory may be applied to
creatively and critically engage learners. You should express these activities in
a paragraph, but approach it in a way that describes a lesson you would plan,
Get creative, and remember to also consider the different learning styles for the
activities you describe.

QUESTION 5

5.1. The last question of this assignment is a reflective question, and so you should
focus on your own teaching practice. Make sure that you have read Chapter 10
of the textbook, Introducing Children’s Literature: A Guide to the South African
Classroom (2017) by Evans, et al. Again, we are not looking for you to simply
restate what the textbook says. Rather, we are looking for 5 sentences (each
sentence sharing a specific insight) that show how you have understood and
intend to integrate specific dispositions in your own teaching practice.

If you struggle with this assignment or if there is anything that you do not understand,
please contact the ENG1516 teaching team. You can find email addresses for the team
members on the myUnisa page for this module.

Wishing you all the best in completing this assignment.