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 7/15/2009 8:39 PM
 
User is offline labuscagnec
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I do not think that everything should be scenario-driven, especially in gr 10. Learners should be gradually introduced to scenario-based questions. I normally set my gr 10 paper in sections:
Section A: Short questions as in the exemplar papers
Section B: 'Old type' straight questions (so that learners can pick up basic knowledge and skills as a foundation)
Section C: Scenario - short scenarion and some scenario-based questions to introduce them to 'operational knowledge', applying their knowledge and make connections to real life.

I follow the same pattern in gr 11 and in gr 12 then focus more on scenario-based questions.

This seemed to have worked for me and my learners Big Smile

Afrikaans terminology: When I use these, learners look at me as if I am speaking Russian Whisper
Should textbooks set an example even if learners are not familiar with these?
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 7/18/2009 6:21 PM
 
User is offline labuscagnec
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vdWF, I like your approach Yes
If this works for you and your learners, wonderful!
Teachers should work out their own strategies.
The format of the Grade 12 papers is for Grade 12 and though we may like to use that as a guideline for the other grades, it is not compulsory and it is important that every teacher does what is best for his/her learners. The Grade 12 papers could be used to guide us towards the standard and format of questions and papers. Remember that this is a "3-year course".


The Afrikaans terminology is a huge issue (and will always be I fear). On one hand there are many Afrikaans schools who teach in Afrikaans and use all the terminology 'as is' in English while other teachers teach the 'correct' terminology in Afrikaans. This causes problems in exams so every attempt is (and should be) made to give the terms in both languages. Another problem, as mentioned, is the lack of a standard for all terminology. Some words become acceptable after a period of time - 'spam' seems one of these words.

 
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 7/20/2009 7:11 PM
 
User is offline labuscagnec
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I agree with vdWF. I wanted to do something similar but was afraid that my subject advisor would not approve of it. I thought that we had to follow the format of the grade 12 papers all the time. It is so good to learn that it is flexible.
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 8/13/2009 12:22 PM
 
User is offline labuscagnec
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You are quite correct - the format is flexible.
Your subject advisor will check if your paper is of an acceptable standard, i.e they will check that there is a spread of content and cognitive levels. For CAT the ratio is a 30%-40%-30% target. In other words there should be 30% of the paper aimed at the factual knowledge type of questions, 30% at higher order skills and 40% in between so to speak. So every paper should have enough for a learner to pass.

It is interesting to note, however, that learners can sometimes score marks on higher-order questions where they have to give a judgment or evaluation of a situation whereas they often struggle with 'factual recall' questions, where you kind of know the answer or you don't.
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 8/13/2009 12:26 PM
 
User is offline labuscagnec
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Mike Chiles wrote:

The setting of the national CAT and IT examinations is fraught with many challenges, one of these is the issue of language (No not programming language but spoken/written language).  For example:
 
* is it website or web site?  Both are used in articles appearing on the Internet
 
* is it text box or textbox?  Some authors use "textbox" whilst Microsoft uses "text box"
 
* what is the Afrikaans for "firewall"? Is it "brandmuur" or "netskans"?  The former is a literal translation whilst the latter indicates what the concept is all about.
 
* we talk about RAM in English but is it LSG or ETG in Afrikaans?
 
* many new technologies make their appearance on a daily basis.  Take for example the term "podcasting" - there is currently no Afrikaans word.  One cannot translate the "pod" part of the word as this stems from the iPod. So we need to translate the casting part.  What about "podsending"?
 
* it was once indicated that there are also variations in Afrikaans translation between the northern and southern provinces (or is it the inland and coastal provinces?).
 
* some people say use the English word because this is what the teachers are teaching in any event.
 
Not only have the respective examining panels battled with translation and other language nuances but so have the Internal and External Moderators - one needs to ensure that there is consistency in the use of the terms across the country otherwise someone is going to believe that they are being disadvantaged.
 
In order to standardise our use of the language and in collaboration with the Language Practitioners at the national Department of Education we have decided that the following dictionary will be the reference for Afrikaans translation:
 
Kuberwoordeboek Afrikaans-Engels, Engels-Afrikaans / Cyber Dictionary Afrikaans-English, English-Afrikaans, H.C. Viljoen (Ed), in collaboration with N.F. du Plooy and S. Murray
 
The book is published by Protea in Pretoria and can be obtained from Kalahari.net (for around R200) as well as local bookshops.
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