The challenges of designing a common, standards-based curriculum for all South Africa’s languages

dc.creator	Sarah Murray
dc.date	2013-04-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:17:00Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:17:00Z
dc.identifier	10.5785/28-2-532
dc.identifier	0259-2312
dc.identifier	2224-0012
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/c45b8b49354d468aa043182a0f291fca
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/18805
dc.description	<p><em>This article examines the challenges of designing a common core curriculum for all South Africa’s eleven official languages to be taught as school subjects. It takes the position that curriculum design should be responsive to the character and status of specific languages, the purposes for which they are used and the time available in the curriculum to study them. Curriculum developers should also be knowledgeable about the historical antecedents of the language curriculum in question, and familiar with its associated pedagogy.</em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p><em>The paper begins by describing the status and role of the eleven official languages in the public arena and the education system. It then outlines the development of the different home language syllabuses and curriculum statements over the last forty years and looks at the impact of the introduction of a common outcomes based curriculum in 1997. </em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <em>A number of challenges are identified. Firstly, how to ensure that languages are taught and assessed at the same level of linguistic and intellectual challenge whilst acknowledging any differences that might exist. Secondly, how to ensure that specific curricula are authentic, reflecting each language’s role and features, and enabling students to learn languages for purposes of identity and heritage as well as intellectual development. Thirdly, the challenge of accommodating a Second Additional Language in the school curriculum is addressed. Finally, the article concludes by arguing for an iterative approach in which curriculum development is seen as a long term, ongoing process.</em>
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	Stellenbosch University
dc.relation	http://perlinguam.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/532
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/0259-2312
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/2224-0012
dc.source	Per Linguam : A Journal of Language Learning, Vol 28, Iss 2 (2013)
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	The challenges of designing a common, standards-based curriculum for all South Africa’s languages
dc.type	article