Question 1: PROSE

Read the following story and answer the question that follows it.

EAGLE’S QUEST

A long time ago when pigs could still fly and animals could speak with authority, Eagle, the queen of the skies, was the leader of all birds and the heavens. She flew higher in the sky than everyone and ruled ably over her people. During those times, a huge crisis came to be: there was no food due to drought, and the forests were catching fire because of human beings. Eagle knew she had to do something for her people in order for them to survive.

So, she called for her faithful warriors Owl and Falcon to help her. “Friends”, she said, “our land is destroyed, and our people are hungry. We need to find a new home with plenty of food.”

Owl responded, “I have heard of a place far away where the rivers are full of fish and the skies are clear to soar. But it’s a long and dangerous journey, my queen. We will have to fly over steep mountains, dark caves, and wide dry deserts.”

Falcon responded, “I will fly ahead to scope out the path, but we need to hurry because our people are dying. The journey will be difficult and we must prepare to face many challenges.”

And so, the three birds began the long journey. They flew over mountains and valleys unknown, through heavy storms and under the scorching hot sun. They met many dangers along the way, like fierce hawks and sharp rocks. But they worked together and used their skills to overcome them.

One day, they came to a wide desert. There was no food or water there, and the sun was very hot. Eagle said to her companions, “We need shelter to rest. Let us work together and combine our strengths to make one.” They nodded in agreement.

Owl used her wisdom to find a cave, and Falcon used his speed to gather sticks and leaves. Eagle used her strong wings to build a shelter. They rested and recovered, and later they continued their journey.

Finally, after many days of traveling, they reached the new land. It was as beautiful as Owl had said and had plenty of food for all the birds in Eagle’s kingdom. The three birds now knew what dangers to look out for on the path to the new land, so they were able to escort their people safely there. Eagle, Owl, and Falcon were declared heroes of the Eagle Kingdom.

1) In an essay of NO MORE THAN 1000 WORDS (about 3 pages), draw on everything you have learned about choosing an appropriate text for young learners in this module and tell us what makes this story suitable for Intermediate Phase FAL (first additional language) learners in a South African classroom today.

Aspects you should consider here are:

• age appropriateness in terms of style and themes,

• moral and ethical learning,

• the importance of the imagination, and

• promoting inclusivity.

The essay will be marked as follows:

• Content: 20 marks (make sure to cover all four aspects of the question)

• Language: 5 marks (read your work out loud to yourself to eliminate grammatical errors and make sure that sentences are structured properly)
• Structure: 5 marks (your essay should have an introduction; a body and a conclusion; paragraphs should be properly structured; and you need to include in-text references and a bibliography even if you only use the study guide)

Question 2: DRAMA

Use the same story above (Eagle’s Quest) to answer the following questions.

2.1) Write a paragraph in your own words telling us how you would create the setting for this story on a stage for your learners. Explain what kinds of props and backdrops you would use and how you would make them. You should include 6 clear and different points. (6 marks)

2.2) There are three characters in this story. Explain how you would go about creating costumes for each of them. You should include 4 clear and different points.(4 marks)

(Total for Question 2: 10 marks)

Question 3: POETRY

Read the poem and answer the questions that follow.

Two Little Eaglets by Jim Weller

Two little eaglets Way up in the tree. Two little eaglets, Looking down at me.

You sit there in your aerie
Staring at the sky,
And every time you flap your wings
My heart lets out a sigh.

Silly little eaglets
Hovering o’er the nest,
Don’t you know that you can fly? Your wings will stand the test.

Do you care that I’m waiting here
To see you soaring high?
I’m tethered to the earth below, But you, you own the sky!

I know that you are old enough, your wings are sure and strong. Dancing high across the sky is where Eagles belong.

“Why don’t you fly?” I ask out loud, “When will you learn to soar?
I know that you are ready. What are you waiting for?”

3) Poetry in motion means taking the poem OFF THE PAGE. Write a paragraph in which you explain three activities that you could use when teaching this poem to TAKE IT OFF THE PAGE.

The paragraph will be marked as follows:

• Content: 9 marks (3 marks per activity suggested)

• Language: 1 mark

Answers to Above Questions on English

Answer 1: The intermediate phase learner is one of the most important learner groups in South African education, and it typically includes children in the age between 10 to 13. The story of Eagle’s quest is quite effective from the point of view of learning opportunity to intermediate phase first additional language learners in a South African classroom. It is important that the text in the books should not only enhance the language skills of a student, but also become culturally appropriate especially for the FAL learners.