Teaching English as a First Additional Language in the Foundation Phase: Practical Guidelines provides the essential foundations for teaching English as a First Additional Language. In Grade 4, the majority of learners make the transition from their home language to English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT). To assist learners in this transition, it is important that teachers introduce English into the classroom from as early as Grade R. The earlier learners are exposed to English, the more proficient they will become. This book focuses on laying the strong foundation that is needed to assist learners in using English as the LoLT from Grade 4 onwards.


Key Features

• strategies for introducing English into the classroom

• techniques for teaching English alongside learners’ home language

• useful tips and helpful hints

• teaching resources for classroom use and

• ideas for planning lessons

The teaching of all the essential language skills are covered. The book combines both theoretical perspectives and practical guidelines and contains many illustrations for teachers to use in their own lessons.

Chapter 1: Setting the scene for teaching English as a First Additional Language
•    Learning of the FAL
•    English literacy, emergent literacy and early literacy
•    The purpose of learning an FAL
•    The influence of school policies on English teaching
•    Approaches and methods of teaching English
•    How to introduce listening and speaking in the FAL
•    How to teach reading and writing
•    The role of teachers in promoting the FAL
•    The role of the HL in the acquisition of the FAL
Chapter 2: Theories and methods of teaching English as a First Additional Language
•    Motivation and language learning
•    English as an international language
•    Additional language learning theories and approaches
•    Grammatical aspects of English
•    Vocabulary
•    Pronunciation
•    Learning and teaching styles
•    TEFAL approaches, techniques and methods
•    Learning materials
Chapter 3: Teaching listening in English as a First Additional Language
•    Section I: The development of listening
•    Factors that could influence the acquisition of listening skills
•    Facilitating listening in the FAL
•    Section II: Strategies for promoting the development of listening in the
•    FAL
•    Listening attentively
•    The TPR method
•    Building phonological awareness
•    Videos and DVDs
•    Listening to stories
•    Music activities
•    Games
Chapter 4: Teaching speaking skills in English as a First Additional Language
•    Section I: The development of speech
•    Classroom factors influencing the acquisition of speech in English
•    Personal factors influencing the acquisition of speech in English
•    The influence of the HL on the acquisition of the FAL
•    Formal instruction of the FAL
•    Section II: Strategies for promoting the development of speaking in the
•    FAL
•    Background
•    The TPR approach
•    The communicative approach
•    A language-rich Grade R class
•    A language-rich Foundation Phase class
•    English vocabulary
•    The teacher’s role
•    Promoting communication
•    Teaching techniques
•    A lesson plan to teach vocabulary related to a train
Chapter 5: Teaching reading in English as a First Additional Language
•    What is reading?
•    The reading process
•    Reading models that can inform practice
•    Challenges of reading in an FAL
•    The CAPS approach to reading in the FAL
Chapter 6: Strategies for teaching reading in English as a First Additional Language
•    How literacy-friendly is your classroom?
•    Sight words
•    Flashcards
•    Phonics
•    Practical activities for teaching reading in the FAL
•    The language experience approach
•    The guided reading approach
Chapter 7: Teaching writing, spelling and language structures in English as a First Additional Language
•    Methods and approaches of teaching writing
•    Teaching language structures
•    Teaching spelling
Chapter 8: Strategies for teaching writing, spelling and language structures in English as a First Additional Language
•    Strategies to teach writing
•    Spelling
•    Punctuation
•    Grammar and language structures
•    Examples of assessment tasks
•    Bridging the gap to Grade 4

Teaching English as a First Additional Language in the Foundation Phase: Practical Guidelines is an essential resource for practising Foundation Phase (Grade R to 3) teachers as well as student teachers in pre-service training.