Towards a Methodological Model for the Teaching of Northern Sotho Poetry at Colleges of Education
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TOWARDS A METHODOLOGICAL MODEL FOR THE TEACHING OF NORTHERN SOTHO POETRY AT COLLEGES OF EDUCATION by ISAAC SELLO MASOLA THESIS submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR EDUCATIONIS in SUBJECT DIDACTICS in the FACULTY OF EDUCATION at the RAND AFRIKAANS UNIVERSITY PROMOTER: PROF C S JOHL CO-PROMOTER: DR J H M KOCK January 1996 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to all persons and institutions who contributed directly and indirectly to the success of this challenging research study. In particular I wish to express my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the following: I wish to thank my promoter, Prof C S Johl for her patient guidance and encouragement in a limited period and for meticulously programming and planning the whole study project. Dr J H M Kock, joint promoter, for his wide academic background and extensive experience in the teaching of Northern Sotho. Mr A L de Bruyn, for his understanding observations, invaluable criticism and editorial guidance in contributing to the completion of the thesis. Wendy Taylor who typed the work willingly, patiently, speedily and neatly even at awkward times. My colleagues in the Subject Advisory Services: Languages, I wish to express my indebtedness for readily supplying me with material which enabled me to bring this work to fruition. The financial assistance of the Commission for Administration towards the costs of this research and the granting of study leave, is hereby acknowledged. However, opinions expressed here and conclusions drawn are those of the author and not ii necessarily those of the Commission for Administration. The courtesy and assistance received from the staff of the following libraries: University of South Africa Transvaal Education Department Rand Afrikaans University Department of Education and Training. My wife Margaret Sibongile who found herself to •be married to a student for most of our lives, and her continued love and support amidst many sacrifices to make the most favourable atmosphere possible throughout the long period of hard work, not forgetting my children: Kgopotso, Shirley, Thabo and my grand-daughter Bongi. Above all, I must thank my Heavenly Father for having granted me the strength and health to complete this enormous task, I conclude by quoting from Psalm, 23:1 The LORD is my Shepherd, .I shall not want. DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my grandmother JOHANNAH SEROTO MASOLA who encouraged me from the early school going period, "0 e hlabane Mahlako, Dikganyogo tga gago di phethagetge." iv SUMMARY The aim of the research study is to design a methodological model for teaching Northern Sotho poetry at Colleges of Education so that teaching poetry will retain a spirit of delightfulness and cultivate a sensitivity of appreciation in pupils. They should grow as persons and learn to expand their imaginations so as to experience aesthetic pleasure. The various components of the syllabus for the Secondary • Teachers' Diploma were investigated to determine whether they are relevant to secondary schools for which prospective teachers are being prepared. The opinions of lecturers, teachers and other educationists who are, or were involved in the teaching of Northern Sotho were considered and relevant study sources were used as a basis for the research study. A detailed comparative teaching and learning model for the study of Northern Sotho poetry was developed and a recommended model was designed which does not isolate Northern Sotho poetry teaching from that of classical languages, but identifies Northern Sotho poetry as having its own unique characteristics which, to a certain extent, provide its uniqueness. When analysing and determining the various types of Northern Sotho poetry and their characteristics, the difference between Western poetry and Northern Sotho poetry can be distinguished clearly. The historical development of Northern Sotho poetry, showing the various trends and thematic periods, was traced from as far back as 1935. The thesis provides a background of the types and characteristics of classical poetry and determines a model for the implementation of the teaching of Northern Sotho poetry, seeing that the absence of well-formulated aims and V objectives is one of the weaknesses in the current Secondary Teachers' Diploma syllabus. Various pedagogical-didactical approaches are highlighted with emphasis on the communicative approach as a recommended child- centred approach. A model for teaching and evaluating Northern Sotho poetry has been formulated and its practical implementation is recommended. The research study culminates in practical pedagogic-didactical proposed measures which will enhance and improve the quality of teaching and evaluating Northern Sotho poetry. A selection of Northern Sotho poems, available for the various classes, was chosen and analysed in detail. The constitution and function of a Selection Committee and a Reviewing Book Committee was recommended with suggestions for membership. Outstanding poets and their contributions to Northern Sotho, which represent traditional as well as modern poetry, were selected as examples of the various methods used in preparing lesson/s on various poems. The thesis provides detailed information for prospective teachers in Northern Sotho poetry, which should be included in their syllabus, namely aims and objectives, content, teaching and learning methodology, testing and evaluation and also a model for evaluating literature and poetry in general. I sincerely hope that the study will be an incentive to developing a spirit of delight in Northern Sotho poetry as well as provoke critical response from lecturers, teachers and pupils alike, so that the teaching and learning of poetry will become the joy it deserves to be. v i SAMEVATTING Die doel van die navorsingsstudie is om 'n metodologiese model vir die onderrig van Noord-Sotho poesie by Onderwyskolleges daar te stel sodat die onderrig en leer van poesie aangenaam sal wees en by leerlinge 'n waardering vir poesie sal ontwikkel. Hulle moet as persone kan groei en leer om hul verbeelding vrye teuels te gee om sodoende estetiese genot te kan ervaar. Die verskillende komponente van die sillabus vir die Sekondere Onderwys Diploma is deeglik ondersoek om te bepaal of dit in ooreenstemming is met die van die sekondere skole waarvoor voornemende onderwysers opgelei word. Die menings van dosente, onderwysers en ander opvoedkundiges wat betrokke is of was by die onderrig van Noord-Sotho, is ingewin en verwante studiebronne is as basis vir die navorsingsstudie gebruik. 'n Breedvoerige vergelykende onderrig- en leermodel vir die studie van Noord-Sotho poesie is ontwikkel en 'n aanbevole model is ontwerp wat die onderrig van Noord-Sotho poesie nie sal isoleer van die onderrig van poesie van klassieke tale nie, maar dit identifiseer as poesie met eie unieke kenmerke. Wanneer die verskillende soorte poesie in Noord-Sotho ontleed word, kan die verskil tussen Westerse en Noord Sotho poesie duidelik onderskei word. Die historiese ontwikkeling van poesie in Noord-Sotho, waarvolgens die verskillende tematiese periodes bepaal word, word tot 1935 teruggevoer. Die tesis voorsien 'n agtergrond vir die verskillende soorte en kenmerke van klassieke poesie en skep 'n model vir die implementering van die onderrig van Noord-Sotho poesie aan die hand van deeglik geformuleerde doelwitte en mikpunte. 'n Gebrek aan laasgenoemde kan beskou vii word as een van die swakhede in die huidige sillabus vir die Sekondgre Onderwys Diploma. Verskillende pedagogies-didaktiese benaderings word bespreek met klem op die kommunikatiewe benadering as aanbevole kind-. gesentreerde benadering. 'n Model vir die onderrig en evaluering van Noord-Sotho poesie is geformuleer en die praktiese implementering daarvan word aanbeveel. Die navorsingstudie se belangrikste bydrae is die praktiese pedagogies-didaktiese metodes wat voorgestel word en wat die gehalte van onderrig en evaluering van Noord-Sotho poesie sal bevorder en verbeter. 'n Versameling Noord-Sotho gedigte wat vir die verskillende klasse beskikbaar is, is deeglik ontleed. Die samestelling en funksies van 'n Keuringskomitee en 'n Boekhersienings- komitee word aanbeveel en voorstelle vir lidmaatskap daarvan word voorgele. Uitsonderlike Noord-Sotho digters 'en hul bydraes, wat tradisionele sowel as moderne pogsie verteenwoordig, is geselekteer en in hierdie tesis gebruik as voorbeelde ter illustrasie van die verskillende metodes wat gebruik kan word in die voorbereiding van lesse oor verskillende gedigte. Die tesis verskaf uitvoerige inligting vir voornemende onderwysers in Noord-Sotho poesie, wat in hul sillabus opgeneem behoort to word,. soos doelwitte en mikpunte, inhoud, onderrig- en leermetodiek, toets- en evalueringsmetodes asook 'n model vir die evaluering van letterkunde en poesie in die algemeen. Ek hoop van harte dat die studie daartoe sal hydra dat studente genot sal put uit die bestudering van Noord-Sotho viii poesie en dat dit 'n kritiese reaksie by dosente, onderwysers en leerlinge teweeg sal bring sodat die onderrig en leer van poesie vreugdevol sal wees. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH GOALS 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.2 DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM • 4 1.3 DEMARCATION OF THE FIELD OF STUDY 5 1.4 RESEARCH GOALS 6 1.5 LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT 7 1.5.1 The problems regarding the choice of prescribed texts 7 1.5.2 The problems regarding the methodology of teaching Northern Sotho poetry 11 1.6 EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE SYLLABUSES IN THE TEACHING