Die Nasionale Lees Barometer – Suid-Afrika het in 2023 gevind dat daar slegs 37% volwassenes is wat ʼn fiksionele of nie-fiksionele boek besit, en 30% wat minstens een kinder- of jeugboek besit. Saam met hierdie statistieke was dit ook bekend gemaak dat daar meer as 25% individue is wat geen boeke besit, of saam met hul kinders lees nie. Daarom is dit so belangrik dat jy, as onderwyser, seker maak dat daar ʼn gesonde leeskultuur in jou klaskamer geskep word, Dit behoort dan te verseker dat alle leerders minstens ʼn kans kry om blootstelling aan leesmateriaal te kry.
The National Reading Barometer – South Africa, has identified in 2023 that only 37% of adults own a fictional or non-fictional book, and 30% own at least one children’s or youth literature book. Within these statistics, it was also found that more than 25% of adults do not own a book, or read with or to their children. Therefore, it is so important that you, as a teacher, implement a healthy reading culture in your classroom, ensuring that all your learners have a chance to interact with reading materials.
Maar, wat is goeie literatuur of leesstof? Hoe kan jy as onderwyser die regte materiaal vir jou leerders identifiseer?
But what is good literature or reading materials? How can you, as a teacher, choose the right materials your learners can identify with?
Voordat ons hierdie vrae kan vasvat, moet ons eers die volgende vraag beantwoord:
Before we tackle these questions, we first have to answer the following question:
Wat is die verskil tussen leesstof en literatuur?
What is the difference between reading materials and literature?
Letterkunde of literatuur is geskrewe taalkunswerke wat op grond van gemeenskaplike taal of verwantskap, kultuur, periode, styl, lewensbeskouing of ander faktore met mekaar saamhang. Die estetiese waarde van letterkunde lê in die skoonheid van taalgebruik en/of die gevoel wat dit by die leser aanwakker. Literatuur word onderskei van lektuur of leesstof, wat alle geskrewe werk insluit, deur die estetiese universele waarde wat dit besit. Literatuur kan algemeen opgedeel word in twee hoof genres, prosa en poësie en twee vorme, fiksie en nie-fiksie. Nie-fiksie as kategorie sluit onder andere polemiese werke, biografieë en nadenkende essays in. Literatuur in poësie benadruk die estetiese en ritmiese kwaliteite van taal – soos klank, simboliek, en metrum – terwyl literatuur in prosa-formaat gewone grammatikale strukture en die natuurlike vloei van spraak gebruik. Ander voorbeelde van genre sluit onder meer die ridderroman, raaiselroman, misdaadfiksie, fantasie, en avontuurroman in.
Literature is a written-language-artwork, based on communal language of relationship, culture, period, style, outlook on life, or other factors of coherence. The aesthetic value of literature is in the beauty of the language use, and/or the feelings it awakens in the reader. Literature is distinguished from reading materials – which includes all written work – by the universal aesthetic value it brings. Literature can be divided into two main genres, prose and poetry, as well as two forms, fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction as a category include polemical works, bibliographies, and thoughtful essays. Literature in poetry emphasise the aesthetic and rhythmic quality of language – such as sound, symbolism, and metri – while literature in prose-format merely use grammatical structures and the natural flow of speech to convey meaning. Other examples of genres include the hero romance, mystery romance, crime fiction, fantasy, and adventure literature.
Leesstof of literatuur waarmee leerders aanklank kan vind.
Reading materials or literature your learners can identify with.
“Expeliarmus!” het Harry geskree om Voldemort finaal te onttroon. Met hierdie woorde het miljoene lesers vervulling gekry toe goedheid oor euwel getriomfeer het. Ons kan onsself die vraag afvra waarom hierdie storie so fassinerend is. Is dit die storie sélf wat boeiend is of is dit dalk ‘n onderwyser wat die voorlesing daarvan interessant maak? Dit is nie so moeilik om leerders se belangstelling in literatuur te bepaal nie, maar dit is aansienlik moeiliker om literatuur te identifiseer waarmee leerders aanklank kan vind omdat hulle belangstelling so uiteenlopend is. Die doel is tog om leerders aan die lees te kry en om hulle aan die lees te hou.
“Expeliarmus!” Harry shouted to finally dethrone Voldemort. With these words millions of readers found fulfilment when good triumphed over evil. We can ask ourselves why this story is so fascinating. Is it the story in itself that is so enthralling or is it perhaps a teacher that makes the reading of the story interesting? It isn’t that difficult to determine learners’ level of interest in literature, however, it is much more difficult to identify literature that learners show an interest in or can relate to. The main purpose is to get learners to read and to keep them reading.
Uit ondervinding kan ek aan ‘n paar faktore dink wat my gelei het om leesstof te kies waarvan almal gehou het:
Out of experience, I can think of a few factors that assisted me when choosing reading materials everyone would enjoy:
1. Die leesstof moet geskik wees vir die doel waarvoor dit aangewend gaan word (letterkunde, prosa, poësie, begripstoets, soeklees).
The reading materials should be appropriate for the use it was intended for (literature, prose, poetry, comprehension tests, skimming and scanning).
2. Vermy oninteressante of oorbekende tema’s.
Avoid uninteresting or over-popular themes.
3. Dit wat gelees word, moet leerders aan die dínk sit.
What is being read should get the learners thinking.
4. Leerders moet deur middel van dit wat hulle lees, kan agterkom hoe ander mense voel en dink (karakters se waarde, probleme, standpunte, ensovoorts).
Learners should be able to notice through the materials they read, how other people feel and think (characters’ morals, problems, standpoint etc).
5. Dit moet leerders motiveer om verder te lees.
It should motivate learners to continue reading.
6. Leerders se intelligensie moet uitgedaag word sonder om onredelike eise te stel.
Learners’ intelligence should be tested, without setting unreasonable requirements.
7. Daar moet nuwe leksikale items in die teks voorkom.
New lexical items should be found in the text.
8. Wissel die genres af (humor, lewenslesse, dramatiese tekste, hartseer, speurverhale, ensovoorts).Often switch the genres around (humour, life lessons, drama texts, sad, mystery novels etc).
Volgens die lys blyk dit dan dat die verantwoordelikheid juis by die taalonderwyser lê om seker te maak dat leerders tot ‘n mate aanklank met die literatuur in sy/haar klas kan vind.
According to this list, it is clear that the responsibility lays with the language teacher, to ensure that all learners can relate to the literature or reading materials in their class.
Die ideale literêre-style vir jou klaskamer.
The ideal literary style for your classroom.
Stel jou voor, jy probeer aan jou Graad 4-leerders die betekenis van ‘Rough winds do shake the darling bud of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.’ (Shakespeare, 1609) te verduidelik, terwyl hulle skaars vyf-letter woorde korrek kan spel, en die gebruik van metafore verstaan. Daar is niks daarmee fout om ʼn wel-bekende boek, soos Harry Potter, wat genotvol vir alle ouderdomme is, te kies nie. Maar jy moet ʼn bewuste besluit maak om boeke wat ryk is aan beeldspraak, metafore en temas, vir jou klaskamer te kies.
Imagine trying to teach a Grade 4 class the meaning of “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.” (Shakespeare, 1609), when they can hardly spell five-letter words or understand the use of metaphors. There is nothing wrong with choosing a well-known book like “Harry Potter”, which is enjoyable for all ages, but you should try to introduce literary-rich books or poems for your classroom, books with imagery, metaphors or themes.
Wanner jy literatuur vir jou klaskamer kies, moet jy die literêre-styl of struktuur in ag neem. Dit is baie belangrik om die literêre-styl geskik vir die leerders voor jou, te hou. Oorweeg die volgende aspekte wanneer jy die regte literêre-styl vir jou klaskamer kies:
When choosing literature for your classroom you need to consider the literary style or structure. It is very important to keep the literary style suitable for the learner group in front of you. Consider the following when trying to choose the correct literary style for your classroom:
Lengte van jou teks: Die Departement van Basiese Onderwys (DBO) voorsien ʼn voorgestelde lengte van ʼn ideale teks vir elke leerder groep. Nietemin, gebruik hierdie voorstelling slegs vir opdragte en stel korter tekste vir informele klasaktiwiteite voor.
Length of texts: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) provides a suggested length of texts for each learner group. However only use the length suggestion for assessments and introduce shorter texts for informal class activities.
Inhoud van die teks: Maak seker dat die inhoud van die teks wel geskik is vir die ouderdomsgroep teenwoordig, en dat die tema relevant is. Kies ʼn literêre-stuk wat ʼn verwante tema bevat, en vir die regte ouderdomsgroep geskryf is.
Content and theme: Ensure that the content is suitable for the age group present and that the theme is relevant. Choose a literary piece with a relatable theme and written for the right age group.
Morele waardes en karakters: Oorweeg ʼn boek of gedig wat op moderne probleme fokus, waarmee die leerders kan verband hou. ʼn Goeie literêre stuk stel leerders bekend aan analogie waarmee hulle kan resoneer. Dit is ook belangrik dat jy karakters kies wat dieselfde ouderdom as die leerders is, hulle sal verband hou met die verhaal en hul tyd om meer te leer daarin belê.
Moral and characters: Consider a book or poem that deals with modern problems which the learners can relate to. A good literary piece introduces learners to analogy from which they can resonate with. It is important to choose characters with a similar age to those of your learners, they will relate to the story and invest their time to learn more.
Ontwikkel sommer jou eie literatuur!
Create your very own literature!
As jy as onderwyser steeds ontevrede is met wat op die rakke beskikbaar is, kan jy ʼn stap neem en jou eie literatuur ontwikkel. Bestudeer jou KABV om vas te stel wat jou leerders moet bemeester deur literatuur, en begin om so jou eie literatuur te skep. Onthou om altyd jou literatuur vir iemand te gee om te proeflees voordat jy dit aan jou leerders gee om te lees.
Indien jy graag wil weet hoe om jou eie literatuur te ontwikkel (in die taal van jou keuse),
skakel gerus in by ons skryfkompetisie wat afskop in Januarie 2025, dit is gratis met stappe om jou eie literatuur te skep. Wie weet, dalk kan jy nog ʼn prys wen vir jou indrukwekkende literatuur! Stuur gerus ʼn e-pos na sants.wc@gmail.com vir meer inligting.
If you, as a teacher, are still not satisfied with the literature that is readily available, you can take the step to create your very own literature. Study your CAPS to make sure you understand what your learners should accomplish through literature, and start to create your own. Remember to always get someone to proofread your literature before you give it to your learners to read.
If you are interested to know how you can create your very own literature (in the language of your choice), join the writing competition that kicks off in January 2025. It is completely free of charge, filled with information on how to create your own literature. Who knows, perhaps you can win a prize with your impressive new literature! Feel free to send an email to sants.wc@gmail.com for more information.
Bronne / References:
Barometer, N. R. (2023). National Reading Barometer Special Issue Brief: Reading and Children. South Africa: Creative Commons: Attribution Share Alike 4.0. [https://www.readingbarometersa.org/survey]
Rowling, J.K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Scholastic.
Shakespeare, W. (1609). Sonnet 18: Shall I campare thee to a summer’s day. Retrieved from My poetic side: https://mypoeticside.com/show-classic-poem-26931
Authors:
Kobus Minnie; Monique Barberis, & Jean-Marie Koch
