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English online 2022
Newsletter 14/2021
Dear Learners and Parents
Dawn High has always advocated an integrated approach to problem-solving. This applies not only to
quantitative subjects, but also to the social and other sciences, and particularly so to the languages. English
is the lingua franca in our country, and we cannot get away from the central fact that EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
Following the reasoning above as their starting point, and factoring in the ongoing challenges that the
pandemic keeps throwing at us, the English Department has
sat down and thought hard – and produced what we believe
to be a viable and long-term solution, not only for this De-
partment, but for others as well. Accordingly, we have put
together a graded set of online courses designed to raise the
standard of English, both within the school and within the
broader community of which the school is a part. The fronti-
ers are even wider than this, for the simple reason that these
courses are all designed for online participation only. De-
pending on the demand and the popularity of the courses,
we may have to revisit the registration criteria, or simply re-
strict the numbers.
A General Perspective
Most people think of online teaching as simply transferring what happens in a conventional classroom or
lecture hall to an online or internet environment. While this may be a fact in the simplest sense, there are
many subtle underlying differences in terms of how this is actually achieved. Over the passage of time, and
through an inevitable process of trial and error, course presenters have honed their skills and best prac-
tices, and produced some really innovative ways to make the best use of an online teaching environment
Monday, 02 June 2025 for their learners.
Online teaching forums have grown exponentially over the last year. Many of
these platforms, however, have had to be put together rapidly to enable edu-
cators and their students to be able to respond dynamically to the crisis at
hand. This can be likened to designing an airplane whilst learning to fly it at
the same time. The time has come to design courses and assessments that
lend themselves more easily to an online and more fluid set
of circumstances, and yet that will con-
tinue to provide a creditable and
world-class education.
The Advantages
As alluded to above, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a driving force in expediting research into online edu-
cation as a whole – one positive result in an otherwise unhappy saga of events. This has not only confirmed
what we already knew, but has also provided factual insights into previously untested assumptions, and
made possible benefits that were previously only dreamed about. In addition to the general advantages of
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online learning, we have taken great effort to develop courses that will maximise the ease of use, degree of
enjoyment and sense of achievement of every course-goer.
Key Benefits
Easier access to learning and teaching material
(anywhere you have an internet connection)
Access to first class instructors
Being able to work at your own pace
Better mastery of concepts through repetition
Learning better time management skills
Meeting Guidelines
Here we offer some specific tips and guidelines in terms of participating in online learning. These are applic-
able irrespective of your favourite video conferencing platform, e.g., Zoom or MS-Teams. It remains a fact
of central importance that good netiquette is paramount.
Venue
Set aside a room or venue where you will not be disturbed or have people passing through. Check that
there is not too much background noise such as barking dogs or traffic. Check that the lighting is good for
both yourself and others when using your webcam.And don’t forget to protect your privacy – always check
what your webcam can ‘see’!
Hardware
Each participant must have a webcam, a microphone and speakers linked to their computer. Never assume
that the technology is always going to work. Try to logon to meetings a few minutes earlier than planned,
to test your microphone/sound/volume levels. Do not rely on factory settings. It is accepted that one’s own
microphone should be muted in online meetings (unless of course it is being used). It is always nice to be
able 'see' each another – especially on a nice big screen, say 25 or larger – but if your connection is poor,
try to improve the voice component by switching off the video feed.
Communicating in the meeting
For getting attention, check on what rules the facilitator or instructor adopts
for the meeting. This will generally be communicated in advance. Most plat-
forms provide an option for seeking attention – e.g., the ‘hand-up’ gesture.
Most platforms also provide a ‘feedback’ or ‘chat’ option where you can post
questions or comments. To prevent embarrassment (and waste of time), al-
ways check whether your question has not perhaps already been asked and
answered. In other words, ‘think before you speak’. And don’t flood the feed-
back channel with unnecessary comments and emojis – this is NOT good
netiquette!
Other
As a general rule, conduct yourself in the generally accepted ways of 'offline' meetings. Make sure you have
everything you need prior to the session. It is in fact acceptable to have some water or other drink at hand,
but don't just wonder off to get it. Keep focussed – do not try to multitask by answering private messages
or otherwise fiddling with your phone. There is nothing worse than trying to hold a decent conversation
with another person, when either party is not fully focused.
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Learners and Teachers
For whom have our set of courses been designed, and who will be presenting them? Our first impulse was
to construct the courses for the benefit of our
learners only; but it soon became apparent that an
online approach would serve to broaden the horizon,
so to speak. So why not extend our audience to the
wider community? And this is precisely what we have
done. The topics themselves are sufficiently broad-
ranging, in terms of depth and interest, and the de-
mand for quality instruction is high – across all sec-
tors of the community.
Our growing team of instructors, drawn from the English Departments of Dawn High and of other high
schools and colleges in the district, are of the highest calibre. They come to the table fired with enthusiasm
to give of their wisdom and experience. They are well qualified too, holding qualifications from universities
across the country.
We have also partnered with WebLearnSA, a publishing company that specialises in providing online course
material, in both hardcopy and electronic format.
Course Topics
We have identified several main topics under which to present our courses. These were chosen in response
to a survey, in which we tried to factor in people’s greatest interests and needs. There is literally ‘something
for everyone’, whether the objective is to be able to string together a half-way intelligible sequence of sen-
tences, or to present a cogent argument complete with premises and conclusion, or something in between
– to be able to while away a lazy afternoon in the company of your favourite novelist.
Grammar
It all begins with WORDS. We begin with single words and how they join together in various combinations.
The different parts of speech are treated in detail: nouns (concrete, abstract, collective, etc.), verbs (tenses,
concords, auxiliaries, etc.), adjectives, adverbs, etc. We then move on to prepositional phrases and sen-
tence structure. The progression is from the simple to the complex, and different course modules are de-
signed with this in mind. We end with the various electronic editing and reviewing tools that are available
in most word processors – Spell Checker, Thesaurus, Track Changes, Comments, etc.
Idioms
Idioms are what makes a language such fun to learn and use (and English is no exception). They arise out of
embedded situations and from the age-old experiences and observations of people, differing very markedly
from language to language – even from region to region within the same language. It is a fact that many
idioms centre around animals: ‘The elephant in the room’, ‘Get your ducks in a row’, ‘The tail wagging the
dog’, ‘Bull in a China shop’ and ‘By the skin of your teeth’ are all highly descriptive and engagingly suggest-
ive, but NOT to be taken literally! Idioms make us think (and process) things differently.
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“Every language has its own collection of wise sayings.
They ... transmit some underlying ideas, principles and
values of a given culture / society.”
DR HEIKO POSSEL
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Pronunciation
This is an important language topic in a country as culturally diverse as South Africa, with its eleven official
languages and heterogenous population. Granted, we no longer bow to colonial mannerisms or strive after
‘King’s English’, but there is a generally accepted standard pronunciation which beginners, and those whose
home language is not English, should try to master. Taken to the one extreme, we could otherwise see the
emergence of one or more varieties of pidgin English, where pronunciation of even the commonest words
can take on bizarre proportions.
Fortunately, online tuition methods allow for the incorporation of audio tran-
There are over
scripts and exemplars, and the ubiquitous use of microphones ensures a plen-
250,000 audiobook
tiful stock of material for guidance and imitation. The number of globally ac-
titles available from
cessible podcasts runs into the many millions. Instructors make judicious use
Audible alone.
of the very best of these to ensure an acceptable (and higher) level of stand-
ardisation.
Speedreading
Speedreading is just what it says – reading (much) more quickly than usual, without loss of comprehension,
in order to extract the gist from a lengthy and potentially complex text. This is a skill that can be learned,
just like any other, but it does require lots of practise and a GOOD understanding of the basics of the lan-
guage: this is why we recommend the speedreading course only to those who are very comfortable with
the basic constructs – grammar and idioms. University students and those whose interests demand a size-
able investment of their time in research, will benefit most from these courses. Speedreading a sonnet just
doesn’t make any sense.
Literature
Open
the
book
–
Open
the
door
What more to say, but that the door is open to all lovers of language (not only English). Course-goers in this
category will have mastered the basics, and will be ready to experience the flower of what the language has
to offer. At best we can but point the way, and offer suggestions for what will hopefully evolve into a life-
long immersion in the Greats. Poetry, prose, drama, novels .... magic casements, opening on the foam
of perilous seas in faery lands ....
Composition
The Composition courses are likewise designed for those who have progressed beyond the basics, and who
desire a more thorough grounding in the niceties of creating ‘something out of nothing’. These are the bud-
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ding novelists, poets, and writers of short stories. Business communication skills also fall under this head-
ing: workers in any but the most menial of occupations need to know how to compose a formal email or re-
port, and how to modulate the tone in order to produce the best impression. Right words count.
Working in MS-Teams
Here are some guidelines applicable to video conferencing, using the MS-Teams platform. Most of these
have their equivalents in the other platforms. Glance through these, to get a general idea of what video
conferencing seeks to accomplish: you will see that, so far from being designed to frustrate and to baffle,
their purpose is to help you get the most from this wonderful new way of learning.
Use the 'do not dis- Use the @mention Each Team has an Teams allows one
TIPS
turb' status when feature to send to email address for to use the Immers-
in a meeting or les- specific people. posting messages ive Reader feature.
son. to.
Course Bookings
Courses can be booked online, by visiting the school’s website: navigate to Extramural Academic Eng-
lish Online 2022. Please note that, owing to teacher workloads and other factors beyond our control, there
is a limit to the number of applications that may be accepted for each course (although members of Dawn
High will always receive preference).
Course TypeDescription
PR Pronunciation
CM Composition
ID Idioms
ST Style
GR Grammar
LT Literature
CTRL+CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE TOP OF THE DOCUMENT
Mr D. Loxton
Principal: Dawn High
Onward and Upward
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Appendix: Teacher Details
Surname Province Topic Can_Travel
Abrahams, J EC Grammar
Aspeling, S NC Pronunciation Yes
Bokaba, SS EC Idioms
Boot, SE GT Pronunciation
Booysen, GD LP Literature
Botes, EM NW Literature
Broomberg, G FS Composition
de Swardt, J LP Literature
Figueiredo, M NC Grammar
Flaxman, G WC Composition Yes
Francisco, KL FS Composition
Gowa, KL FS Style
Jonker, M WC Composition
Katuruza, A WC Literature Yes
Khoza, KK FS Grammar
Kraukamp, PB EC Idioms
Lehari, C GT Composition Yes
Lombard, DB LP Grammar
Lourens, ML NC Grammar
Mangwiro,
EC Style
KM
Mbatha, ML EC Style
Mc Killop, M FS Grammar
Motloung, L MP Pronunciation
Nel, JD NL Idioms
Nemalima, BE NL Literature
Ngoma, S NW Literature
Nortje, JS GT Style Yes
Nyoka, KM NL Composition
Odendaal, SV NC Idioms
Palmer, G NC Pronunciation
Prokopos, L NC Idioms Yes
Sadick, T WC Idioms Yes
Shakoane, R GT Style
Snyman, BP LP Grammar Yes
Souchon, JA FS Grammar Yes
Varrie, AL NW Style Yes
Walker, MR GT Style
Williams, BP GT Style Yes
Woolls, MZ NL Style
Zubairu, LM EC Grammar Yes
