Afrikaans – First Additional Language

As South Africa is a multi-lingual country the government has made it one of its priorities to ensure that South Africans will be able to communicate effectively in at least two of the country’s 11 languages. Here at Fatima, the two languages offered to learners are English at PRIMARY HOME LANGUAGE level and Afrikaans at FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE level.

As the name implies the additional language is not a second language but an additional language almost on a par with the home language. Thus the requirements to be successful are relatively high! Yet Afrikaans remains a straightforward and easy language to learn.

But it is essential that learners approach Afrikaans with a positive and willing attitude. Support and encouragement from parents will also help to break down any barriers to learning Afrikaans.

The teachers devote themselves to teach, encourage and help the girls in their classes and it is not only necessary for the learners to carry out all given tasks but also to read more widely and to familiarise themselves with spoken Afrikaans by making time to watch the many Afrikaans programmes offered by KYKNET, MNET and SABC 2.

Following these few steps and having a co-operative and enthusiastic attitude will ensure that all learners can achieve in this subject.

Lastly, next time you walk past the grade 11R classroom, stop and read the story on the door – it will certainly convince you that being able to use more than one language is always an advantage!