How to Pass ENG1514: Applied English Language (2025 Guide)

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How to Pass ENG1514: Applied English Language for Foundation Phase (2025 Guide)

Module: ENG1514 (Applied English Language for Foundation Phase First Additional Language)
Type: Year Module
Focus: Language Structures, The 4 Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing), and Academic Literacy

Introduction

If you are studying to become a Foundation Phase teacher, ENG1514 is your toolkit. You aren’t just learning English; you are learning how English works so you can teach it to little ones.

This module is dense. It covers everything from the sounds we make (Phonetics) to how we structure essays (Academic Writing).

The 6 Core Units

Based on Tutorial Letter 501, you need to master these six units.

1. Academic Language & Literacy (Unit 1)

This is about surviving university. You need to know:

  • Reading Strategies: Skimming vs. Scanning.
  • Writing Process: Planning -> Drafting -> Editing.
  • Referencing: How to cite sources to avoid plagiarism.

2. The Nature of Language (Unit 2)

This gets technical. You must understand:

  • Phonetics: The study of speech sounds (vowels vs. consonants).
  • Morphology: How words are formed (prefixes, suffixes, roots).
  • Syntax: How sentences are built (Subject-Verb-Object).

3. Listening & Speaking (Unit 3)

How do we learn to listen?

  • Top-down vs. Bottom-up: Understanding the big picture vs. decoding individual sounds.
  • Barriers to Listening: What stops learners from understanding? (Noise, accent, vocabulary).

4. Reading (Unit 4)

You are teaching children to read. You must know the difference between:

  • Intensive Reading: Reading carefully for detail.
  • Extensive Reading: Reading for pleasure and general understanding.
  • The Reading Process: Pre-reading, While-reading, and Post-reading activities.

5. Writing (Unit 5)

This unit connects back to the textbook by Stephen Bailey.

  • Paragraph Structure: Topic sentence -> Supporting sentences -> Concluding sentence.
  • Cohesion: Using linking words (however, therefore, firstly).
  • Genre: Knowing the difference between a narrative (story) and an expository text (explanation).

6. Language Teaching (Unit 6)

This links everything to the classroom.

  • How do you teach vocabulary?
  • How do you assess language skills?

My Top Tips for Distinction

1. Master the “Language Analysis” (Unit 2)
Students struggle most with Phonetics and Morphology.

  • Practice: Break words down into morphemes (e.g., “Un-happi-ness”).
  • Diagrams: Learn to draw syntax trees for simple sentences.

2. Know the Difference: BICS vs. CALP

  • BICS: Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (Playground language).
  • CALP: Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (Classroom language).
  • Exam Tip: You will often be asked to identify which one a learner is using.

3. Use the Prescribed Book
Stephen Bailey’s Academic Writing is your bible for Unit 1 and Unit 5. Use the exercises in the book to practice summarizing and paraphrasing. If you can’t paraphrase, you will lose marks for plagiarism.

Conclusion

ENG1514 is the foundation of your teaching career. If you understand how language is built, you will be a much better teacher for your future learners.

Good luck with your studies!

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