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SENIOR SECONDARY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SYLLABUS
Prepared by:
Curriculum Development Centre
P.O. Box 50092
LUSAKA
© Curriculum Development Centre
All right are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying
recording or otherwise, without the prior consent of the copyright owner.
CONTENTS
Page
PREFACE ..................................................................................................................... i
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ ii
READING .................................................................................................................... 5
WRITING ..................................................................................................................... 8
STRUCTURE .............................................................................................................. 12
MATERIALS ............................................................................................................... 22
The syllabus is the result of a careful investigation of pupils’ English Language needs and a
thorough examination of recent developments in the teaching of English as a second
language. It is hoped, therefore, that the syllabus will provide teachers and materials writers
with a sound basis from which interesting, meaningful and effective learning experiences
may be developed.
The syllabus incorporates much of the material contained in the Grade 10 Interim Syllabus
for English Language, which it now supersedes.
The Director
Curriculum Development Centre
P.O. Box 50092
LUSAKA.
i
INTRODUCTION
This syllabus will prepare pupils for the Joint Examination for the School Certificate and
General Certificate of Education in English Language administered by the Examinations
Council of Zambia.
General Aims
Like its precursor, the Junior Secondary School Syllabus, the syllabus is presented in the
form of Terminal Objectives, which state what pupils should have achieved by the end of the
course, and Specific Objectives, which provide a more detailed list of skills to be mastered.
These objectives are stated in behavioural terms and tell the teacher precisely the skills each
pupil should have become proficient in if the learning experience has been successful. The
teacher’s task, therefore, is to provide effective learning experiences which will enable the
pupils to perform the skills identified in the objectives.
Seven periods a week are allocated to English Language in Grade 10 to 12 and, wherever
possible, pupils should be given English Language homework at least once a week.
This will already be familiar to pupils as it is used at the Junior Secondary School level.
The Communicative Approach recognises the need for language learners to use the language
in order to become proficient. This is not to say that a knowledge of the correct forms of the
language is unimportant. Indeed pupils must be aware of the way the language works and
know what forms are correct and acceptable. However, formal knowledge alone is not
sufficient if the learner is to communicate effectively. It does not, for example, tell the
learner what language forms are appropriate or inappropriate in given circumstances. In
order to develop their pupils’ confidence in the language, English teachers must, therefore,
provide them with opportunities to use the language effectively in meaningful situations.
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This will enable the pupils to relate their knowledge of language forms to communicative
functions.
Various activities can be identified which provide this practice; these include language
games, role-plays, social-interaction activities and simulations, as well as the conventional
guided conversations and formal debates. Most of these activities will be linked to the
Listening and Speaking syllabus but teachers should appreciate that Note-taking, Reading,
Writing and Structure also often have communicative aspects.
This approach will be introduced during Grade 10 but will not be used consistently until
Grades 11 and 12, by which time pupils should have attained an adequate level of
competence in the basic language skills.
As the name suggests, this approach combines two elements; ‘text-based’ means that a series
of lessons, probably one or two weeks’ week, will comprise a unit, which centres around a
written text (or texts). This will have been carefully chosen for its suitability in terms of
interest, level of difficulty, and appropriateness. The selected texts should also cover a wide
range of language uses and a variety of topics and be chosen from a variety of sources. Some
will be based on other school subjects. The majority, if not all, of the texts should be
authentic (i.e. they should not be specially written or extensively edited or simplified) and
some should include tables, maps and diagrams.
The text will be studied by the pupils under the guidance of the teacher and lead to a wide
range of activities including:
- word study and vocabulary extension,
- the study of certain structures used in the text,
- the study of the ways in which sentences and paragraphs are linked (cohesion),
- the study of stylistic features,
- oral discussion (class, group and pair work, and debates),
- other communicative activities (role-plays, dramatisation, simulations),
- written comprehension,
- summary and note-making,
- composition.
There will thus be an opportunity for the pupils to study English in a more academic way
than was possible, or indeed desirable, in the earlier grades, whilst at the same time practising
the various language skills that they have previously learnt in a relevant and meaningful way.
Furthermore, these different skills will often be practised at the same time and will often be
inter-dependent – hence the significance of the word ‘integrated’ in this context.
It will thus no longer be a general rule for teachers to allocate a certain lesson to a main
aspect or skill (e.g. structure, comprehension, composition). However, even in Grades 11 and
12 there will be an occasional need to concentrate on particular skills.
iii
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN GRADE 10
Although all Grade 10 entrants are required to have passed English in the Junior Secondary
School Leaving Examination, there will be a need for a considerable amount of remedial
work and revision in Grade 10. The Senior Secondary English Language Syllabus contains
new objectives, particularly in Note-making, Note-taking, Structure and Writing which are of
fundamental importance and will need to be dealt with in Grade 10 so that pupils will be able
to cope with the work in Grades 11 and 12. Grade 10 should, therefore, be regarded as a
preparatory stage for the consolidation of language skills which will take place in Grades 11
and 12.
As a lot of the work in Grade 10 entails remedial work, revision and the teaching of certain
new skills, teachers will probably find it convenient to plan their lessons along the same lines
as the approach used at the Junior Secondary level, that is they will focus attention separately
on certain aspects of English, especially Note-making, Note-taking, Structure and Writing.
However, wherever possible, teachers should integrate the teaching activities in order to
prepare their pupils for the Text-based, Integrated Approach which is recommended for
Grades 11 and 12.
PROJECT WORK
Another useful technique based on the same rationale asthat for the Integrated Approach is
the use of ‘projects’. These give the pupils the opportunity to put into practice many of their
language skills including reference skills, note-making, interviewing, note-taking and
composition, and even non-linguistic skills such as graphic design and illustration.
A project can be based on virtually any topic so long as it is appropriate and within the
pupils’ capabilities. Great care must be taken in choosing the topic. It must of course be
interesting for the pupils and wherever possible the pupils themselves should be allowed to
suggest their own topics.
Project work can be a most interesting and worthwhile activity, for not only does it provide a
practical context for employing a variety of skills, it is also highly motivating in that pupils
can produce a unique piece of work in which they can take great personal pride.
It is hoped that the combined effect of the Communicative Approach, the Text-based,
Integrated Approach, and Project Work will be to provide teachers and pupils with a
stimulating and effective means of interpreting the syllabus and achieving its objectives.
iv
LISTENING AND SPEAKING
The Terminal and Specific Objectives given below are a logical extension of the Terminal
Objectives (i.e. the General Aims) and Specific Objectives contained in the Listening and
Speaking section of the Junior Secondary English Syllabus.
It is hoped that at the Senior Secondary level there will be little or no need for the drilling of
English sounds or indeed for any extended work on sentence stress and rhythm. Teachers
should aim to correct any faulty production in their pupils’ spoken English, but no specific
objectives are required for these aspects. However, pupils should be shown how to use
dictionaries to learn how to stress and pronounce words correctly.
The development of listening and speaking skills will, for the most part, not be separately
time-tabled, but will be an intrinsic part of the Text-based, Integrated Approach. This is
particularly true with regard to those objectives which have already appeared in the Junior
Secondary Syllabus and which will now be dealt with again, albeit at a more advanced level.
Where new objectives appear, more specific attention may be necessary.
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES
1. understand and speak English well enough to function effectively in the world of
work and in tertiary education.
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N.B. Further work will be necessary on the ‘specific functions’
under each category heading contained in the Junior Secondary
English Syllabus but especially those indicated below, some of
which are new objectives. The objectives which are not contained
in the Junior Secondary Listening and Speaking Syllabus are
asterisked thus - * _
Activities:
a) Giving a witness statement to the police (esp. in Grade 10).
b) Reporting orally sports events (esp. in Grade 10).
c) Pretending to be journalists, police etc. in role-play activities (esp. in Grade 10).
d) Observing and describing science projects and experiments.
e) Collecting information for group discussions and/or project work (e.g. local oral
tradition; biographies; reports on school activities; story-telling; current local, national
and international affairs).
Activities:
a) Putting events, newspaper articles etc. into one’s own words or into language suitable
for various audiences.
Activities:
a) Explaining simple tasks and processes such as mending a puncture or wiring a plug
correctly.
Activities:
a) Giving verbal directions from a map.
Activities:
a) Interview simulations.
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NOTE: Remedial work may well be needed on 2.1 to 2.3
especially in Grade 10.
Activities:
a) Debates and discussions on controversial and topical matters (as contained, for
e.g. in newspaper or magazine articles) leading possibly to essay work or project
work.
b) Group discussions with the ideas of the group being presented to the whole class.
c) Verbal p questions needed for discovering opinions.
Activities: presentation of project work.
2.5 Formulating.
a) Discussing the sorts of questions to ask when collecting information for projects,
drafting questionnaires etc.
b) Conducting interviews for projects, magazine articles etc.
Activities:
a) Role-plays.
b) Comparing and contrasting registers used to express different emotions as
illustrated in novels and plays.
3.2 Adopting the correct register (e.g. between sexes and different age-groups)*
4.1 Expressing beliefs and strongly held opinions without giving offence.*
Activities:
a) Group discussion on controversial newspaper or magazine articles, traditional and
modern moral standards, religious beliefs, court cases etc.
b) Impromptu speeches.
c) Formal debates.
5.1 Giving instructions and directions (This includes clarifying the question, stating
priorities and stating alternatives).
Activities:
a) Group activities based on set tasks.
5.3 Organising
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Activities:
a) Extracurricular activities such as producing class or school magazines, production
work, prefects’ duties, fund-raising activities etc.
6. Socialising
Activities:
a) Group discussions.
6.2 Addressing people of different social status (including greeting, inviting, offering and
accepting) of 3.2.
Activities:
a) Role-plays.
b) Welcoming quests.
c) Taking messages.
Activities:
a) Role-plays and simulations.
b) Impromptu speeches.
c) Formal debates.
Activities:
Interpreting oral instructions for science experiments; map-reading exercises; filling
in charts and diagrams from oral instructions.
Activities:
Simulated telephone calls; role-plays; note-taking. (See Writing p. 00).
3. Realise the implications for utterances involving sarcasm, irony, mockery, disrespect
and satire.
4
READING
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES
1. understand the different types of reading material which they are likely to meet both
inside and outside school.
2. read efficiently at a speed appropriate to the text and to the purpose of their reading.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. EFFICIENT READING
2. REFENCE SKILLS
3. INTENSIVE READING
Literal Comprehension
Pupils should be able to locate details and answer factual questions on a given passage.
5
EXTENSIVE READING
Materials
Available textbooks, readers and library books. other subject textbooks, newspapers,
magazines etc.
WRITING
This section comprises Continuous Writing, Summary, Note-making and Note-taking.
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES
2. produce the kinds of writing which are likely to be required in tertiary education or
in the world of work.
5. express in writing their personal ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge and feelings
with clarity and fluency.
7. write in an appropriate register (i.e. suit the written language use to a particular
‘audience’ and purpose).
8. select relevant information from a written source, make notes and write a prose
summary (Note-making).
9. select relevant information from a spoken source, take notes and write a prose
summary (Note-taking)
6
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
In order to achieve the terminal objectives for writing, pupils should be able to perform the
following specific writing tasks and skills.
1. complete forms.
2. write newspaper and magazine articles.
3. interpret maps, diagrams and tables in writing.
4. give written instructions.
5. write book reviews.
6. compose dialogues and short plays.
7. write speeches.
8. write a curriculum vitae.
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3.6 Use appropriate words and expressions.
3.7 Use link words effectively.
3.8 Use colloquialisms (when appropriate).
3.9 Use contractions (when appropriate).
3.10 Use quotations (when appropriate).
4. write according to chronological order or order of importance.
5. write in a balanced manner (not giving undue emphasis to minor points).
6. write showing awareness of what is relevant and irrelevant.
7. write in precise detail when necessary.
8. proof read their written (for grammatical errors, repetition, omissions, spelling
mistakes, faulty punctuation and faulty capitalization).
9. revise their written work, if necessary (for content, organisation, clarity of language,
appropriate word choice etc).
10. evaluate their written work.
WRITING IN GRADE 10
In Grade 10 the writing tasks should shift from an emphasis on the correctness of the
strictures used, to an emphasis on the nature and relevance of the writing task itself.
There should also be a shift away from cue/response tasks to encouraging the pupil to
write more freely.
These include:
1. Those objectives covered in Grades 8 and 9 but which are important enough to be re-
taught or continued in Grade 10, i.e.
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2.4 Writing a newspaper article (Unit 37)
3. Additional new objectives.
1. Given a short passage read by the teacher and a list of possible titles, written on the
board or read to them, pupils should be able to choose the best title and explain why
the others are inadequate.
2. Given a short passage read by the teacher and a list of possible summaries written
on the board, pupils should be able to choose the best summary and explain why the
others are inadequate (if Reading, Page 7, Objectives 3.3 (b).
3. Given a question followed by a passage read by the teacher, pupils should be able to
answer the question with a word, phrase or sentence as required.
4. Given a prose summary containing blanks, pupils should be able to fill in the blanks
while the teacher is reading or after he has read, depending on the difficulty of the
passage.
6. Given a passage read by the teacher, pupils should be able to write a single sentence
summary or list the main points in the passage.
7. Given a passage read by the teacher, pupils should be able to make their own notes
using common abbreviations, personal abbreviations and symbols.
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COMPOSITION METHODOLOGY IN GRADE 10
1. Group work.
4. Field activities appropriate to the area in which the school is located e.g. fishing,
visits places of interest, local ceremonies etc.
Materials
Available textbooks, ETAZ Composition Materials, textbooks from other subject areas,
school forms, newspapers, magazines, reference books etc.
METHODOLOGY
In Grades 11 and 12 most writing activities will emanate from the text-based, integrated
approach and from project work. Writing assignments may also be related to other subject
areas and to relevant activities in the local community. Whenever appropriate, group writing
activities may be used.
Materials
Text-based, integrated materials. (Until these are available, teachers should develop their
own materials from existing textbooks, magazines, newspapers etc.).
STRUCTURE
TERMINAL OBJECTIVES
By the end of Grade 12 pupils should be able to understand and use correctly all the common
English structures.
Pupils should have mastered the most important structures by the end of Grade 9.
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SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES FOR GRADE 10
By the end of Grade 10 pupils should be able to use or, where specified, recognise the
following:
1. The future
Pupils should be able to use the ‘-ing’ form after expressions such as: Can’t help, Can’t
stand. It’s no good, It’s no use, ‘be worth’.
e.g. I couldn’t help liking him.
It’s no use trying to escape.
Is it worth writing any longer?
Pupils should be able to recognise the difference in meaning of similar constructions using
the following verbs followed by either the infinitive or ‘-ing’: allow, permit, remember,
forget, try, regret, mean (signify), stop, need, go on.
e.g. They tried walking to school.
They tried to walk to school.
2. recognise the meaning of ‘that’ Clauses and infinitive phrases when they are used as
subjects.
e.g. That she is still alive is pure luck.
For a bridge to collapse like that is very unlikely.
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3. recognise the meaning of the possessive adjectives used with ‘-ing’ phrases.
e.g. They don’t like our winning all the time.
(The more usual version is ‘us winning’.)
6. Relative Clause.
Pupils should be able to use Relative Pronouns in Non-defining Relative Clauses as follows:
7. Comparison
Pupils should be able to use ‘the’ + comparative ... ‘the’ + comparative ... to express parallel
increase.
e.g. The harder he tries, the more he succeeds.
The more I think about your idea, the more I like it.
8. Reason
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2. by using participial phrases (Rather formal)
e.g. Being unfamiliar with the town, I had to ask a policeman for directions.
9. Time
2. by using ‘no sooner ... than’ with an inversion as an alternative to as soon as’.
e.g. No sooner had we finished planting than the rain began to fall.
3. by using a phrase containing a perfect participle when one action precedes another.
e.g. Having finished the exercise, I showed it to the teacher.
10. Contrast
1. ‘apart from’, ‘besides’, ‘although’, ‘while’, ‘despite’, in spite of, instead of, + Present
Participle.
e.g. Apart from being a scientist he wrote many popular novels.
Instead of just waiting you should go and look for her.
5. ‘no matter’.
e.g. No matter how hard I tried, I could not solve the problem.
11. Condition
1. ‘but for’.
e.g. I would have passed the exam but for the last question.
2. ‘provided (that)’.
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e.g. You can go outside provide (that) you have finished your homework.
e.g. Had he known the tank was empty, he would have stopped for petrol.
Should anyone ask for me, tell them I have gone to a funeral.
Some structures will not have been adequately mastered in Grades 8 and 9 and may need to
be revised in Grades 10, 11 and 12. These might include the following objectives from the
Junior Secondary Structure Syllabus:
Pupils should be able to use the VERB + INFINITIVE construction with each of the
following:
agree, appear (seem), arrange, be, care, dare, decide, deserve, desire, determine,
expect, fail, guarantee, happen, hesitate, hope, learn, long, manage, mean (intend),
neglect, offer, ought, prepare, prefer, promise, refuse, seem, swear, think, threaten,
try (attempt), want, wish.
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She wants to marry me.
He knows how to mend a puncture.
Pupils should be able to use the VERB + -ING construction with each of the following:
advise, admit, appreciate, avoid, consider, delay, deny, dislike, enjoy, escape, excuse,
finish, forgive, give up, go on, imagine, keep (on), mention, mind, postpone, practice,
put off, resent, resist, risk, suggest, stop (cease).
e.g. He wouldn’t admit stealing the pen.
They enjoy playing football.
Would you mind lending me your rubber?
Would you mind me lending him your rubber?
advise, allow, ask, cause, command, compel, encourage, forbid, force, get, instruct,
invite, order, permit, persuade, request, remind, show how, teach, tell, tempt, warn,
want.
e.g. She told the children to finish their meal.
I persuade my brother to finish his homework.
Will you show me how to do this sum?
2. with verbs of sensation: e.g. see, feel, hear, notice, listen to, and with: watch make, let
and bid (which are followed by an OBJECT + INFINITIVE without ‘TO’).
e.g. She made the children wash their hands.
We heard them sing.
Pupils should be able to use phrasal verbs formed with adverb particles before or after the
object as required.
a) Pronoun Object:
He gave it away.
She took them off.
b) Noun Object:
He gave his money away.
or He gave away his money.
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She took off her shoes.
or She took her shoes off.
Pupils should be able to use Relative Pronoun in Defining Relative Clauses as follows:
1.3 ‘whom’, ‘who’, ‘that’ or nothing with objects that are things.
e.g. The boy whom (or who, or that, or nothing) we caught stealing has been
expelled.
Pupils should be able to use infinitives and infinitive phrases as alternatives to Relative
Clauses.
e.g. I have a lot of work to do.
There is no time to waste.
The man to complain to is the manager.
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e.g. He is a very strong man.
I feel much better.
Time goes too quickly.
7. ‘just’.
e.g. The match was just beginning when it started to rain.
You are just in time for a cup of tea.
Pupils should be able to use the three basic conditional sentence patterns.
Pupils should be able to use the common variations of the above patterns.
e.g. If water is heated, it turns to steam.
If he asks you, tell him the truth.
If the kettle has boiled, I’ll make some tea.
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If he had asked her, she might have married him.
If you had cleaned your shoes, you would not look so untidy.
7.4 ‘unless’.
e.g. I will come tomorrow unless I hear from you.
Pupils should be able to compose and punctuate correctly sentences containing Direct Speech
as follows:
e.g. say, ask, reply, answer, inquire/enquire, remind, explain, remark, shout, cry,
yell, whisper, murmur, mumble, mutter, think, etc.
9. Reported Speech
Pupils should be able to change direct statements into Reported Speech, making the necessary
changes in pronouns, tenses and adverbs.
Pupils should be able to change direct questions into Reported Speech making the necessary
changes in pronouns, tenses and adverbs.
Pupils should be able to change direct commands and requests into Reported Speech making
the necessary changes in pronouns, verbs and adverbs.
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e.g. Direct Speech:
“Come back and put your coat on,” said my mother.
Reported Speech:
My mother told me to go back and put my coat on.
Direct Speech:
“Open the window please, Bill,” said Ann.
Reported Speech:
Ann asked Bill if he would open the window.
or Ann asked Bill to open the window.
4. Pupils should be able to recognise the function of a semi-colon used to link two
closely related sentences.
5. Pupils should be able to use a colon to introduce words which explain what has
already been referred to.
7. Pupils should be able to use a question mark to show that a sentence is a question.
9. Pupils should be able to use quotation marks to indicate Direct Speech, quotations and
titles.
Teachers should also use the mistakes pupils make in their written work and in their spoken
English as the basis for remedial structure work.
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STRUCTURE TEACHING METHODOLOGY
1. Teachers should use the suggestions made in the Structure Section of the “Junior
Secondary English Teachers’ Handbook”.
2. Apart from the Specific Objectives for Grade 10 and the revision work, both of which
will necessitate formal teaching, the teaching of structure at the Senior Secondary
level should be based on errors which occur in the pupils’ spoken and written work.
3. Pupils should be taught basic grammatical terms such as ‘clause’, ‘phrase’, ‘subject’,
‘object’, ‘finite’ and infinitive verb’, the parts of speech and names of tenses and,
where appropriate, be given ‘rule’ explanations.
MATERIALS
2. Pupil’s Materials
Some of the existing textbooks also contain suitable materials for the recommended
methodology for Grade 11 and 12: the text-based, integrated approach. In addition,
however, teachers will need to produce their own materials either from scratch or by adopting
materials contained in existing textbooks (e.g. structure materials from comprehension
passages). Such contingency measures will be necessary until the new course materials has
been published.
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