It is 09:05 at St Tshelane High School and it is very quiet, the learners are in their
classrooms where teaching and learning is taking place. The principal is in his office
having a meeting with an English teacher. On their agenda they have one pressing
matter which is that Grade 12 learners are facing a challenge when it comes to
speaking English properly. They know how to write it but speaking is a challenge.
Teacher: Good Morning sir.
Principal: Good Morning. How are you?
Teacher: I am fine sir and you?
Principal: I am not doing good at all, after discovering that my learners at my school
cannot speak English properly. Worse part I had to discover this at a career exhibition
that we had we other schools on Monday.
Teacher: I also read the agenda of the meeting that you emailed me and I was so
shocked that my learners are struggling. I noticed some learners struggling when they
had to do unprepared speech in class but I thought to myself that they are just scared.
Principal: So what do you think we have to do since we know that they struggle
speaking English?
Teacher: Sir, I seriously do know what we are going to do but I think we should monitor
where the problem started and try to take it from there.
Principal: No! (Shouting) Now is not the time to figure out who to blame for all of this but
we have to have a permanent solution for this.
Teacher: Sir you cannot possibly shout me for something I do not know.
Principal: No! You should have monitored this situation when you noticed that your
learners are struggling to do unprepared speech.
Teacher: (in a calm voice) but sir I…
Principal: (interrupt her speaking) Ma’am I do not want teachers whom are not focused
and serious about their work at my school. We cannot proceed in this manner. This
learners futures are in our hands and we need to do justice.
Teacher: Sir I am very sorry, I know I am at fault here and I apologize. I will do better
next time but this matter affects me as much as it affects you.
Principal: I know I should be putting myself in your shoes right now and I should be
working with you finding a solution to this mass. I am just embarrassed about yesterday,
am really sorry for shouting at you.
Teacher: It is okay sir.
Principal: I think we should find someone who can motivate them. We could call a
former student at this school who is at a tertiary level.
Teacher: I also think that it would be a great idea if once a week we could take them to
the school library allow them to choose few books and read stories to each other and
other time they could debate.
Principal: That is a great idea, I like that idea very much.
Teacher: I think we should not include grade 12 learners only but the whole school
should be involved, so we could never have this type of a situation.
Principal: Okay Ma’am that’s also a good idea, I think you should notify all other English
teachers about the solutions we came up with so they could be involved.
Teacher: I will do that sir and I will later come to you with feedback.
Principal: Thank you, I think we are done with our meeting.
