Is a word or group of words that tells whom or what the sentence is about.

To find the subject ,

ask who or what is doing something, or whom or what is being talked about. The subject may
come at the beginning , middle, or end of a sentence.

Examples:

1. The pitcher struck Tinotenda out. ( who struck Tinotenda out? The pitcher did.)

4
2. After practicing for hours, Dadirai bowled two strikes. ( who bowled two strikes?

le
Dadirai did.)

u
d
3. Hiding in the tall grass was a baby rabbit. (what was hiding? A baby rabbit was)

o
M
t
Complete subject and simple subject

p
e
The complete subject consists of all the words needed to tell whom or what a sentence is

S
about.

9
The simple subject is the main word or words in the complete subject. 1
0

Examples:
2
-
n

1. The four new students arrived early. (complete subject is The four new students, simple
o
t

subject is students)
g
in

2. A round walnut table with five legs stood in the middle of the dining room.( complete
m

subject is A round walnut table with five legs, simple subject is table)
a
e

What is a predicate?
L
a
y

The predicate of a sentence is the part that says something about the subject. Like the subject
a

the predicate may be found anywhere in a sentence. The simple predicate, or verb, is the main
w

word or group of words in the complete predicate.

T

Examples:

1. The pilot broke the sound barrier. ( complete predicate broke the sound barrier, simple
predicate (verb) broke)

2. We should have visited the corona city in China. ( complete predicate should have
visited the corona city in China, simple predicate (verb) should have visited)

Finding the subject

In finding the subject, find the verb first and then ask yourself whom or what the verb is
referring to.

2
Examples:

1. In colleges we will have more assignments. (the verb is will have. Who will have? We will
have. We is the subject of the sentence)

2. Can you untie this knot? ( Can untie is the verb. Who can untie? You can untie. You is the
subject of the sentence.)

4
3. Ahead of the explorers lay a vast wilderness. ( The verb is lay. What lay? The answer is

le
wilderness. Wilderness is the subject of the sentence)

u
d
Compound subjects

o
M
t
A compound subject consists of two or more connected subjects that have the same verb. The

p
usual connecting word is and or or.

e
S
Examples:

9
1
1. Mulanje mountain and Chawe Inn remain favourite tourist attractions. ( The two parts of
0

the compound subject have the same verb remain.)

2
-

2. Among my hobbies are reading, snorkeling, and painting. (The three parts of the
n
o

compound subject have the same verb, are.)

t
g

Compound verbs
in
m

A compound verb consists of two or more connected verbs that have the same subject. A
a

connecting word- usually and, or, or but- is used to join the verbs.
e
L

Examples:
a
y
a

1. The basketball team played well but lost the game anyway.
w
T

2. The rain has fallen for days and is still falling in some areas.

A sentence may have both a compound subject and a compound verb. Notice in the following
example that both subjects carry out the action of both verbs.

Example:

1. A few vegetables and many flowers sprouted and grew in the rich soil. (The vegetables
sprouted and grew, and the flowers sprouted and grew).

Mention the types of sentences

3
1. Simple sentences

2. Compound sentences

3. Complex sentences

4. Compound complex sentences

4
le
Why is it important to teach types and forms of sentences?

u
d
1. Prepares learners effectively in order to achieve high literacy levels

o
M
t
2. Helps learners to make meaning of what they read

p
e
Briefly describe the simple sentence and provide some examples

S
9
- Is a group of words which contains a subject and a predicate . It can express a thought
as a 1
0

a. Statement - He went home yesterday

2
-
n

b. Question - Where are you going?

o
t
g

c. Command – Close the door

in
m

d. Exclamation - How I wish I could go with you!

a
e
L

A simple sentence also contains one independent clause e.g.

a
y
a

a. The sun is shining

w
T

b. He is my father

c. I have read this book

d. My girlfriend sent me a lovely gift

e. They made him a star

What is a compound sentence?

4
a. Is a double or multiple sentence. It is a sentence that contains two or more
independent clauses. The independent clauses are joined up by a comma or a
coordinating conjunction e.g.

b. The wind was blowing. The rain was falling = the wind was blowing and rain was
falling

c. The tea was cold. He enjoyed drinking it = The tea was cold but he enjoyed drinking

4
le
it

u
d. I picked up my suitcase. I put on my hat. I walked away = I picked my suitcase, put

d
o
on my hat and walked away.

M
t
Complex sentences

p
e
a. Are sentences which contains one main clause and one or more subordinates

S
clauses ( a subordinate clause is a sentence that cannot stand alone and cannot

9
give a complete thought even though it contains a finite verb. It depends on the rest
1
of the sentence for its complete meaning) e.g.
0
2
-

b. He decided to keep his appointment (main clause). Although he was ill (subordinate
n

clause) = Although he was ill, he decided to keep his appointment.

o
t
g

c. This is the man. (main clause). Whom you met yesterday (subordinate clause) =
in
m

This is the man whom you met yesterday.

a

Compound complex sentences

e
L

a. Are some sentences that contain two or more main clauses and one or more
a
y

subordinate clause. It is made up of more than one independent clause and one or
a

more subordinate clauses e.g.

w
T

b. Some of the farmers, who left the area, moved back to their homes, but several
years passed before the land become as fertile as before.

State the forms of sentences

a. Statement

b. Question

5
c. Command

d. Exclamation

Statement / declarative

4
Is a form of sentence that expresses a fact, opinion or feeling e.g. Mzuzu is in Malawi, Fat

le
people suffer from high blood pressure . I feel like vomiting

u
Question / interrogative

d
o
M
Is a form of sentence which asks a question e.g. Which IPTE cohort are you?, Who is your class

t
lecturer?

p
e
Exclamation

S
9
Is a form of sentence that expresses shock, surprise or excitement and ends with an
1
exclamation mark e.g. What a good goal! Look out!
0
2
-

Command / imperative
n
o

Is a form of sentence that order someone to do something e.g. Close the window. Clap your
t
g

hands
in
m

How to teach types and forms of sentences

a

1. Introduce the lesson by saying that there are different types and forms of sentences
e
L

2. Ask learners to explain or give an example of the types and forms of sentences
a
y

mentioned or listed
a
w

3. Go over the definitions or forms of sentences with learners.

T

State the games for teaching types and forms of sentences

a. Whole word games (four corners)

b. Independent work (using facial expression)

c. Using exit slips

d. Using reinforcement: real world applications on four sentences types and forms.

Activity 1 Identifying types of sentences

6
a. Read the passage identified below

b. Identify different types of sentences from the passage

c. Write down examples of your own sentences on each type of sentences

d. Discuss your work with others

4
One warm day a dog lay down under a tree. It was soon fast asleep. A wolf trotted out

le
of the woods and was about to eat him up. “Mr. Wolf,” cried the dog, “don’t you see how

u
thin I am? I am not fit for you to eat now. Why don’t you wait a few days? Then you will

d
find that I will make a better meal. My master is going to have a big dinner next week.

o
Then there will be so much to eat that I shall grow fat.”

M
t
p
“Well, if that is true,” said the wolf, “I think I will wait a little while. You may go now, and I

e
will eat you after that dinner.” In two weeks the wolf came back, but the dog was not

S
under the tree. He was asleep on the housetop.

9
1
“Come down and let me see how fat you are,” said the wolf.
0
2

The dog awoke and said, “Mr. Wolf, if you ever again see me asleep in the field, you may
-
n

eat me.
o
t
g
in
m

Activity 2 identifying forms of sentences

a

a. Make a list of different forms of sentences

e
L

b. Discuss different forms of sentences

a
y
a

c. Make at least five examples on each form of sentences

w
T

Activity 3 using different forms of sentences

a. Prepare a simple passage with different forms of sentences which you can use to teach
primary school learners

b. Display your work for observation and comments by other members

Module 4 TOPIC 2 TEACHING SENTENCE ANALYSIS

State the importance of sentence analysis

1. Help learners to understand what sentence analysis is all about at the earliest level

7
2. Equips teachers with knowledge and skills on how to handle analysis of sentences

What is a sentence? A sentences is a group of words with two main parts, a complete subject
( is a noun or noun phrase , or a group of words acting as a noun plus any modifiers that tells
who or what the sentence is about) and a complete predicate ( a verb, or verb phrase plus any
modifiers and complements that tells what the complete subject of the sentence does or is).
Together these two parts expresses a complete thought. It is also defined as an utterance that

4
expresses a complete thought. Sentences have both denotative and connotative meanings.

le
u
Denotative meanings of words are shared descriptions of meanings that are known by

d
everybody and are unambiguous. Or they are dictionary meaning of words in a sentence as

o
perceived by readers. Examples are;1. Chambo is a fish 2. Malawi is in Africa

M
t
p
Connotative meanings are meanings of words in a sentence or passage using the context or

e
personal suggestion. or are those that may not necessarily be shared by everybody. They are

S
personal meanings that carry emotional forces and shades of suggestions eg.The girl is a

9
lioness meaning she is strong, Nyasha is a star meaning she is intelligent.
1
0

What is sentence analysis?

2
-
n

It is the process of breaking a sentence into small parts of classes of speech by means of
o
t

using simple item identification and syntactical analysis.

g
in

Syntactical analysis; is the type of sentence analysis which deals with the syntactical
m

presentation of classes of speech. Coming up with successful meaning of words in a sentence

a

depends on knowledge on how to arrange different words in a most effective manner.

e

Ordering or arrangement of words in a sentence may bring different meanings or change the
L

meaning of the sentence eg.

a
y
a
w
T

1. Tanyaradzwa only speaks English means Tanyaradzwa does not write or read English

2. Only Tanyaradzwa speaks English means Nobody else speaks English

3. Tayaradzwa speaks English only means Tanyaradzwa does not speak any other
language apart from English

State the ways of identifying sentence patterns or ways of analyzing sentences

1. Using grammatical items 2. Using item identification 3.Using sentence analysis

Briefly discuss the use of grammatical items -This is done by using grammatical items such as
subject, verb, subject, complement eg.

8
1. S + V = the visitor came (the visitor- subject, came – verb )

2. S + V + O = Tanyaradzwa playssoccer ( Tanyaradzwa- subject, plays- verb,

soccer-object)

3. S + V + C = Tanyaradzwa is the queen( Tanyaradzwa- subject, is- verb, the queen-

complement)

4
4. S+V + IO + DO = The minister gave the students certificates( the minister – subject,

le
gave- verb, the students- Indirect Object, certificates- Direct Objects)

u
d
5. S + V + DO + C = Tanyaradzwa considered the educational visit successful

o
M
(Tanyaradzwa-subject, considered-verb, the educational visit – Direct Object,

t
p
successful – complement )

e
S
What is a complement? Is a word or group of words that completes the meaning of the

9
predicate in a sentence.
1
0

Discuss the use of item identification -In item identification, sentences are analysed by looking
2

at their parts of speech and functions. For example the sentence;Tanyaradzwa is going to
-
n

school alone.
o
t
g

Item Identification Function

in
m
a

Tanyaradzwa Noun Subject of the verb

e
L
a
y

Is Auxillary verb Helping the main verb

a
w

Going Verb Expressing action

T

To Preposition Showing directions

School Noun Object of the verb

Alone Adverb Modifying verb

Explain syntactical analysis .

9
A sentence is analysed by looking at the major parts such as subject and predicate. The
subject can take the form of a noun or noun phrase, which is composed of an article and a
noun (head). The predicate may include a verb phrase which has a predicator and the object.
The predictor includes a verb phrase which has a modifier, a mood indicator and a verb (head).
The object may be a nounphrase consisting of an article and the noun. The following is a
diagrammatic presentation of the sentence;

4
le
u
The thief must have stolen the bag.

d
o
Sentence

M
t
p
e
S
Subject Predicate

9
1
0

NP VP
2
-
n
o
t
g
in
m

Det Head Predicator Object

a
e
L

NP
a
y
a
w
T

Art N VP Det
Head

Modifier Mood Head Art

N

The thief must have stolen the

10
bag

Define the following terms;

4
1. Mood- is the form of a verb that assumes to show the manner in which the action

le
denoted by the verb is used. Mood can express (a)a fact or action (indicative) eg. What

u
is your name, He was here yesterday (b)a command (imperative) eg. Take this letter

d
and give it to Nyasha. Go away (c)a doubt, wish ( subjective or supposition) eg. I wish I

o
M
had gone with you, May your dreams come true

t
p
2. Modifier- a word or group of words that gives additional information about another word

e
S
3. Head- the word in a group of words that is its central part and that is used in the same

9
way as the whole group
1
0

4. Determiner – a word that limits the meaning of a noun,

2
-

5. Indefinite articles names someone or something not already mentioned or known

n
o

about
t
g

6. Definite article mentions a particular thing.

in
m

TOPIC 3 TEACHING FUNCTIONAL WRITING

a
e
L
a
y

TYPES OF WRITING
a
w

What is the importance of learning the writing skills?

T

1. Develop writing skills

What is the procedure for teaching writing activities?

1. Oral preparation
Discuss all language items with the learners. This will help them to know what to do.
2. Individual/ pair/ group writing
Ask your learners to write an exercise. You are free to choose how many language items
your learners can write. This can be done within or outside the lesson.

Mention the different types of writing skills.

11
1. Creative
2. Narrative
3. Informative
4. Descriptive
5. Argumentative

4
le
What is functional writing? It is the type of writing that provides an individual with essential

u
knowledge, understanding and skills to enable one to work with confidence and independence

d
in school at work and life long experiences. It is the practice of expressing specific information

o
to mirror real life experiences eg. Making advertisements, posters, and notices, how to make

M
t
and do something, giving advice, inviting someone to something or telling what happened in a

p
specific situation.

e
S
Mention the importance of functional writing

9
1
1. Expresses specific information about processes or procedures about something
0
2
-

2. Assists learners to express ideas effectively

n
o

3. Turns a complex concept into something that is more understanding to a reader

t
g
in
m

State the types of functional writing

a
e

1. Informative/ Expository writing

L
a
y

2. Persuasive writing
a
w

3. Narrative writing
T

4. Creative writing

5. Descriptive writing

Explain the different types of functional writing

Informative / Expository writing

1. To inform means to tell. Informative writing is the type of writing that aims at providing
information by answering the Wh and H questions that are relevant to a given topic. A
teacher can ask learners to do various activities such as explaining how the task is

12
done eg. How to wash a car, how to draw an elephant, which information to use in
advertisements, notices, posters and banners, write about a book they have read.
Informative writing- aims to provide information in a way that will tell the reader what
they need to know. The text answers the wh and h questions (who, what, where, why,
when, how) relevant to a given topic.

4
le
u
What are the elements of informative writing?

d
o
M
a. Ideas or content- one presents relevant ideas that are well focused. Main and

t
supporting ideas must be developed in proportion to their importance.

p
e
S
9
b. Organization-one must organize the writing in a way that enhances meaning or
1
helps to develop the central idea. Each developmental paragraph must address a
0

specific area of the content.

2
-
n
o
t
g

c. Voice- one’s enthusiasm and interest must bring the topic to life. One must control
in

tone appropriately and consistency to bring out the correct effect of the content.
m
a
e

d. Word choice- one must choose the correct words that suits the level of the learners
L
a

in a more powerful and interesting manner.

y
a
w
T

e. Sentence fluency-one’s writing must have a natural flow. You must vary your
sentences to convey meaning. As one writes should develop expressive reading in
the readers.

Persuasive writing – is a type of functional writing that appeals to emotions and reasons. It is
used in advertisements to make readers think or feel a certain way about an idea or product.
Teachers can promote this by engaging learners in making advertisements. A type of writing
that has power to influence or convince others to believe or take what one wishes to do. For
example, Buy Malawian products, Buy one pick one etc

Narrative writing – a narrative writing tells a story. a spoken or written account of events.

13
Narrative develops by arranging in time the events that constitutes the story. One must
organize the story into the beginning, middle and end. It can also be written using a flashback
technique.

Creative writing - It is the type of writing that demands the writer to be imaginative and creative.
Its main objective is to make the audience enjoy the final piece of writing. The main creative
writing includes short stories, plays, cartoons and poems.

4
le
Stages in creative writing are ; selecting a topic, creating a topic, drafting and proof reading and

u
refining

d
o
What are the stages involved in creative writing?

M
t
a. Selecting a topic- learners can select a topic of their own interest

p
e
b. Generating ideas- after selecting the topic learners must generate and organize

S
ideas to be included in the piece of writing

9
1
c. Proofreading- learners should check the written work and correct any errors and
0
2

verify if the ideas that were generated are well presented.

-
n
o
t
g

d. Editing – is when learners improve their piece of writing by refining it while checking
in

for the finest details such as spellings, punctuation and grammar.

m
a
e

The process of writing

L
a
y

1. Preparation for a writing – discuss and identify the type of writing. Purpose of writing,
a

the key words or phrase to include and style of writing to use

w
T

2. Things to think about when writing e.g flow of language, appropriateness of tense and
point of view (who is speaking)

3. What to do to reveal the draft – discuss proof reading, correct grammatical mistakes
and check for connection between ideas.

2. Descriptive writing- involves describing something, someone, or a place in a way that

shows the reader rather than tells. It uses concrete sensory details.it is also known as
showing writing.

What are the two types of descriptive writing;

14
a. Objective descriptive writing- in which it reports accurately about the appearance of
an object.

b. Subjective or impressionistic description writing-is when one includes his/ her own
personal impressions when describing the object.

3. Argumentative writing-is using evidence and facts. It presents two sides of a single

4
issue and covers the most important arguments for and against.

le
u
d
o
M
t
p
e
S
9
1
0
2
-
n
o
t

TOPIC 4 RESEARCH IN EDUCATION

g
in
m

Define research – is searching for and gathering information usually to answer a particular
a

question or problem. It is a systematic investigation because it involves a process whose steps

e

must be followed in the proper order. It is the desire to find out how and why things happen in a
L

certain way.
a
y
a

Importance of researchs
w
T

1. It increases or revises current knowledge by discovering new facts

2. It shapes how we behave in different situations

3. Keeps us abreast of new knowledge in order to teach more effectively

4. Informs stakeholders about pertinent problems

Mention what is included in the process of research

1. Identification of a problem or question

15
2. Clarification of the problem

3. Determining the information needed and how to obtain it

4. Organization of information

5. Interpretation of results

4
le
State the different types of research

u
d
1. Basic / fundamental / pure

o
M
t
2. Applied

p
e
3. Problem oriented

S
9
4. Problem solving
1
5. Quantitative
0
2
-

6. Qualitative
n
o
t
g

Other categorize of research are;

in
m

1. Descriptive vs Analytical research

a
e

2. Applied vs Fundamental research

L
a
y

3. Qualitative vs quantitative research

a
w

4. Conceptual vs Empirical research

T

Briefly explain the types of research

Basic / fundamental / pure research is purely scientific in nature and is usually done in a
laboratory on human animal and place kingdom welfare to gain knowledge.

Applied research aims at improving a produce a progress of human welfare. It attempts to

develop generalizations about teaching and learning processes instrumental materials and
behavior of learners etc can be classified as problem oriented or problem solving research.

16
Problem oriented research is conducted to find out the exact nature of the problem that is to
be solved.

Quantitative research – it aims at ensuring the quantity or amount of certain variables and
making comparisons between the variables. It mostly uses statistics or numbers.

Qualitative research – involves collecting , analyzing and interpreting information by observing

what people do and say by interviewing people or analyzing documents. There is more of

4
le
descriptions than the use of statistics or numbers. It can also be classified into descriptive,

u
analytical, conceptual and empirical.

d
o
Descriptive research – it describes what exists and may help to uncover new facts and

M
meanings. Its aim is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally

t
p
occurs.

e
S
Conceptual research – focuses on the concept or theory that explains or describes the

9
phenomenon being studied. The researcher thinks of questions and tries to solve them. There
are no experiments done , the researcher only uses observations. 1
0
2

Empirical research – in this research knowledge is gained by means of direct and indirect
-
n

observations or experience.
o
t

Educational research – thus the method for understanding problems or issues in education
g
in

systematically through collection and analysis of information.

m

Types of educational research

a
e

teacher education, curriculum development, school climate, administrative leadership etc.

L
a
y

Importance of educational research

a
w

1. Helps to discover useful information in the teaching and learning process

T

2. Provides evidence to support existing knowledge in the field of education

3. Informs stakeholders in education about educational issues

4. Helps researchers to gain valuable knowledge and experiences in the area of study

5. Adds significance to the researcher’s knowledge if published.

What are the stages of educational research?

1. Problem identification

17
2. Drawing research plan

3. Data collection methods / strategies

4. Discussion of findings

5. Conclusion

4
6. Compiling a research report

le
u
d
Problem identification

o
M
t
1. Identify or isolate a problem area that you can investigate

p
e
2. Translate it into a research question

S
9
3. A research question guides the direction of one’s research and helps in planning for the
1
research questions. Examples of research questions are (a) Why do learners in
0

Standard 6 fail to read in English in your school (b) Why do girls fail to complete
2
-

primary education in Malawi

n
o

Drawing a research plan - Thus coming up with the structure of the research. One should
t
g

consider
in

methods of data collection, data analysis, and interpretation,

m

resources.
a
e

Data collection - Consider the methodologies to use e.g. administering a questionnaire,

L

interviews, or
a
y

simply make observations, instrument to be used.

a
w

Ways of collecting data

T

1. Observation using observation checklist

2. Questionnaire using questionnaire guide

3. Interviews using interview guide

4. Document analysis using document e.g on absenteeism one can using class registers

5. Administering test using test items

6. Video recording of lesson activities for the teacher to watch himself / herself in action

Ways of analyzing data

18
Thus making sense out of the data gathered as it might be too much to communicate the
essence of what it reveals

Steps to follow when analyzing data

1. Organizing data

Organizing data involve reducing the volume of information, identifying significant

4
patterns, grouping the information and computing statistics. Data organizing may

le
require the use of tables, graphs or pie charts.

u
d
2. Description of data

o
M
t
Description of data involve describing the important aspects of the study including

p
individuals being studied and the setting

e
S
Examples of data analysis

9
1
The data was gathered after carrying a research onthe effects of using flash cards on the
0

reading of Chichewa using the following research questions;

2
-

1. How will flash cards impact students’ abilities to pronounce or decode Chichewa
n
o

words?
t
g

2. How will flash cards impact students’ abilities to spell Chichewa words?
in
m

3. How will flash cards impact students’ understanding of meanings of Chichewa words?
a
e

Table 1 Number of teachers according to the mode of training

L
a
y

Mode of training Number of teachers Number of teachers in the

a

frequency implementing control group

w
T

ODL 51 62

IPTE 100 94

MIITEP 55 51

MASTEP 6 5

ONE-YEAR training 12 8

TWO-YEAR training 10 6

19
Ways of data interpretation for the data in Table 1 above;

Data interpretation involves explaining the findings, answering questions and attaching
significance to particular results. The example is given below;

The table shows that the respondents underwent six different modes of training. The findings
revealed that most of the teachers who took part in the study went through IPTE training mode,
followed by ODL training mode with 62 teachers from comparison schools and 51 teachers

4
le
from implementing schools. The MIITEP came third and the rest of the training modes had few

u
participants.

d
o
M
t
p
e
Table 2 Comparison of mean scores for the experiment group

S
9
AVERAGE SCORE
1
0

Reading Meaning Spelling Whole Test

2
-

Pre-test 3.470588 0.794118 2.470588 6.735294

n
o
t

Post-test 4.705882 4.147059 2.823529 11.676471

g
in

Difference 1.235294 3.352941 0.352941 4.941177

m
a

Table 2 shows that the experiment group had gains in vocabulary on average, with a minimal
e

gain in spelling.
L
a
y

Table 3 Comparison of mean scores for the control group

a
w

AVERAGE SCORE
T

Reading Meaning Spelling Whole Test

Pre-test 1.941176 1.058824 1.205882 4.205882

Post-test 4.1470588 3.7647059 2.0294118 9.9411765

Difference 2.2058828 2.7058819 0.8235298 5.7532945

Table 3 shows that the control group had gains in vocabulary and word recognition on average
with minimal gain in spelling.

Data interpretation using the data gathered in the research

20
Question 1 How will flash cards impact students’ abilities to pronounce or decode Chichewa
words?

The control group which was taught without using flash cards performed better than the
experimental group which was taught using flash cards. The control group had a mean
differences of 2.2 in the reading test in Table 3, whereas the experimental group had a mean
difference of 1.2 in Table 2. Therefore, flash cards have little impact on students’ abilities to

4
pronounce or decode Chichewa word as compared to teaching without flash cards in Malawi.

le
u
Question 2 How will flash cards impact students’ abilities to spell Chichewa words?

d
o
The control group had a mean difference of 0.8 whereas the experiment group had a mean

M
difference of 0.35. This means that the control group performed better in the spelling part of

t
p
the post-test than the experimental group. Therefore, flash cards have little impact on students’

e
abilities to spell Chichewa words as compared to teaching spelling of words without using

S
flash cards in Malawi.

9
1
Question 3 How will flash cards impact students’ understanding of meanings of Chichewa
0

words?
2
-
n

It is only in the meaning test that the experimental group performed better than the control
o
t

group. The experimental group had a mean difference of 3.35, whereas the control group had a
g

mean difference of 2.7. This means that using flash cards has more impact on students’
in

understanding of meanings of Chichewa words as compared to teaching without using flash

m

cards in Malawi.
a
e
L
a
y
a
w

Summary of results
T

In general , the results showed that flash cards have little effect on students’ abilities in
learning Chichewa vocabulary in Malawi. It is only in the teaching of meaning of Chichewa
vocabulary that flash cards proved to be effective. In spite of these findings, however, the mean
difference between the experimental and control group were minimal. This could mean that
with slight changes to study, there is a probability that flash cards could be more effective on
Chichewa word recognition among third grade students in Malawi.

Drawing conclusions and recommendations

After the interpretation of data there is need to come up with a conclusion. The conclusion
highlights the main topics of the study.

21
What is involved in making conclusions?

1. Looking at the research questions and answering them based on the data gathered

2. Making recommendations for new areas of future research and the recommendations
must be supported by the findings of the study

Compiling a research report

4
le
What is a research report? It is a document presenting a description of a research study.

u
d
o
M
Components of a research report

t
p
1. Background of the research

e
S
2. Literature review

9
3. Methodology used ( how did you collect the data) 1
0
2
-

4. Discussion of the findings

n

5. Results of finding
o
t
g
in
m

TOPIC 5 ACTION RESEARCH

a
e
L

What is action research?

a
y
a

It is the strategy for getting information about classroom successes and challenges with the
w

aim of improving classroom practices. Action research is also known as reflective research.
T

Importance of action research

1. Helps in identifying and solving classroom problems

2. Helps to determine if a procedure is working for you or whether you need to try
something new

3. Improve one’s teaching and learning skills

4. Reflect on and improve classroom practice

5. Reduce monotony in teaching by changing language learning activities

22
6. Try out new strategies for teaching

The process of a research plan in action research includes

1. Problem statement

4
2. Research questions

le
3. Definitions

u
d
4. Literature review

o
M
t
5. Sampling

p
e
6. Data collection instruments

S
9
7. Procedure of data collection
1
8. Data analysis
0
2
-

9. Presentation of results
n
o
t

10. Discussion of results

g
in
m

Ways of collecting data in action research

a
e

1. Observation by the teacher, researcher, learners or other teachers.

L
a
y

2. Research logs filled in by the teachers, learners or other teachers.

a
w

3. Video recording of lesson activities for the teacher to watch himself/herself in action.
T

How to select a topic for action research

1. Get the topic for action research from the problem or question one wants to investigate
on

2. Specify the research questions you want to answer e.g. Why learners have problems on
word recognition

a. The teacher should reflect on the method or approach he/she use in teaching word
recognition

b. If you use flash cards to teach word recognition, you might want to find out whether

23
or not flash cards are effective on word recognition.

Making a research plan

What is a research plan?

It is a written plan for a research study that explains in detail what a researcher wants to do. A
research plan is also known as a research proposal ( a written outline for a study).

4
le
In the plan you explain in detail what you intend to do. Why? This helps others to learn about

u
your intended research and offer suggestions for improving the study.

d
o
What to include in a research plan?

M
t
p
e
1. Problem statement

S
9
2. Research questions
1
0

3. Definitions
2
-
n

4. Literature review
o
t

5. Sampling
g
in

6. Data collecting instruments

m
a

7. Procedure of gathering data

e
L

8. Data analysis
a
y
a
w
T

TOPIC 6 DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH FINDINGS

Define the following terms:

(i) Dissemination - Is to cause information to go to many people.

(ii) Audience – are people who watch, read or listen to something.

24
(iii) Exhibition – is the display of something (eg research results) for public viewing.

(iv) Research conference – thus a meeting at which research results are shared or
disseminated.

(v) Research report – is a document that describes a research study

What is dissemination of research findings?

4
le
Disseminating research is the process of getting one’s research findings to the target

u
audience. The audience could be fellow teachers, educational officials, parents and other

d
stakeholders in education.

o
M
t
What are the most important areas to be included in the research report?

p
e
1. Background of the research

S
2. Methodology used (how you collected the data)

9
1
3. Results and discussion of the results ( interpretation of the results)
0
2
-

State the methods of disseminating research results

n
o
t
g

1. Research conferences
in
m

2. Journals
a
e

3. Magazines
L
a
y

4. Internet
a
w

5. Drama
T

6. Videos

7. Exhibitions

What are the factors to consider when choosing a method of disseminating research
findings?

1. Level of interest and understanding of the target audience

2. Time and availability

25
3. Choice of language in the presentation of research findings

Why is it important for teachers to learn how to disseminate research results?

It is important in order to make the audience respond accordingly.

4
TOPIC 7 PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION

le
u
Define the following terms:

d
o
M
1. Assembly – a gathering for a common purpose.

t
p
2. Caucus – a meeting to examine issues.

e
S
3. Profession – an occupation requiring special education.

9
1
4. Professional communication – a polite exchange of thoughts and ideas or information
0

at a school between teachers and learners or other visitors through writing, speaking or
2
-

use of symbols.
n
o

5. Effective communication – rightful communication that helps teachers to achieve

t
g

intended purpose or goals.

in
m

6. Communication – process of passing information to others.

a

7. Hospitality – welcoming nature.

e
L

Importance of professional communication

a
y
a

1. It is the backbone in creating good relationships amongst teachers and learners at a

w

school.
T

2. Helps teachers and learners to make wise educational decisions about teaching and
learning.

How is communication done in schools or colleges?

It may be done through; assemblies or caucuses

1. School assemblies are important occasions where teachers and learners meet
together to share knowledge, skills and encourage best practices to bring about quality
education eg H/T gives brief, clear and simple reports on issues that have been
investigated or incidents that happen

26
School assemblies also communicate allocation of teachers, learner and teacher
responsibilities,
sickness of a teacher or learner. It also emphasizing cleanliness of learners and
surroundings,
and making internal school rules such as punctuality to school activities.

Importance of school assemblies

4
le
1. Improves the teaching and learning in an institution

u
2. It provides opportunities for teachers and learners to share ethical ideas and emphasize

d
o
different virtues that may have an effect on the smooth running of school.

M
t
p
e
What prompts meaningful school assembly?

S
9
a. Thus having profound knowledge on how to conduct school assemblies such as proper
1
planning which may include making priorities on what to communicate, how to conduct
0

it, setting the purpose, allocating time and resources needed

2
-
n

b. Organizing a speech that is brief and clear with simple language and keeps record of
o
t

what has been communicated in the assembly record book.

g
in
m
a

2. Caucuses – this includes allocation of teachers, responsibilities, sickness and

e

emphasis on cleanliness of teachers and code of ethics. These situations allow

L

teachers to identify practices that improves student learning through common planning
a
y

of school or college activities and programs.

a
w

Caucuses can be formal or informal depending on the circumstance that surrounds the
T

event.

Formal caucuses – are procedural meetings where teachers discuss various issues
that affect the school, this includes staff meetings.

Characteristics of formal caucuses are;

a. Have defined agenda that might address school discipline, planning teaching
records, continuous professional development activities

b. Give information based on circulars from the ministry

c. Depends on proper planning, collaboration and active involvement of all teachers in

27
discussing the agenda

d. Communicate the agenda to the staff well in advance and specify the date, venue
and time of the meeting.

Mention the other ways of improving educational standards of any institution

4
le
1. Visits in and out of schools or colleges. H/T and teachers should establish effective

u
communication with other school or college professionals through use of

d
collaborative formal language.

o
M
t
2. Active involvement of learners in welcoming visitors to their school or college

p
e
3. Having appropriate knowledge on use of English language for effective professional

S
communication.

9
Importance of staff caucuses 1
0

1. Promotes quality educational standards

2
-
n

2. Develops and sustains organizational culture to improve school practices eg

o
t

through staff caucuses, teachers reflect and examine instructional methods and
g

appropriate resources to use during teaching and learning

in
m

3. Helps in discussing how to improve student academic performance and encourage

a

innovations through continuous professional development.

e
L
a
y
a
w
T

TOPIC 8 WRITING FOR PROFESSIONAL NEEDS

What is professional writing? It is a style of written communication used in a workplace
environment that allows professionals to make informed decisions. It has a formal or serious
tone and it differs from other written texts.

State the types of professional writing

1. Business letters

28
2. Memos

3. Agenda, minutes, reports

4. Curriculum vitae

4
What is the general purpose of professional writing?

le
Thus to convey information to readers within a workplace contexts

u
d
What is the specific function of professional writing?

o
M
t
1. To encourage action,

p
e
2. To instruct

S
9
3. To persuade
1
4. To inform or affirm shared goal
0
2
-

Business letter – it is also known as a formal or official letter. A business letter is written on
n

official
o
t

matters.
g
in

Business letter
m
a

· Types of letters
e
L

(a) Formal or business letters or official letters

a
y
a

(b) Informal letters or friendly letters

w

· Differences between formal and informal letters

T

(a) A formal letter has two addresses, an informal letter has one.

(b) A formal letter opens with ‘Dear Sir/ Madam, an informal has no particular style of
opening.

(c) A formal letter usually has a title immediately below ‘Dear Sir/ Madam’; an informal
letter does not include a title.

(d) In an informal letter, the writer is restricted by the title, in an informal letter the writer is
not restricted by the title.

29
(e) A formal letter ends with ‘yours faithfully’ or ‘yours sincerely’ after establishing a
continuous correspondence with the same person or organization. An informal letter
has no particular style of ending it.

Paragraph writing - -Let students note that a paragraph is a group of sentences dealing with the
same
central or main idea. A letter has several paragraphs which make the

4
introduction,

le
body and conclusion as follows:

u
d
Introduction - This should say what you want i.e., the purpose of writing the letter and / or

o
acknowledgement of a previous letter if one has been received.

M
t
p
Body of letter - This should convey to the addressee the most important part: the information,

e
problems, questions, requests you have in mind.

S
9
Conclusion - This can be used to re- emphasize, sum up the letter or express a desire for a
reply. 1
0
2

Punctuation - Let student s note that the use of punctuation marks when writing addresses
-
n

and the
o
t

letter by showing them models of both formal and informal letters. Also include
g

examples
in

of formats 1and 2 of the official or formal letter.

m
a

Characteristics of a business letter

e
L

(1) Address ( not to be written in capital letters)

a
y

A business letter has two addresses;

a
w

· The sender’s address – This is the address of the person writing the letter
T

· The addressee’s address – This is the address of the person or organization to which
the letter is written. The sender’s address can be indented or blocked. But the
addressee’s address is blocked. Note: Sometimes a business letter includes:

cc : which means copy to another official or office for information

through : means directed through and seen by. The one whom the letter is
directed
through may give comments on the letter.

(a) Date - This indicates when the letter was written. To separate the date from the

30
address, it is usually recommended to skip a line.

(b) Title – A business letter should have a title which is capitalized and underlined when
handwritten, but just bold when typed.

(c) The salutation – a business letter has a particular way of opening. This may be “Dear Sir
or Dear Madam” if you don’t know the person’s name. ‘Dear Mr. Jones’ if you know the
person by name.

4
le
(d) The introduction – This comes immediately after the salutation. This is where the

u
sender briefly writes the purpose of the letter and or acknowledgement of receipt of a

d
o
previous letter. It is important to know the appropriate language for responding to a

M
letter, apologizing or making requests

t
p
(e) Body of the letter – This part conveys to the addressee the information, problems,

e
S
questions or requests of the writer. In the body, topic sentences and supporting ideas

9
are detailed. It is a good idea for each main point and its supporting ideas to be written
1
in separate paragraphs. The number of paragraphs in the body is determined by the
0

number of points raised.

2
-
n

(f) The conclusion – in the conclusion the writer may re-emphasise , sum up the main
o
t

points raised in the letter, or express a desire for a reply from the addressee. For
g

example, “I would greatly appreciate your reply”.

in
m

(g) The ending (the valediction) – a business letter normally ends with, Yours faithfully’ if
a

the salutation is Dear Sir or Dear Madam. This is usually used after establishing a
e

continuous correspondence with the same person. Sometimes a letter is written by

L

another office on behalf of another. The letter would for example end with;
a
y
a

“Tanyaradzwa Twaya’
w
T

for : Principal

Format for writing business letters

There are two main styles of writing business letters, namely simple style and memorandum
style

Writing an official letter using simple style

Simple style is used for correspondence between individuals and government officials or
private organisations.

31
Here are some points for the simple style:

· The address of the sender- without name or title is written in the right hand corner. The
margin of the sender’s address can either slope inwards or go straight down. Note the
position of the date.

· The title and address of the addressee are given below on the left. The margin of the
addressee’s address should go straight down

4
le
· In the salutation, each main word begins with a capital letter. The salutation is

u
followed by a comma (Dear Sir,)

d
o
·

M
The heading or topic of the letter is written on the line below Dear Sir. It is capitalized

t
and underlined.

p
e
· Paragraph indentation is required in handwritten letters. The current trend of starting

S
everything from the left-hand margin should be discouraged in handwritten letters

9
1
· The first word of the closing salutation begins with a capital letter, but not the other
0

words. A comma comes after the closing salutation (eg, Yours sincerely,)
2
-
n

· Dear Sir is normally followed by Yours faithfully, Dear Mr. Twaya is best followed by
o
t

Yours sincerely
g
in

· An official letter using this format may be sent to anyone whether government official,
m

private organization or individual.

a
e
L
a
y
a
w

For example;
T

Makwali Full Primary

School,
Post Office Box 495,
Kwalifaidi

13 th March, 2020.

The District Education Officer,

Post Office Box 521,
Ndinakoza.

32
Dear Sir,

VISIT BY READING SPECIALIST

Thank you for your letter Ref.No. A/36/94 dated 21 st January , 2020 informing us of the
proposed visit to our school by the reading specialist.

4
le
Members of staff have been informed about Dr Twaya’s visit to the school, and we are all ready

u
and eager to meet him on 4 th July, 2020. However, we need more information in order to

d
prepare adequately for his visit. Would you let us know which classes he would like to see? In

o
M
addition, would you let u know whether the visitor would want to meet the whole staff, or just

t
those teaching the classes concerned? We do not know whether we should prepare lunch for

p
our visitor. Would you , please advise us on this? We look forward to meeting Dr. Twaya.

e
S
Yours faithfully,

9
1
0
2
-

L.L. TAWONASHE
n

(Headteacher)
o
t
g

Memorandum style – it is generally written as a circular from one office to another.

in
m

Government circulars are usually as given below. The style should not be used for letters to
individuals.
a
e

Characteristics of a memorandum style

L
a
y

· It is written as a circular from one government officer to another government officers

a
w

· It is written from one government officer to a private organization

T

· It is simple to use from time to time

Here are some points to follow when writing using a memorandum style

· The reference number on the left is underlined. It may include the abbreviated name of
school, the file reference number and the latter number.

· The date , on the right hand side is underlined

· The title and address of the sender are written across the line after the word FROM

33
· The title and address of the addressee are written across the line after the word TO

· The heading or topic of the letter is written underneath the title and address of the
addressee. It is capitalized and underlined

· No salutation is necessary either at the beginning or at the end of the letter. (ie, Dear Sir
and Yours faithfully are NOT required) the letter ends with the writer’s name, often
signed and then printed neatly below, followed by his or her position.

4
le
· cc : means copy to another relevant official for information.

u
d
Ref: Mak/1/20 5 th April, 2020

o
M
From : The Headtecher, Makwali Full Primary School, Post Office Box 495, Kwalifaidi.

t
To : The District Education Officer,Post Office Box 521, Ndinakoza.

p
e
S
VISIT BY READING SPECIALIST

9
Thank you for your letter Ref.No. A/36/94 dated 21 st January , 2020 informing us of the
1
proposed visit to our school by the reading specialist.
0
2
-

Members of staff have been informed about Dr Twaya’s visit to the school, and we are all ready
n

and eager to meet him on 4 th July, 2020. However, we need more information in order to
o
t

prepare adequately for his visit. Would you let us know which classes he would like to see? In
g
in

addition, would you let u know whether the visitor would want to meet the whole staff, or just
m

those teaching the classes concerned? We do not know whether we should prepare lunch for
a

our visitor. Would you , please advise us on this? We look forward to meeting Dr. Twaya.
e
L
a
y

L.L. TAWONASHE
a
w

(Headteacher)
T

(2). A Memo

A memo is an internal document from one office to another within an organization or a

company. This
is written to inform the addressee about new on formation like policy changes. It may also be
written
to persuade an officer to take certain action such as attending a meeting.

How to write a memo

Characteristics of a memo

34
Heading – it follows this general format

To : (Addressee’s name and job titles)

From : (Name and job titles)
Date : ( Complete and current date)
Subject or Re: (what the memo is about, highlighted in some way). Re means referring to.
Generally the following guidelines should be observed.

4
le
Write the purpose of the memo concisely and clearly.

u
· Points or details are written in lists rather than paragraphs and usually arranged from

d
o
the strongest to weakest.

M
t
· Memos are not usually signed at the end

p
e
· If there are any attachments in a memo, a notation about what is attached is made. For

S
example: Attached: Several complaints about gender based violence, January –

9
December 2019. 1
0
2
-
n

Sample memo
o
t
g

To : Gloria Twaya - Chairperson of Assessment Committee

in

From : Tinashe Tawonashe – Principal Umodzi Teachers Training College, P.Bag 5,

m

Takhoza.
a

Date : 5 th April , 2020

e
L

Subject : Meeting for Awards of Certificates of IPTE 14

a
y
a

Be informed that the award meeting for the fourteenth group of student teachers who have
w

completed year 2 of the Initial Primary Teacher Education will be held on 4 th July at MANEB
T

offices in Zomba.

Make sure that all assessment grades are ready.

(2) Reports

A report is a document which provides an account of something one may have seen,
examined, investigated or surveyed. Reports vary widely in their purposes and formats.
In many work places reports carry complex information for readers who can use it to
answer requests or solve problems. At a school teachers may be required to write

35
reports on disciplinary cases or an accident involving learners or teachers. Examples of
what can be reported at school level are theft, disasters, accidents, etc

How to write reports

Reports can be written in the form of letters, memos, complex documents with tables of
contents, lists of tables and figures, appendices and indices. It is important to always
remember that reports usually read by multiple readers who vary in levels of knowledge

4
le
and education. A useful and successful report must answer certain questions for the

u
readers. Therefore it is important that the writer asks him/herself the following

d
questions:

o
M
· What is the report about?

t
p
· Are the facts in the report reliable, accurate, complete or relevant?

e
S
· How can the reader use the report?

9
1
· What actions might follow from it?
0
2

·
-

What recommendations am I making for readers to consider?

n
o

What are the structural elements of report writing?

t
g

· A covering letter from the writer to the primary recipient

in
m

· A title page that includes an informative title, date and the writer’s name
a
e

· Front matter that includes the table of contents and acknowledgement

L
a
y

· The body of the report that begins with an introduction, then an executive
a

summary containing the main details of the report

w
T

· The conclusion of the report which contains a summary, general comments or

recommendations

· The back matter which includes appendices, indexes and other materials that
the reader may want to consult but it too lengthy to include in the body of the
report.

Sample Report writing format 1

Kwali Full Primary School

Private Bag 6,
Makwali.

36
7 th April, 2020.

The District Education Manager,

Private Bag 7,
Makwali.

4
le
Dear Sir,

u
FIRE BURNS DOWN SCHOOL BLOCK

d
o
M
I wish to report that one of the classroom blocks at our school caught fire on the night of

t
Sunday, 5 th April, 2020 and was burnt down. Nearly all the school equipment contained in it

p
was destroyed.

e
S
On Sunday, 5 th April, 2020 at 3:00 pm a learner noticed that the roof of the senior section

9
block was on fire. This block includes the headteacher’s office. Members of staff and villagers
1
from the nearby villages came to help to put the fire out, but it was in vain.
0
2
-

Many items were destroyed. These include the following:

n
o
t

i. All the wooden fittings: doors, windows, tables, chairs, etc.

g
in

ii. Learners’ books, new exercise books, rulers, handcraft and needlecraft materials
m

stored in the Headteacher’s office.

a
e

iii. The administration records of the school: the log book, cash and receipt books, the
L

visitors’ book, the attendance register, the admission book, and the stock book.
a
y
a

Whether anyone set the building on fire or not is not yet clear. However, the accident was
w

reported to the police and the school committee immediately. The police have already been
T

here and are still conducting investigations into the matter.

The chairperson and the secretary of the school committee are intending to see you next Friday
to seek financial assistance. They would like to start constructing another roof as soon as
possible. The walls and floors of the building are still intact, except for one wall which need
repairing.

I would be grateful for any recommendations you may wish to make on this matter.

Yours faithfully,

37
S.L. TANYARADZWA
(Headteacher)

Sample report writing format 2

Ref. No. Kwa/T/21 7 th April, 2020.

From : The Headteacher, Kwali Full Primary School, Post Office Box 6, Makwali.

4
le
To : The District Education Manager, Makwali Rural District, Private Bag 7, Makwali.

u
d
FIRE BURNS DOWN SCHOOL BLOCK

o
M
t
I wish to report that one of the classroom blocks at our school caught fire on the night of

p
Sunday, 5 th April, 2020 and was burnt down. Nearly all the school equipment contained in it

e
was destroyed.

S
9
On Sunday, 5 th April, 2020 at 3:00 pm a learner noticed that the roof of the senior section
1
block was on fire. This block includes the headteacher’s office. Members of staff and villagers
0

from the nearby villages came to help to put the fire out, but it was in vain.
2
-
n

Many items were destroyed. These include the following:

o
t
g

i. All the wooden fittings: doors, windows, tables, chairs, etc.

in
m

ii. Learners’ books, new exercise books, rulers, handcraft and needlecraft materials
a

stored in the Headteacher’s office.

e

iii. The administration records of the school: the log book, cash and receipt books, the
L
a

visitors’ book, the attendance register, the admission book, and the stock book.
y
a
w

Whether anyone set the building on fire or not is not yet clear. However, the accident was
T

reported to the police and the school committee immediately. The police have already been
here and are still conducting investigations into the matter.

The chairperson and the secretary of the school committee are intending to see you next Friday
to seek financial assistance. They would like to start constructing another roof as soon as
possible. The walls and floors of the building are still intact, except for one wall which need
repairing.

I would be grateful for any recommendations you may wish to make on this matter.

S.L. TANYARADZWA

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(Headteacher)

(3) Agenda

An agenda is the list of topics to be discussed in a meeting. The agenda is supposed to

be circulated some days before the day of the meeting . this gives a chance to the
members to think over the items for discussion . it also provides an opportunity for

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members to contribute their own items to be discussed in a meeting.

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How to write agenda for a meeting

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·

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Write agenda in brief-like headings

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· Leave space under a list of items for members to insert their points for

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discussion. Those who add an item should write their names

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· Write your name and title at the end.
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0

Format for an agenda

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Ref No. MAK/E/20 14 th April, 2020

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From : The Acting Principal

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To : All lecturers
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There will be a staff meeting on 20 th April, 2020 at 13:30 hours in the Staff room.
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a

Agenda
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a. Two workshops on Conivid 19 starting on 26 April, 2020

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a
y

b. Student teachers from Phalombe Teachers; Training College

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c. DTED visitors
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d. Teaching practice report

e. AOB

Tanyaradzwa L. Twaya
(Acting Principal)

(4) Minutes

These are the main points which are taken down by a secretary during a meeting.
Minutes of meetings vary depending on the formality of the meeting. The one taking the

39
minutes requires the ability to listen, analyse, synthesize and record the most important
actions and points raised in a meeting. The minutes are called formal when there is a
clear agenda. They are informal when there is no formal agenda.

State the purpose of taking minutes in a meeting

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a. Is to keep a record of resolutions for follow up.

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b. They also help those not present at the meeting to follow what transpired.

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t
Mention the five characteristics of good minutes

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a. There is a heading, name of school, date, venue and time

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b. The language is objective
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c. The language is concise and brief

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d. Uses reported speech

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e. List members present or absent etc

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in
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How to write formal minutes

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·
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The minutes begin with a heading that includes the name of the group, date,
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y

venue and time. For example, “Minutes of the staff meeting held at Makwali
a

Primary School on 20 th April, 2020 in the staff room”.

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T

· A list of those present follows, then apologies and absentees if any.

· Minutes follow the formal agenda by which the meeting was run.

· In certain cases the writer should be sure to record who moved a particular
motion and specific votes which were made in support of the motion.

· The language used should be objective, concise and brief. Thus minutes should
be a fair reflection of what was actually discussed and agreed upon.

· Minutes should be presented in reported speech and in the passive voice

· Agenda items should be numbered and given headings.

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For example: 1/18/20 –Two workshops on Conivid 19 starting on 26 April, 2020

1 is agenda number, 18 is meeting number, 20 is year

Sample of the minutes

Minutes of staff meeting held at Makwali Full Primary School

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Date : 20 April, 2020 Venue : Staffroom

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Time : 2:00pm

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Members present : The Headteacher (Chairperson), Mrs C Chikondi, Mr. Limbikani, Ms Tingo,

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Mr. D. Chimwemwe, Mr. Kwali, Mr. Sapu, Mrs. Ndakhoza

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Apologies - Mrs T. Tinotenda, Mr. Tinenyasha and Mr. Tapiwanashe

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Chairperson’s opening address- The chairperson welcomed all members to the meeting and

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declared the meeting open.

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1
Acceptance of previous minutes – it was proposed and accepted that the previous minutes
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were an accurate record of the previous meeting.

2
-

Matters arising- It was asked whether the site of the new teacher’s house had been finished.
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o

The chairperson informed the staff that it had been resolved that the new house should be built
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g

near the school garden.

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1/3/20 Discipline
a

The question of general discipline was discussed at length. It was felt that too many pupils
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arrived late without good reasons, that standard 7 in particular was very noisy in class, and
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a

that many learners were not clean and tidy.

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a
w

Resolution
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It was resolved that the chairperson would address all learners on the above matter, and that
teachers should emphasize these areas in class.

2/3/20 Records of work

The headteacher noted that some members of staff did not keep proper records of work
covered and in some cases no records of work were indicated. He pointed out that authorities
would take serious measures of this so that this habit stops.

Resolution

It was resolved that the Deputy Headteacher would carry out periodic checks and assist any

41
new teacher who was unsure of the normal procedure.

3/3/20 New teachers

The chairperson informed members that the DEM had written a letter informing the school that
it would receive three new teachers from college- Miss Chakabva, Mr. Dande and Mr. Tsoko. He
also asked all members to receive and assist them in their work.

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4/3/20 AOB

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As there was no other business, the chairperson thanked everybody and closed the meeting at

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4:35 pm.

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(5) Curriculum vitae - This is another type of writing for professional needs. it is a

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document that contains detailed description of an individual’s background, personal

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experience and educational attainment.

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Purposes of a curriculum vitae
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0

· Enables prospective employment to make an informed decision.

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· Explains the educational and work experiences one has.

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o
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· Shows the kind of person one is and capabilities one has.

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in

Sections of a curriculum vitae

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a
e

1. Personal information
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a
y

2. Educational qualifications
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3. Work experience
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4. referees

Format for a curriculum vitae

1. personal information

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This section include name, birth date, birth place, nationality, district of origin, village, tribe,
marital status, religion, language proficiency, hobbies and contact address with telephone
numbers, fax numbers and or e-mails.

2. Education/professional qualification

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This section includes qualifications, institutions where obtained, years, courses studied and

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areas of specialization.

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3. Work experience

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This presents the experiences one has had in different work places. It mainly centers on the

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past job description and organization worked for. It can also cover workshops and seminars

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one attended.
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0
2
-

4. References
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t

This is the section that shows people who can give more information about one’s
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performance during studies as well work. It includes names of referees, their addresses
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m

and telephone numbers. In most cases it is recommended to have three referees.

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Sample curriculum vitae

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L

CURRICULUM VITAE FOR TAFADZWA TWAYA

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y
a

Surname : Twaya First name : Tafadzwa Sex :

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Male
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Date of birth : 26/05/1996 Marital status : Single

Religion : Christianity Nationality : Malawian
Home District : Chitipa Traditional Authority : Mwenechanya Village:
Kalowa
Language proficiency : Lambya, Tumbuka, Chichewa, English, Shona, Sena, Ndebele and Yao

Hobbies : Watching football, Cycling, Reading books and Watching movies

Cell number : 0999996120 / 0888886120 Email: [email protected]

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

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Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE)

Institution : Makwali Secondary School Year : 2019

Subjects Grade
Agriculture 1
Bible Knowledge 1
Biology 1

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Chemistry 1

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Chichewa 1

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English 1

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Expressive arts 1

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Geography 1

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Physical Science 1

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Social and Development Studies 1

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WORKING EXPERIENCE
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1
0

Ø Collecting data for CADECOM beneficiaries

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Ø Collecting data using tablets for ACTION AID beneficiaries

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Ø Village Saving Loans Agent for Care Malawi beneficiaries

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REFEREES
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a

Ø Mr. Joshua Chakabva, CARE Malawi Supervisor, Cell : 0888888888

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Ø Mr. Nyasha Twaya, Bwelako Teachers Training College. Cell 0999999999

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y
a

Ø Mr. Paul Mtakuramombembudziihata , ACTION AID Manager. Cell : 0989898989

w
T

References

1. MIITEP Student Teacher Handbook 3 (1998). MIE, Domasi. Zomba.

2. J.L. Kinneavy & J.E. Warriner (1987). Elements of writing. Rinehart & Winston Inc,
Orlando. Florida.

3. IPTE English Lecturers’ book(2008). MIE, Domasi. Zomba.

4. IPTE English Module 4 (2018). MIE, Domasi. Zomba.

5. H.B.Jovanovich (1988). English Composition and Grammar First Course. Jovanovich

Inc. USA.

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