Preparation for the Academic and Quantitative literacy component of the National Benchmark Tests, South Africa
Hard work, but worth it! Contact Prof. Albert Weideman at albert@lcat.design.
Soon your son or daughter may have to complete an academic literacy test as part of an application for admission to university. In view of the scarcity of places on offer, universities are increasingly using such tests as an additional criterion for access. Such tests include the Academic and Quantitative Literacy component of the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs).
If they prepare for these tests (yes, it is possible!) they will give themselves an advantage of scoring up to 15% more. For this reason our old customers keep on returning: our workshop is an annual event at Waterkloof, Crawford and other top schools over the last five years.
The book really helped and showed how they [the NBTs] would ask questions, so I knew what to expect, especially after doing all five of the tests. I think that everyone should do some work to prepare as it is a test unlike any normal test at school.
Alexander McDonald
Johannesburg Grade 12 learner
‘n Klompie vriendelike matrieks het vandag in die saal van die Hoërskool Linden vergader om voor te berei vir die akademiese en kwantitatiewe geletterdheidskomponent van die Nasionale Normtoetse. Hierdie toetse, beter bekend as die NBT’s of National Benchmark Tests, word toenemend deel van universiteitstoelatingsveresistes. En Lindeniete vat nie kanse nie — as so ‘n toets geskryf moet word, wil hulle weet wat om te verwag. Dit was ‘n kwessie van: “Wys ons die hekkie en ons spring oor hom”. Continue reading “Slim Lindeniete nou nog slimmer”
Can or should you prepare for the Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) component of the National Benchmark Tests? Of course you can. Why would you not prepare? Why would you not seek to become familiar with the unusual format of such tests? Why would you not grasp the opportunity to gain an understanding of what academic literacy means? If you do an example test and check the correct answers, you will certainly develop your ability to use academic language. And that ability is exactly what the AQL component tests! Continue reading “NBT AQL preparation: yes or no?”
Vandag het die Graad 12s hul welverdiende Vrydagmiddag-ontspanning opgeoffer om ‘n beter kans te staan vir universiteitskeuring en/of plasing. Die Nasionale Normtoetse (Engelse benaming NBTs) se taalkomponent is waarvoor die leerders vandag hul vaardigheid geslyp het. Dit staan bekend as ‘n toets van Akademiese en Kwantitatiewe Geletterdheid (AKG) en moet bepaal of studente die nodige taalvaardigheid asook basiese syfer- en grafiese begrip het om in die akademiese wêreld te kan presteer.
Die werkswinkel is aangebied deur professor Albert Weideman, een van Suid-Afrika se voorste kenners van akademiese geletterdheid en outeur van verskeie publikasies hieroor. Albert is bygestaan deur PraysGod Mhlongo, een van sy briljante studente wat so pas sy meestersgraad met lof geslaag het. René Jordaan van Witteberg het die bekendstelling gedoen. Continue reading “Bethlehem se Witteberg en Voortrekker Graad 12s oefen saam vir die Nasionale Normtoetse (NNTs)”
Today some bright kids from Hermanus and Malmesbury attended an academic language worskhop at the brand new Master Maths Centre, located at the corner of Dirkie Uys and Hope Street (just behind Standard Bank). Continue reading “Smart Grade 12s become even brighter”
By attending an academic literacy workshop today at Crawford College, Pretoria, learners made certain that they will perform at their best when they have to write a test of academic and quantitative literacy, such as the National Benchmark Test (AQL component), as well as internationally recognised language tests such as TOEFL and IELTS. These tests are used by most universities for different reasons: admission, placement, or identifying risk – with a view to timely intervention. Continue reading “Crawford Grade 12s are taking no chances”
Leerders van die Hoërskool Waterkloof het so pas, vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar, hulself ‘n 10–20% voordeel besorg deur te oefen vir akademiese geletterdheidstoetse wat deur sekere universiteite vereis word. Continue reading “Klofies doen dit weer”
Navorsing deur Dr Kabelo Sebolai, adjunk-direkteur van die Taalsentrum op Stellenbosch Universiteit, toon dat goeie matriekuitslae in Engels geensins ‘n waarborg onder eerstejaars op universiteit is van akademiese taalvaardigheid, of van die breër konsep van akademiese geletterderdheid nie. ‘n Veel sterker korrelasie word gevind tussen goeie prestasie en die uitslae van akademiese geletterdheidstoetse. Continue reading “Engels-matriekuitslae is nie die beste voorspeller van sukses vir eerstejaars op universiteit nie”
