Category: NBT preparation

Preparation for the National Benchmark Tests, South Africa

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT AQL preparation, NBT preparation, workshops

NBT AQL preparation: yes or no?

Posted on by Strix Texturai

Can you prepare?

Question markCan 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!

Grade 12’s, we can help you

yes-you-canLCaT offers:

  1. An AQL workshop — read more …
  2. A highly specialised book (in both English and Afrikaans) of  sample tests and answers — read more…

What now?

Simple!

Meet your workshop presenter: Albert Weideman

I began my teaching career at a secondary school in Bloemfontein, where I taught English and Latin. There I worked with learners from Grades 8 to 12. Then followed university lecturing (you can read my biosketch here). Eventually I became the Director of the Unit for Academic Literacy at the University of Pretoria. Here I gained a thorough understanding of what to test and how to help students overcome hurdles on their road to academic success. Together with colleagues from other universities, I designed a number of academic and quantitative literacy tests. At the same time, we began to do more research on what academic literacy is, and how it can be tested. Three books, and more than thirty articles later, I believe I can assist you to develop your ability to handle academic discourse – what is called academic literacy. My advice to you today is:

Give yourself the chance to achieve the best possible score. Much is at stake!

NBT-AQL-workshop
Prof. Albert Weideman

Afrikaans NBT AQL workshop and book

remember

Remember! The LCaT workshop and book are also available in Afrikaans:

  1. NNT AKG-werkswinkel (Skakel Albert gerus direk by 0827733787 of stuur ‘n e-pos aan albert@lcat.design).
  2. NNT AKG-werkboek van voorbeeldtoetse en antwoorde.

 

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Bethlehem se Witteberg en Voortrekker Graad 12s oefen saam vir die Nasionale Normtoetse (NNTs)

Posted on by Strix Texturai

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.

LCaT wens die leerders alle sukses toe tydens die skryf van hierdie invloedryke toetse. Laat weet ons by albert@lcat.design hoe dit gegaan het!

NS: Daar is tans ‘n spesiale aanbod op die boek van voorbeeldtoetse en antwoorde wat in die werkswinkel gebruik word. Dit kan afsonderlik bestel word van Geronimo Distribution.

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Smart Grade 12s become even brighter

Posted on by Strix Texturai

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).

Maunette de Kock, an established franchisor and Managing Director of Little Readers, and Pierre de Kock, who manages the Master Maths Centre, have invited LCaT  to present their academic and quantitative literacy (AQL) workshop for Grade 12s. 

“We were honoured to be part of the first activities in this attractive, newly furnished building” says Albert Weideman, presenter and Managing Director of  LCaT (Language Courses and Tests).

The learners marvelled at the unusual format of the practice test which will prepare them for the NBT AQL assessment which they need to write as part of university admission. Professor Weideman interpreted their results and urged them to practise further with the book received at the workshop.

To learn more about this workshop, which prepares learners to handle the language demands of the academic world, click the LCaT Academic Literacy Workshop page.

Hermanus_aql_workshop_2

 

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Crawford Grade 12s are taking no chances

Posted on by Strix Texturai

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.

 

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Klofies doen dit weer

Posted on by Strix Texturai

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. Universiteite toets graag die akademiese taalvermoë van voornemende en eerstejaarstudente, omdat dit ‘n goeie voorspelller is van eerstejaarsukses, sê professor Albert Weideman, LCaT se bestuurshoof en kenner op die gebied van akademiese geletterdheid. Die resultate van sodanige toetse word gebruik vir onder andere toelating, plasing en intervensie. Die LCaT-werkwinkel het die vermoë om die leerders behoorlik in te suig, soos die foto’s kan getuig.

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), NBT preparation

Engels-matriekuitslae is nie die beste voorspeller van sukses vir eerstejaars op universiteit nie

Posted on by Strix Texturai

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. Hierdie toetse word deur die meeste universiteite op die een of ander stadium vereis, hesty vir toelating of vir plasing. (Die mees bekende van hierdie toetse in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, is die AKG-komponent van die sg. NBTs — National Benchmark Tests, of the Afrikaanse ekwivalent, NNTs — Nasionale Normtoetse.) Dr Sebolai gaan die navorsingresultate voorlê by LTRC 2019, ‘n internasionale kongres wat vanjaar in Atlanta in die VSA gehou word.

LCaT se werkboeke oor akademiese en kwantitaiewe geletterdheid (AKG) kan voornemende studente, graad 11s en 12s, se akademiese geletterdheidsvlakke opskuif. Die oefentoetse in die boek maak hulle nie alleen vertroud met die ongewone formaat van hierdie toetse nie, maar die inhoud (vrae en antwoorde) help hulle ook om groter bewustheid van akademiese denkwyse en taalgebruik te ontwikkel.

Die boek Akademiese geletterdheid: Vyf nuwe toetse, word tydens die eeste semester aangebied teen die verminderde prys van R195. Die outeur, professor Albert Weideman, moedig Graad 12s aan om eerder vroeër as later daaraan aandag te gee, vóórdat die jaar se druk hulle inhaal. Teen die tyd wat so ‘n toets afgelê moet word, is daar gewoonlik nie genoeg geleentheid om te oefen nie. As die boek nou bestel word, gee dit leerders die kans om behoorlik aandag te gee aan probleemareas. Die boek kan van Geronimo Distribution bestel word.

 

Posted in Academic and quantitative literacy (AQL), Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Scarcity of places at university: language test results crucial

Posted on by Albert Weideman

University placementThe scarcity of places for students at university is likely to be felt more acutely in 2020, and the Grade 12s of 2019 will no doubt be affected when they apply to study. The number of places available as opposed to the number of applications is a national issue. Given the scarcity, universities will increasingly use language tests such as the academic and quantitative literacy component of the NBTs, as well as other, similar tests, to decide whether places should be offered to prospective students. This will be felt more acutely in the case of prestigious courses, and the ones that are in high demand.

Can one prepare for tests of academic literacy?

There is a mistaken belief that one need not, or cannot prepare for academic literacy tests. This is simply not true. Continue reading “Scarcity of places at university: language test results crucial” →

Posted in Academic literacy, NBT preparation, workshops

Beste skool in Gauteng

Posted on by Strix Texturai

Die Hoërskool Waterkloof is in Januarie 2018 deur die Gautengse Departement van Onderwys  aangewys as Beste Akademiese Skool in Gauteng,  asook die skool met die meeste leerders met universiteitstoelating. Baie geluk, Klofies!

LCaT was bevoorreg om aan hierdie uitnemende instansie ‘n werkswinkel in akademiese geletterdheid aan te bied in 2017, so ook aan ander uitmuntende skole in Gauteng (Crawford College ) en die Vrystaat (Oranje en Eunice). Laasgenoemde is in 2016 aangewys as die top openbare skool in Suid-Afrika.

Vanjaar maak ons weer so by Waterkloof op 20 Maart en by Hoërskool Witteberg in Bethlehem op 26 Maart.

Ander vooruitstrewende skole: moenie wag nie – bespreek ‘n werkswinkel voordat die jaar te vol loop. Sommige universiteitsfakulteite se aansoeke vir 2019 moet al vroeg-vroeg in wees. En die meeste vereis die aflê van ‘n akademiese geletterdheidstoets vooraf. Moenie dat dié toets, met hul ongewone formaat, jul leerders uitboul nie.  Besonderhede is beskikbaar by:  The LCaT Academic Literacy Workshop.