UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
ENG1514: Applied English Language for
Foundation Phase First Additional Language
Assignment 02 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
ENG1514
Module Code:
Applied English Language for Foundation
Module Name:
Phase FAL
Assignment 02
Assignment:
10 June 2026
Due Date:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ENG1514 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Section A: Knowledge-Based Questions
Question 1: Categories of Communication Skills
Communication skills fall into two broad categories: verbal communication and non-verbal
communication (Nunan, 2001). Verbal communication covers all forms of language use that
involve spoken or written words, while non-verbal communication includes the signals and
cues humans send without using words, such as gestures, facial expressions, body posture, and
eye contact (Van der Walt, Cillie and Evans, 2009).
Page 2 of 13
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 2: Parts of the Body Used to Produce Sound
To produce speech sounds, several organs and structures in the human body work together.
The study guide identifies the following six parts (Van der Walt et al., 2009):
1. The lungs – They push air upward through the respiratory tract, providing the airstream
that makes speech possible.
2. The larynx (voice box) – Housed in the throat, the larynx contains the vocal cords.
When air passes through them and they vibrate, voiced sounds are created.
3. The tongue – One of the most active articulators; it moves to different positions inside
the mouth to shape a wide range of consonant and vowel sounds.
4. The lips – They open, close, or round to help produce sounds such as /p/, /b/, /m/, and
rounded vowels like /o/ and /u/.
5. The teeth – They work alongside the tongue and lips; for instance, the upper teeth and
lower lip cooperate to produce the sound /f/ in “fish”.
6. The hard and soft palate – The roof of the mouth (hard palate at the front, soft palate
or velum at the back) directs airflow and shapes sounds. The soft palate lifts to close off
the nasal passage for oral sounds and lowers for nasal sounds like /m/ and /n/.
Implementation Insight
In a Foundation Phase classroom, learners who struggle with particular English sounds
often do so because their home language uses a different set of articulators or positions.
A teacher who understands which organs produce a given sound can guide learners
physically, for example, asking them to watch how the lips close completely for /p/ but
not for /f/.
Page 3 of 13
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 3: Example of Structured Verbal Communication
A prepared classroom lesson or formal lecture is a clear example of structured verbal commu-
nication. In this context, the speaker plans content in advance, follows a logical sequence, and
uses language deliberately to convey information to an audience (Van der Walt et al., 2009).
Other examples include debates, formal speeches, and scripted presentations.
Page 4 of 13
, UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 4: Nunan’s Six Stages of the Listening Process
Nunan (2001:23) describes listening not as a single act but as a process that unfolds through
six sequential stages. Each stage is summarised below in my own words:
1. Receiving – This is the purely physical stage: sound waves enter the ear and the lis-
tener’s auditory system registers that speech is occurring, though no meaning has yet
been attached to what is heard.
2. Attending – The listener actively focuses mental attention on the sounds, filtering out
background noise and other distractions so that the chosen sounds receive full cognitive
priority.
3. Understanding – At this stage the listener starts to decode the sounds into language,
connecting what they hear to vocabulary and grammatical knowledge they already possess
in order to construct a basic meaning.
4. Remembering – The decoded message is held in working memory long enough to be
processed; short-term retention is necessary before the information can be stored more
permanently or used to respond.
5. Evaluating – The listener critically assesses the message, judging its accuracy, relevance,
and credibility rather than simply accepting everything at face value.
6. Responding – The final stage involves giving feedback, whether through a verbal reply, a
nod, a question, or any other signal that shows the speaker the message has been received
and understood.
Key Distinction
Hearing versus Listening: Hearing is passive and automatic; it simply means de-
tecting sound. Listening, by contrast, is an intentional, cognitive activity that requires
attention, comprehension, and evaluation. A learner can hear the teacher speak without
actually listening to what is being said (Nunan, 2001).
Page 5 of 13
College of Education
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
ENG1514: Applied English Language for
Foundation Phase First Additional Language
Assignment 02 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
ENG1514
Module Code:
Applied English Language for Foundation
Module Name:
Phase FAL
Assignment 02
Assignment:
10 June 2026
Due Date:
50
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for ENG1514 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Section A: Knowledge-Based Questions
Question 1: Categories of Communication Skills
Communication skills fall into two broad categories: verbal communication and non-verbal
communication (Nunan, 2001). Verbal communication covers all forms of language use that
involve spoken or written words, while non-verbal communication includes the signals and
cues humans send without using words, such as gestures, facial expressions, body posture, and
eye contact (Van der Walt, Cillie and Evans, 2009).
Page 2 of 13
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 2: Parts of the Body Used to Produce Sound
To produce speech sounds, several organs and structures in the human body work together.
The study guide identifies the following six parts (Van der Walt et al., 2009):
1. The lungs – They push air upward through the respiratory tract, providing the airstream
that makes speech possible.
2. The larynx (voice box) – Housed in the throat, the larynx contains the vocal cords.
When air passes through them and they vibrate, voiced sounds are created.
3. The tongue – One of the most active articulators; it moves to different positions inside
the mouth to shape a wide range of consonant and vowel sounds.
4. The lips – They open, close, or round to help produce sounds such as /p/, /b/, /m/, and
rounded vowels like /o/ and /u/.
5. The teeth – They work alongside the tongue and lips; for instance, the upper teeth and
lower lip cooperate to produce the sound /f/ in “fish”.
6. The hard and soft palate – The roof of the mouth (hard palate at the front, soft palate
or velum at the back) directs airflow and shapes sounds. The soft palate lifts to close off
the nasal passage for oral sounds and lowers for nasal sounds like /m/ and /n/.
Implementation Insight
In a Foundation Phase classroom, learners who struggle with particular English sounds
often do so because their home language uses a different set of articulators or positions.
A teacher who understands which organs produce a given sound can guide learners
physically, for example, asking them to watch how the lips close completely for /p/ but
not for /f/.
Page 3 of 13
,UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 3: Example of Structured Verbal Communication
A prepared classroom lesson or formal lecture is a clear example of structured verbal commu-
nication. In this context, the speaker plans content in advance, follows a logical sequence, and
uses language deliberately to convey information to an audience (Van der Walt et al., 2009).
Other examples include debates, formal speeches, and scripted presentations.
Page 4 of 13
, UNISA | ENG1514 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 4: Nunan’s Six Stages of the Listening Process
Nunan (2001:23) describes listening not as a single act but as a process that unfolds through
six sequential stages. Each stage is summarised below in my own words:
1. Receiving – This is the purely physical stage: sound waves enter the ear and the lis-
tener’s auditory system registers that speech is occurring, though no meaning has yet
been attached to what is heard.
2. Attending – The listener actively focuses mental attention on the sounds, filtering out
background noise and other distractions so that the chosen sounds receive full cognitive
priority.
3. Understanding – At this stage the listener starts to decode the sounds into language,
connecting what they hear to vocabulary and grammatical knowledge they already possess
in order to construct a basic meaning.
4. Remembering – The decoded message is held in working memory long enough to be
processed; short-term retention is necessary before the information can be stored more
permanently or used to respond.
5. Evaluating – The listener critically assesses the message, judging its accuracy, relevance,
and credibility rather than simply accepting everything at face value.
6. Responding – The final stage involves giving feedback, whether through a verbal reply, a
nod, a question, or any other signal that shows the speaker the message has been received
and understood.
Key Distinction
Hearing versus Listening: Hearing is passive and automatic; it simply means de-
tecting sound. Listening, by contrast, is an intentional, cognitive activity that requires
attention, comprehension, and evaluation. A learner can hear the teacher speak without
actually listening to what is being said (Nunan, 2001).
Page 5 of 13
