Grade 8 IsiZulu First Additional Language (FAL) is a foundational year in the Senior Phase, serving as a bridge between the basics learned in primary school and the more complex language structures of high school. The curriculum focuses on practical communication skills, visual literacy, and the introduction of formal literature analysis. To ensure you stay on track with your oral assessments, writing tasks, and creative projects, it is essential to consult the full Grade 8 Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs).
This article outlines the 2026 IsiZulu FAL Grade 8 ATP, breaking down the weekly focus areas for teachers and learners, covering everything from Visual Literacy and The Creative Writing Project to the final End-of-Year Examinations.
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Download ATP HereIsiZulu FAL Grade 8 ATP 2026
The Annual Teaching Plan is divided into four terms, ensuring a balance between listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, alongside language structures and conventions.
Download: IsiZulu FAL Grade 8 ATP 2026 PDF
Term 1: Visual Literacy and Narrative Writing
Focus: The first term introduces the analysis of visual texts through brochures and advertisements, and develops narrative writing skills.
- Visual Literacy:
- Analyze the structure (isakhiwo) and features of an advertisement (Isikhangiso) or poster (Iphosta), including the use of emotive language (ulimi oluchukuluza imizwa) and the AIDA principle (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action).
- Literature and Writing:
- Essays: Writing Narrative (elandisayo) or Argumentative (edaza inkani) essays (Indaba/I-eseyi).
- Literature: Introduction to the short story (Indaba emfishane) or novel (Inoveli), focusing on plot (isakhiwo) and character (abalingiswa).
- Language Structures:
- Word Level: Nouns, adjectives, and verbs (tenses).
- Sentence Level: Simple sentence structure, continuous tense (Inkathi eqhubekayo), and direct/reported speech.
Term 2: Electronic Communication and Reviews
Focus: Term 2 shifts to modern communication like emails and reviews, requiring learners to master appropriate register and style.
- Transactional Writing:
- Emails: Writing emails (I-imeyili) focusing on format, target audience, and purpose.
- Reviews: Writing reviews (Isibuyekezo) based on newspaper reports or other texts.
- Dialogues: Writing dialogues (Inkulumomphendvulwano) based on social issues.
- Reading and Viewing:
- Literary Texts: Reading folklore (Izinganekwane) or youth novels, focusing on plot, character, and conflict.
- Comprehension: Strategies for reading visual and written texts like magazine articles.
- Assessment:
- June Controlled Test: Covers Comprehension, Visual Text, Summary (Ukufingqa), and Language Structures.
Term 3: The Creative Writing Project
Focus: Term 3 is centered around the Creative Writing Project, a major task where learners conduct research and produce a creative response based on the literature studied.
- The Creative Writing Project:
- Research: Investigating a topic related to the literature studied (Short Story, Drama, or Poetry).
- Writing: Planning, drafting, and producing a creative text (e.g., an essay or drama script) based on research.
- Presentation: Oral presentation of the project (Ukwethula ngomlomo).
- Listening and Speaking:
- Storytelling: Listening to stories and identifying the storyline, tempo, and tone.
- Discussion: Participating in group discussions about the writing project.
- Literature:
- Poetry: Analyzing internal structure (figures of speech, imagery, rhythm) and external structure (stanzas, lines) of poems (Izinkondlo).
Term 4: Instructions and Revision
Focus: The final term prepares learners for practical communication with instructional texts and revises all content for the final examinations.
- Transactional Writing:
- Instructions: Writing Directions and Instructions (Izinkombandlela/Imiyalo) using logical sequencing.
- Forms: Completing forms and questionnaires (Ukuzalisa amafomu).
- Obituaries: Writing obituaries (Umlando kamufi).
- Reading and Viewing:
- Visual Texts: Reading maps, graphs, and infographics.
- Media: Analyzing newspaper reports and panel discussions.
- Assessment:
- End-of-Year Examination:
- Paper 1: Oral (Project Presentation) (20 marks).
- Paper 2: Response to Texts (Comprehension, Visual Text, Summary, Language) (60 marks).
- Paper 3: Transactional Writing (20 marks).
- End-of-Year Examination:
FAQ: IsiZulu FAL Grade 8
Q: What is the Creative Writing Project in Term 3? A: This is a formal assessment task (Ithaski yesi-6) where learners must research and write a creative response based on one of the literature genres studied. It counts 50 marks and includes an oral presentation.
Q: Which literature genres are covered in Grade 8? A: Learners typically study Poetry (Izinkondlo) plus one other genre, which can be a Novel (Inoveli), Drama (Umdlalo), or Short Stories (Izindaba ezimfushane).
Q: How is the final exam structured? A: The final assessment includes three components: Paper 1 (Oral), Paper 2 (Response to Texts) which covers comprehension, summary, and language structures, and Paper 3 (Writing) which focuses on transactional texts.