Abstract
D.Litt. et Phil.
The main concern of this thesis is language for academic purposes, a sub-division of
language for special purposes, as applied to the course Voorbereidende Afrikaans at the Rand Afrikaans University. The first problem to overcome was that of designing a test for the selection and classification of students into three classes: those who would not gain entrance into the University; those who would be compelled to do the course and those who would be
exempted from the course. Based on the insights gained from literature, the doze test,
combined with a paragraph was decided upon as the best instrument for measuring the
students' language proficiency, this being the desired outcome of such a test. All the
restrictions and limitations inherent in the idiosyncratic circumstances surrounding the test
were taken into consideration and the doze test was found to be best suited to the situation
and the academic requirements. Various models of language teaching were discussed and the conclusion was reached that the approach best suited to the course would be an eclectic approach including elements of the functional-notional syllabus, the communicative approach and Krashen's Input Hypothesis, using an interactive, task-based methodology. Studies indicated that such a course should also include study skills in order to equip students for academic study.
A needs analysis, using Richterich and Chancerel's (1977) model, was done and the
greatest need was found to be in the areas of listening comprehension and the acquisition of vocabulary. From the results of the tests there also appears to be a need to pay attention to syntax in general. A number of comparable courses were studied to find possible models upon which such a course could be based and many useful ideas were gleaned, which lead to the compilation of a syllabus for Voorbereidende Afrikaans.