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Table of Contents So, You Want to Teach English Abroad Thinking of teaching English abroad? Dreaming of exploring exotic destinations, indulging in the exquisite cuisine and dressing in the finest apparel from around the globe? If so, you are in the right place because in this article you will discover how you can transform your dream into reality. In this article, I will walk you through what you need know before you pack your bags and board that plane to the destination of your choice. But first! Separating Myths from Realities You have probably heard both amazing and frightening tales about teaching English abroad. But before you abandon one of your bucket list items, or you jump onto the plane, let let me separate facts from fiction. In this article, I will answer some of the most common questions about teaching abroad. Can Non-Native English Speakers (NNES) Teach English Abroad? One of the common questions people ask about teaching English abroad is whether ...

Table of Contents Tomorrow's People: Scene 4 Plot Overview The scene opens with a restless and agitated tone as opposition youth are seen toys-toying, reflecting the political tensions in the country. Barnabas, the leader of the youth, states that the opposition is here to lead the "people of tomorrow." The scene emphasises the need for revolution as a solution to the country's political and economic challenges. Barnabas tries to persuade Yakhani to conform to party's views, but she remains assertive, showing her independence. The unresolved conflict between Barnabas and Yakhani hints at future confrontations in the play. Meanwhile, Yakhani's forbidden love with Nimrod, despite their political and tribal differences, illustrates love triumphing over adversity. Themes Corruption and Violence The scene highlights corruption, political violence, and the impact of propaganda. The opposition youth express their disgust towards these vices through...

Table of Contents Peace Corpses  Peace Corpses by Bvuma is a paradoxical dirge that laments the devastating effects of AIDS during times of peace. The title itself is an oxymoron. The poem uses various literary devices to convey the loss, contrasting it with the deaths that occurred during Zimbabwe's liberation struggle. Themes Contrasting Deaths The poem contrasts deaths during war, which "made sense" because they brought about freedom, with the seemingly senseless deaths in times of peace caused by AIDS. The conjunction "but" emphasises this sharp contrast. Sexuality and Death The poem reflects on sexual intercourse, metaphorically referred to as the "sweet apple that Eve and Adam shared." This alludes to copulation that leads to HIV infection, described as "invisible wriggling devils." Literary Devices The metaphor of the "sweet apple" is an innuendo that refers to copulation which leads to infection by HIV. B...

Table of Contents Tomorrow's People: Scene 3 The scene takes place in the schoolyard, highlighting the relationship between the teachers and the students. Despite the headmaster walking around "with a stick in his hand, symbolising authority and discipline, there are instances of student misbehaviour as some students can be heard "shouting and playing" during lessons. The chaotic setting indicates the headmasters's ineffective leadership, as his strict methods fail to control the students. The scene thus mocks the education system by presenting the head of the school as failure. As the plot develops, the headmaster asserts his authority through shouting and hurling vitriol at the students. The semantic field used by the headmaster such as "fool" and "lecherous bastard" suggests that the school is not a safe environment as it exposes children to verbal, psychological and emotional abuse. Why is the Scene Brief?  The whole scene...

Opportunity for an Imaginative Response When tasked with a question that offers a candidate the opportunity to give an imaginative response, the main challenge is smoothly blending your own writing with the original text. Perhaps this is why this type of question is among the most dreaded. However, it is not an unsolvable riddle. It simply requires a deep understanding of the given passage's stylistic features, plot, characterisation, tone, atmosphere e.t.c. In a nutshell, your response is an analysis presented creatively. Bear in mind also that this question usually asks candidates to highlight the challenges they faced as they wrote their continuation. Identify the Stylistic Features of the Given Passage Before continuing the passage, it is crucial to analyse the stylistic features used by the original author. Consider the register used. Is it formal or colloquial? Look at sentence construction. Does the writer use simple, compound, complex or compound-complex sentences? You shou...

Table of Contents Summary writing Tips  Understand the Focus of the Question The summary question tests candidates' ability to select relevant information from the passage while presenting it concisely and precisely within the stipulated word limit. It is important to note that ZIMSEC summary questions focus on specific aspect(s) so, candidates should select specific details as stated in the questions. Analyse the Question It is very important for candidates to carefully analyse the summary question in order to unpack all its demands. More often than not, candidates perform poorly on this question due to failure to understand its requirements. Identify Key Words(s) The key word provides specific instructions regarding the task to be performed. It typically takes the form of a command word such as "summarise" or "describe." Key words are not limited to writing summaries; they are also used in other types of questions and subjects. Examples o...

 Comparing and Contrasting poems, stories or plays. The question requiring candidates to write a comparative essay is common. In can be found both in Paper 1, Comment and Appreciation, also known as the Unseens, and set-book based papers, for example papers 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the case of ZIMSEC. I'm going to outline the steps candidates should take in order to perform well on this question. When analysing two literary works like The Lift and The Accident, it's essential to use comparative and contrasting language effectively while maintaining smooth transitions between ideas. You can organise your analysis using the pendulum method (the one I recommend) or the block method, ensuring a logical and balanced approach. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write a comparative essay. To illustrate the steps, I am going to focus on the typical exam question, " Compare and contrast  The Lift  and  The Accident." How to introduce a comparative essay Your introduction should ...