,© Department of Basic Education 2020
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Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Grade 12 English Home Language
Mind the Gap study guide for the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare ISBN 978-0-636-18000-0
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Copyright © Department of Basic Education 2020 222
Struben Street, Pretoria, South Africa. Contact person:
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The first edition of the series published in 2012 for the Revised National Curriculum Statement
(RNCS) Grade 12 Mind the Gap study guides for Accounting, Economics, Geography and
Life Sciences; the second edition of the series, published in 2014, aligned these titles to the
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and added more titles to the series, including
the CAPS Grade 12 English Home Language Mind the Gap study guide for the play Hamlet by
William Shakespeare.
Mind the Gap team
Series managing editor:
Production co-ordinators for CAPS edition:
Authors: Colleen Joan Callahan, Selvie Chetty, Siphatisiwe Patricia Ndlovu Editor:
Expert readers:
Proof reader:
Designer:
Illustrators: Michele Dean, Ivan Keir, Vusi Malindi, Khosi Pholosa and Kenneth Tekane
Series cover illustration: Alastair Findlay Onsite writers’ workshop support:
,© Department of Basic Education 2020
Ministerial foreword
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing the third edition
of the Mind the Gap study guides for Grade 12 learners. These study guides continue
the innovative and committed attempt by the DBE to improve the academic
performance of Grade 12 candidates in the National Senior Certificate (NSC)
examination.
The study guides have been written by teams of experts comprising of teachers,
examiners, moderators, subject advisors and coordinators. Research, which began in
2012, has shown that the Mind the Gap series has, without a doubt, had a positive
impact on the improvement of results. It is my fervent wish that the Mind the Gap
study guides will take us all closer to ensuring that no learner is left behind, especially
as we celebrate 21 years of democracy.
The second edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and
Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers have
considered the National Policy pertaining to the programme, promotion
requirements and protocols for assessment of the National Curriculum
Statement for Grade 12 in 2014.
The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the
2018/19 National Diagnostic reports on learner performance and draw on
the Grade 12 Examination Guidelines. Each of the Mind the Gap study
guides defines key terminology and offers simple explanations and
examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in an
exam. Marking memoranda are included to assist learners to build their
understanding. Learners are also referred to specific questions from past
national exam papers and examination memos that are available on the
Department’s website – www.education.gov.za.
The CAPS editions include Accounting, Economics, Geography, Life
Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Physical Sciences. The
series is produced in both English and Afrikaans. There are also English First
Additional Language (EFAL) study guides. These include EFAL Paper 1
(Language in Context); EFAL Paper 3 (Writing) and a guide for each of the
Grade 12 prescribed literature set works included in Paper 2 for both EFAL
and EHL.
Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study the set
works you did in your EHL class at school.
The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who have
been underperforming due to a lack of exposure to the content
requirements of the curriculum and aim to 'mind-the-gap' between failing
, © Department of Basic Education 2020
and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of commonly
tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass.
All that is now required is for our Grade 12 learners to put in the hours
required to prepare for the examinations. Learners, make us proud AND
study hard. We wish each and every one of you good luck for your Grade 12
examinations.
Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP
Minister of Basic Education
2020
Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP
Minister of Basic Education
