Basic 8 · Ghanaian Language · Term Project
Language and Culture Project
In this topic you will apply the term's learning through a language and culture project that uses speaking, reading, writing and presentation skills.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Plan and complete a language and culture project
- Present the project in your Ghanaian language
- Evaluate your own and others' projects
What you already know
- All topics covered in Ghanaian Language this term
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Customs and Institutions
- Sub-strand
- Term Project
Introduction
This project brings together everything you have learned about customs, language and literature. You will collect, write and present something valuable about your culture.
1. Project Options
| Option | Content |
|---|---|
| proverbs book | twenty proverbs with meanings and drawings, grouped by theme |
| clan history | the history, totem and leaders of your clan, from interviews |
| custom report | a report on puberty rites or another custom in your community |
| story collection | three folktales told by elders and written down |
| radio drama | a short recorded drama on a community issue |
2. Steps in the Project
- Choose a topic and agree on it with your teacher.
- Prepare interview questions in your Ghanaian language.
- Interview elders respectfully and take notes or record with permission.
- Organise your material under clear headings.
- Write a draft and revise it for language and accuracy.
- Prepare a neat final copy or recording.
3. Interviewing Elders
Greet the elder properly and explain your purpose. Ask open questions, listen without interrupting and thank them at the end. Some knowledge is sacred or private, so respect it if an elder prefers not to share something. Always ask before recording.
4. Writing Up
Use correct spelling, special letters and paragraphs. Give credit to the people you interviewed, for example "As told by Nana Kwabena Asare of Akropong". Add a title, an introduction explaining why the topic matters and a conclusion. Drawings or photographs can make your work more attractive.
5. Working as a Team
If you work in a group, share tasks fairly: one member prepares the questions, another asks them, another writes the notes and another draws the pictures. Meet regularly to check progress. Make sure that every member understands the whole project, so that anyone can answer questions during the presentation. Group work teaches cooperation, a value found in many of the proverbs you have studied this term.
6. Keeping Records of Your Sources
Keep a list of everyone you interviewed, with their name, town and the date. Note which books or radio programmes you used. These records let you check facts later, and they show respect for the people who shared their knowledge with you.
New words
- interview
- A meeting to ask someone questions.
- draft
- An early version of writing.
- credit
- Acknowledgement of a source.
- open question
- A question that needs a full answer.
Summary
- Choose a project on proverbs, clans, customs, stories or drama.
- Interview elders respectfully and organise your material.
- Write carefully, give credit and produce a neat final work.
Class activity: Project Work
- Choose a project option and prepare questions.
- Interview at least one elder.
- Write the first draft of your project.
You need: Printed Ghanaian-language review cards, Exercise books, Pencils, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Before recording an elder, you should…
- A. ask permission
- B. hide the phone
- C. shout
- D. leave
Show answer
Answer: ask permissionRespect.2. Giving credit means…
- A. acknowledging your sources
- B. paying money
- C. hiding names
- D. copying
Show answer
Answer: acknowledging your sourcesHonesty.3. Some cultural knowledge may be sacred or private.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueRespect.4. An early version of writing is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: draftFirst version.5. List four steps in the project.
Show answer
Answer: Choose a topic, prepare questions, interview elders, write and revise.Any four.6. Why is it important to interview elders for this project?
Show answer
Answer: They hold knowledge of customs and history that may not be written anywhere.Oral knowledge.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Listening and Speaking
- Sub-strand
- Term Project
Introduction
Sharing your project lets others learn from your work and strengthens pride in your language and culture.
1. Presenting Your Project
- Greet the audience in your Ghanaian language.
- State your topic and why you chose it.
- Share the main points or read a short section.
- Use a proverb or short story to make your talk interesting.
- Thank the people who helped you.
- Answer questions from the class.
2. Evaluation Criteria
| Criterion | Question |
|---|---|
| content | Is the information accurate and interesting? |
| language | Are spelling, grammar and tones correct? |
| organisation | Is it clearly arranged? |
| respect | Does it respect the culture and those interviewed? |
| presentation | Was the speaker clear and confident? |
3. Giving Feedback
Listeners should give one strength and one suggestion in polite language. Speak in your Ghanaian language and use respectful expressions. Presenters should thank the audience and note ideas for improvement.
4. Preserving the Work
Good projects can be kept in the school library or displayed for parents. A collection of proverbs or stories from one community is a treasure for future learners. Your work helps to keep your language and culture alive.
5. Reflection
Write a short reflection: What did you learn about your culture? What was difficult? What would you do differently? Reflection helps you to learn from the whole experience.
6. Speaking with Confidence
Many learners feel nervous about presenting in public. Practise at home in front of family members, and know your first sentence by heart. Breathe slowly before you begin, look at your audience and speak at a steady pace. Remember that you are sharing something valuable: the wisdom of your own people. Speaking your language with pride is a powerful way of showing respect for your culture.
7. Thanking Your Helpers
End your presentation by thanking the elders and relatives who helped you. In Ghanaian culture, gratitude is an important value. You may also return to the elders to show them your finished work, which pleases them and honours their knowledge.
New words
- presentation
- Showing work to an audience.
- evaluate
- To judge the quality of work.
- preserve
- To keep something safe for the future.
- reflection
- Thinking carefully about an experience.
Summary
- Present your project clearly in your Ghanaian language.
- Evaluate content, language, organisation, respect and presentation.
- Good projects can be preserved for future learners.
Class activity: Project Fair
- Present your project to the class.
- Evaluate two classmates' projects.
- Write a short reflection on your work.
You need: Printed Ghanaian-language review cards, Exercise books, Pencils, Chalkboard, Chalk
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A presentation should begin with…
- A. a greeting
- B. the closing
- C. an apology for everything
- D. silence
Show answer
Answer: a greetingRespect.2. Which criterion checks spelling and tones?
- A. language
- B. organisation
- C. respect
- D. content
Show answer
Answer: languageAccuracy.3. Projects can be kept in the school library.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TruePreservation.4. To keep something safe for the future is to ______ it.
Show answer
Answer: preserveKeep.5. State four criteria for evaluating a project.
Show answer
Answer: Content, language, organisation, presentation (or respect).Any four.6. How does this project help to keep culture alive?
Show answer
Answer: It records knowledge from elders so future generations can learn it.Preservation.
Homework
- Write a reflection of about 100 words in your language on what you learned from the project.