This Study Work Guide has been compiled according to the requirements of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement of the Department of Basic Education for the prescribed text My Children! My Africa! for Grade 12 First Additional Language.

This guide will assist learners in their understanding of the text and their preparation for examinations. It assumes that learners have a copy of the prescribed text at hand as it refers to this text and supplements it with additional literary concepts applicable to the genre and more contextual questions according to cognitive levels.

It comprises in-depth discussions and contextual questions of each of the following:
Section A: Background information
About My Children! My Africa!
About Athol Fugard
What is a drama?
The drama script
The drama performance
Important dramatic features of My Children! My Africa!
Historical background to My Children! My Africa!
The State of Emergency
The dawn of democracy
The education crisis of the eighties
Extract 1: Revealing Mr M’s opinion
Extract 2: Revealing Thami’s opinion
The newspaper report that served as the inspiration for the play
Fugard’s motivation for writing the play
Section B: Character summary

Mr Anela Myalata + extra notes
Thami Mbikwana + extra notes
Isabel Dyson + extra notes
Section C: Scene-by-scene summary of the play

Act 1 Scene 1: The great debate
Act 1 Scene 2: Isabel’s first monologue
Act 1 Scene 3: Invitation to the quiz
Act 1 Scene 4: Mr M’s first monologue
Act 1 Scene 5: Thami and Isabel practise for the quiz
Act 1 Scene 6: Thami’s monologue
Act 2 Scene 1: Thami decides to join the boycott
Act 2 Scene 2: Mr M’s second monologue
Act 2 Scene 3: Mr M is killed
Act 2 Scene 4: Isabel confronts Thami
Act 2 Scene 5: Isabel’s second monologue
Section D: Plot summary revision

Section E: Literature examination