Afrikaans FAL Reading and Translation Activity for Children: James the Monkey

Afrikaans FAL Reading and Translation Activity for Children: James the Monkey

Looking for a fun Afrikaans FAL reading activity for children? This illustrated bilingual story poster about James the Monkey helps learners practise Afrikaans reading, vocabulary, comprehension and translation in an enjoyable way.

James is a mischievous little monkey who lives near the gate of a wildlife park. When he tries to steal food from tourists, he learns an important lesson about making good choices, honesty and respect for others.

Afrikaans Story Poster: James the Monkey

Begin by showing learners the Afrikaans poster. Read the story together, explain unfamiliar words and encourage the learner to talk about what James does in each picture.

Four-panel Afrikaans FAL story poster showing James the monkey learning not to steal food from wildlife park tourists.


English Story Poster: James the Monkey

After reading the Afrikaans version, show the English poster. Give the learner time to focus on another short activity before returning to the story. This helps learners recall vocabulary rather than simply copying the text they have just seen.

Four-panel English story poster showing James the monkey learning not to steal food from wildlife park tourists.

How to use this Afrikaans translation activity

This resource works well for Afrikaans FAL learners, parents, tutors, teachers and homeschool families. It can be used in an online lesson, a classroom or as a speaking and reading activity at home.

  1. Show the learner the Afrikaans poster and read the story aloud together.
  2. Discuss the pictures, characters, setting and new Afrikaans vocabulary.
  3. Show the English version and let the learner compare the meaning of the story.
  4. Do a different short activity for a few minutes, such as a vocabulary game or oral question.
  5. Show the Afrikaans poster again and ask the learner to translate parts of the story into English.
  6. Show the English poster and ask the learner to translate sentences back into Afrikaans.
  7. Ask comprehension questions about James’s choices and the lesson he learns.

Why bilingual posters help Afrikaans learners

Visual stories make language learning less intimidating. Learners can use the illustrations to understand meaning, remember vocabulary and build confidence before answering in Afrikaans or English.

Using both versions of the poster also develops:

  • Afrikaans reading comprehension
  • English-to-Afrikaans translation skills
  • Afrikaans-to-English translation skills
  • Vocabulary and sentence-building ability
  • Speaking confidence and discussion skills
  • Understanding of values such as honesty and responsible choices

Questions to ask learners

  • Waar woon James?
  • Wat probeer James by die toeriste afneem?
  • Hoe voel James nadat die wag met hom praat?
  • Waarom is dit verkeerd om te steel?
  • What lesson did James learn?
  • Can you translate one sentence from the Afrikaans poster into English?
  • Can you translate one sentence from the English poster into Afrikaans?


More Afrikaans FAL resources

I create colourful Afrikaans and English learning posters based on school topics and children’s interests. These resources are designed to keep learners engaged while practising reading, comprehension, vocabulary, speaking and translation.

Explore my blog for more Afrikaans FAL activities, bilingual learning resources, Afrikaans reading material, children’s stories and online Afrikaans tutoring support.

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