JEFFREYS BAY WIND FARM’S LITERACY PROGRAMME CELEBRATE SUCCESS

Twenty-four Grade R teachers, who form part of the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm’s Literacy Programmes, have completed an in-depth early language and literacy programme.

The programme, which is fully compliant with CAPS and kicked off a year ago, supports Grade R teachers to develop the knowledge and skills needed to teach oral language and emergent literacy effectively.

“Oral language and literacy foundations are critical for school learning, with evidence clearly showing how children who have more developed language and literacy capabilities when they start Grade 1, go on to become better readers and writers. This is one of the key motivations behind our support of this programme, as it not only offers theory, but provides Grade R teachers with the crucial skills to develop young children through a fun, story-based, activity-rich programme,” explained Hlengiwe Radebe, Economic Development Director for Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm.

The Wordworks STELLAR early language and literacy development programme, stands for ‘strengthening teaching of early language and literacy in Grade R’. The twenty-four teachers were required to attend reflective workshops and training sessions over the course of a year. The programme content is implemented between workshops and experiences shared with each other, as the course progressed over the course of the year.

“Working with the programme has given me new insight when it comes to storytelling. There are interactive activities that reaches a wider audience in class and as each child is different there is something appealing for everyone. The songs and stories immediately catch the children’s attention, as they listen with great expectation as to what will happen next. The programme has also made it possible for me to bridge the language barrier in my classroom because children learn new words in Afrikaans, Xhosa and English,” commented Grade R teacher, Amorita May, Sea Vista Primary.

Teaching materials included stories, large-format books, puppets, sequence pictures, activity guidelines, tips and ideas, resources and much more. What’s more, materials are available in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa, making it ideal for schools in the Eastern Cape.

This programme is very comprehensive and supportive, as STELLAR trainers work alongside Grade R teachers for a period of six months. They facilitate interactive learning through hands-on activities, report-back and group discussions, and a non-judgmental environment designed to build confidence in the instructors and their students.