ORT SA CAPE improves literacy across South Africa

The ORT SA CAPE Literacy Development team took a great leap forward embarking on a training programme in Johannesburg.

Why? To share its insights and understanding of the challenges of getting young children to read with comprehension. Dr Lydia Abel and Karen Kaimowitz trained 120 Teachers from as far afield as Rustenburg’s Bafokeng community and Limpopo, together with teachers from King David, Pridwin, Yeshiva College and many more over two days at ORT SA’s Samson STEM Academy.

Dr. Mashaba (Foundation Phase coordinator, Limpopo) said: “This Wheel is one strategy that teachers can use effectively wherever they are. It summarises the steps they should use to follow the reading process as set out in CAPS”

Romy Ancer (Remedial Specialist) added: “I teach struggling readers and this wheel makes it concrete and alive for the learners — teaching the skills for comprehension wonderfully.”

ORT SA (Gauteng) has historically looked towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) education subjects in its training in Gauteng, but this collaboration with ORT SA CAPE created an opportunity to expand into reading and literacy development in Gauteng.

The two-day programme was offered under the auspices of the Mama Ca Reading Project. The Schwab, Lyons and Frank families started this project in memory of Carol Schwab, a reading teacher of some 45 years, “to give children, from all walks of life, access to books, and train their teachers so that children learn to read with understanding, meaning and critical thinking”.

The Literacy Wheel, developed by ORT SA CAPE has been used effectively in both rural and urban schools. The Literacy Wheel is a fun, game-like activity where learners can work independently or in groups. Its focus on the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How questions promotes the development of reading with understanding and intentional writing. It encompasses all the key thinking strategies that good readers use to understand text, offering learners’ multiple opportunities to practice.

ORT SA CAPE empowers children and teachers in disadvantaged communities, through education development and intervention at key stages in their education journey.

For more information on our work please contact
Karen Kaimowitz on 021 448 8516
or karen@ortsacape.org.za.

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