Through this project we will train Early Childhood Practitioners to teach literacy and numeracy to 5 and 6 year old children in South Africa's poor communities. We will provide resources (educational toys and other learning materials) to equip them to implement our 'learning through play' philosophy in the classroom. Ongoing support by our dedicated field work team will ensure that teachers are motivated and confident to use the resources optimally in the classroom throughout the school year.
A crisis is currently plaguing South Africans - The effects are far-reaching and serious. From bustling cities to rural landscapes, this crisis does not discriminate and impacts people across our country regardless of age, race, gender or class. The crisis is illiteracy and the impact is most severe on our country's poorest citizens. Research indicates that despite the huge investment made by the SA government, the returns for basic education are poor. More work is required to change this.
KDF focuses on building strong foundations for learning through our literacy and numeracy program targeted at Early Childhood Development teachers and 5-6 year old children. We've developed a structured program aligned to the 'learning through play' philosophy which includes: Training of Foundation Phase teachers; provision of learning resources (educational toys and equipment); and providing ongoing support to teachers to ensure successful classroom implementation and continuous learning.
Good reading skills enable children to learn more than their teachers might offer and it enables them to learn independently. The value of literacy extends beyond the classroom and children are equipped with the knowledge skills and confidence to participate actively in society. An inability to read means that many children never get a firm grip on foundation phase learning and fall behind. This program lays the foundation for children's cognitive, behavioural and social growth through play.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
