Against the background of the recently published Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), Foundation and Intermediate Phase teachers participating in the VVOB-led Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are sharing ideas to support teaching reading among foundation and intermediate phase learners.
Reading crisis
The PIRLS 2016 results say 8 in 10 Grade four South Africa children cannot read for meaning in any language. The study tests students in 50 countries in the language they used in grade 1-3. The report also points to declining numbers of students reaching high levels of reading achievement.
Professional Learning Communities
These challenges are confirmed by experiences of the teachers participating in the PLCs. Teachers participating in twelve PLCs supported by VVOB, select the focus of their discussions and 11 of the 12 PLCs have chosen to focus on reading and related competencies.
The “Gogetter” - a PLC based in Motheo District in the Free State Province - met recently to share their approaches to teaching reading and the different strategies they use to support learners. Teachers are from different schools using sometimes different reading series. Apart from sharing their approaches to introduce words and sounds, members showcased games and activities they used to embed learning emphasizing the importance of repetition and consolidation. Strict adherence to the prescribed departmental pacesetters does not seem to allow for the necessary consolidation of words and sounds among learners and leads directly to the challenges highlighted by the PIRLS report according to some of the teachers.
Strategies to read for meaning
The use of volunteers in the reading class to allow for group teaching and individualised support for learners was raised as a strategy to deal with the large classrooms that are so common in South Africa. The importance of establishing a joy for reading very early was emphasized. The use of additional reading books must be encouraged to cultivate this joy of reading to turn our learners into life-long readers.
