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E-Readers With No Apps Help Spread Literacy

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 03 Nov 2011   |   

We often talk about the power of the Internet to spread knowledge and information globally, to make digital content accessible and affordable. But as we’re also often caught up in the “latest and greatest” gadgetry, sometimes we overlook that broad promise of global education and accessibility.

Such is the case, one might argue, with the news last week from Common Sense Media about the so-called “app gap” — the disparity between children in low-income and higher income families and their access to mobile applications.

There’s little denying that the popularity of mobile devices — Androids and iPhones and tablets — has afforded a concurrent explosion in exciting new educational apps. The touchscreen screens, the accelerometers, the size, and the portability of these devices has enabled whole new genres of software and of imaginative and educational gameplay.

But if we focus on the “app gap” — those who have iPads and those who do not — are we ignoring or obscuring other aspects of the digital divide? Are we overlooking the potential for widespread dissemination of and access to information by rushing to prioritize that information bundled in the shiniest new package?

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National Book Week to Mark a New Culture of Reading in SA

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 08 Sep 2011   |   

January 8 2012, the beginning of the year-long celebrations of the centenary of the ANC, is around the proverbial corner. In spite of what agenda might be brewing in some hideous crucible to attempt to destroy the ANC or besmirch its image, Africa, the diaspora and the rest of the international community are busy with preparations to celebrate the centenary in solidarity with the ANC and South Africa.

What does our National Book Week have to do with the above? It is worth noting that the first secretary-general of the ANC, Solomon T Plaatje, was a major literary figure, a prominent translator and an outstanding publicist, to name just a few of his contributions to the development of our culture. And that is an integral part of our heritage.

But even before the existence of the book, storytellers were the custodians of a people’s collective experience and memory, which informed and influenced their cultural values. In short, even before the book, literature was, and remains, a major repository of a people’s memory and cultural values, one of the most important components of a people’s heritage.

So at what point are we today in relation to literacy and the reading habits required to open “the doors of learning and culture”?

It is not a secret that reading is not anywhere near being one of our favourite national pastimes. For instance, in Soweto, the largest township in the land, there are more spots where people spend many hours and a lot of money drinking than there are libraries where people could spend time developing and recreating themselves to be more productive members of society.

Alcohol abuse is a national problem and concern for those who care about the health of the nation.

The young, and others not so young, are more familiar with, and more readily excited by, trends in fashion and the whims of celebrities than they are with books and writers. They consume more fashion than knowledge and culture, a friend and colleague of mine observes.

One of the shops selling designer clothes at Maponya Mall, in Soweto, is among the more profitable ones in Gauteng, I’m told. Yet (it makes you want to holler from the rooftops), the first shop to shut down at that mall was a bookstore!

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Kenyan Youths Raise Literacy Levels

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 23 May 2011   |   

Nairobi—Samuel Macharia Kago, Scofield Awiti Muliru and Sophie Ngele Njaramba sought to be the change they wanted to see in their society. The final year Anthropology students at the University of Nairobi hatched an initiative called Literate Kenya that will seek to address and bridge gaps in the education sector through various programmes. The idea behind Literate Kenya is making a difference through education which is amplified in their Vision: Learn to make a difference.

This comes at a time when literacy levels in Africa are wanting. Over the past years the literacy levels in the continent of about one billion people has improved but by a slight margin. The lower literacy level can be attributed to several factors, such as availability as well as accessibility of education facilities and resources, a poor reading culture, political instability in states such as Liberia, South Sudan as well as the socio-cultural context of a people. The initiative is about youths helping other youths and not waiting for the government to affect their lives; it is driven by the urge about doing something to change the situation. Literate Kenya programmes are based on issues such as: Education, Peer Education on issues of sexual responsibility. Girl Child Absenteeism, Environment conservation, Incorporation of Information Technology into the education system and Relief aid. This year the Initiative is undertaking two main projects: The Books Drive and the Hanger Project.

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FunDza Literacy Trust Donates Books to Masiphumelele Library

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 13 Apr 2011   |   

FunDza Literacy Trust donates books to the Masiphumelele Library

The FunDza Literacy Trust was launched yesterday, April 11, at a vibrant gathering at the Masiphumelele Library. FunDza donated 10 copies of the novel Broken Promises, published by Cover2Cover, to the library. The centre was packed with about 100 people eager to hear about FunDza and learn more about the book.

Some teens involved in the Ikhamva Youth programme that operates from the Masiphumelele Library had already had a sneak preview of the book and acted out scenes from the book at the launch.

Broken Promises, written by acclaimed author Ros Haden, is the first book in Cover2Cover’s Harmony High series. Jealous in Jozi, the sequel to Broken Promises is on the way, as are Too young to Die by Sivuyile Mazantsi, and Sugar Daddy by popular children’s author, Dianne Case. The Harmony High books read like soap-opera paperbacks, dealing with teenage angst in a very readable and accessible way.

“The books are about a group of teenagers who attend a fictitious township high school called Harmony High. They are like teen soapies: full of drama, romance, intrigue and some difficult choices our heroes and heroines have to make. They are page turners that will keep you hooked from the first chapter until the end. Once you’ve read one, you’ll want to read more,” says Haden.

Speaking on behalf of the FunDza Literacy Trust, Lebogang Rangaka emphasized to the many young people attending the importance of books and reading. She noted that the Masiphumelele youth were lucky to have a well-resourced library as a central part of their community, which provided them with a safe space in which to spend time, learn more and relax. She urged them to make use of the library and learn as much as possible about the world and to take responsibility for their own education – to question as much as possible and to become critical thinkers.

Rangaka launched the FunDza Literacy Trust’s mobile initiative – FunDza – which aims to build a mobile community of readers and improve literacy among the youth in SA. FunDza encourages reader feedback and engagement to ensure that the materials that it provides – through Cover2Cover Books and other publishers – remain relevant.

Rangaka invited readers to become part of FunDza so that they could share ideas with other readers, discuss issues raised through the books, and engage with the writers and publishers of the books.

Readers can join the FunDza network by sending a please-call-me SMS to 072 924 2525.

Cover2Cover is owned by four Cape Town-based women – Ros Haden, Mignon Hardie, Dorothy Dyer and Palesa Morudu – who have combined their writing and business skills into this social entrepreneurship venture. The FunDza Literacy Trust is an equal shareholder in the company.

For more information please contact Lebogang Rangaka on 083 541 3172 or Mignon Hardie on 083 776 8753 or email mignon@cover2cover.co.za

ENDS/

Literacy Plans for South Africa Still on Track

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 09 Mar 2011   |   

The South African Literacy Campaign launched by Minister Naledi Pandor, is intended to enable 4,7 million adults to become literate between the 14 April 2008 and the end of 2012. It is through this campaign that the developmental state welcomes new learners to the portals of learning.

Kha ri gude, Tshivenda for let us learn, invites those adults who missed out on their schooling and who cannot read or write, to join one of about 20 000 literacy classes that will be held all over South Africa and which will start opening their doors on the 14 April.

The Kha ri Gude literacy campaign is a response to the call for a national campaign to end illiteracy among South African adults. As a programme of government, and as one of the Apex programmes announced by President Mbeki in his 2008 State of the Nation address, the Campaign can be seen as one of the important ways in which the developmental state prioritises the needs of the poor and addresses the right of all citizens to basic education in the official language/s of their choice.

The campaign, resulted from the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on Literacy and is intended to provide the opportunity for 4,7 million South Africans to become literate. Achieving this target would also mean that South Africa will have fulfilled its 2000 Dakar commitment — that of reducing illiteracy by 50% by 2015.

In order for a national programme of this magnitude to reach its target, the Campaign requires voluntary support from a wide range of people and organisations drawn from all sectors of society and across all provinces, who will assist in establishing learning sites around the country, help to recruit literacy volunteer educators and work with them to recruit learners

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Literacy Education Winter School Provisional Programme

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 02 Mar 2011   |   

DAY 1: MONDAY 11 JULY 2011

08:00 – 08:50 Registration and Morning Tea / Coffee
09:00 – 09:50 Opening and Welcome
Prof Sarah Gravett (Executive Dean: Faculty of Education, UJ)

Keynote Address
Mrs Palesa Tyobeka (DBE)
Dr Diane Parker (DHET)

10:00 – 11:55 Session 1
Research and Theory in Literacy Development – Part 1
Comprehension – why we learn to read in the first place
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

12:00 – 12:55 Lunch

13:00 – 14:25 Session 2
Title to follow
Dr Kerryn Dixon
University of the Witwatersrand

14:30 – 14:40 Tea Break

14:45 – 16:15 Session 3
Classroom Practices for Literacy Development – Part 1
Comprehension instruction is content instruction
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

16:30 – 18:00 Session 4 – Meeting
DHET/EU Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme

DAY 2: TUESDAY 12 JULY 2011
08:00 – 08:25 Registration and morning tea/coffee

08:30 – 09:25
Keynote Address
Prof Catherine Snow
Harvard Graduate School of Education
Title of keynote to follow

09:30 – 11:40 Session 5
Research and Theory in Literacy Development – Part 2
Vocabulary and background knowledge – the essence of learning
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

11:45 – 12:40 Lunch

12:45 – 14:10 Session 6
Emergent Biliteracy: Early Writing Development
Dr Carole Bloch, Ms Xolisa Guzula and Ms Ntombizanele
University of Cape Town

14:15 – 14:25 Tea Break

14:30 – 16:15 Session 7
Classroom Practices for Literacy Development – Part 2
Teaching vocabulary to students from 4 to 14
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

16:20 – 18:00 Session 8
(i) Working Group Report: Possible establishment of South African Early
Childhood Education Research Association
(ii) Meeting: DHET/EU Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY 13 JULY 2011
08:00 – 08:25 Morning tea/coffee

08:30 – 10:55 Session 9
Research and Theory in Literacy Development – Part 3
Alphabetic and automaticity – tools not goals
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

11:00 – 12:25 Session 10
Researching the Literacy Classroom
Prof Michael Samuel
University of KwaZulu – Natal
OR
Session 11
Methods and tools for initial literacy education research – Part 1
Prof Elizabeth Henning, and Dr Pinky Makoe, University of Johannesburg

12:30 – 13:25 Lunch

13:30 – 14:55 Session 12
Classroom Practices for Literacy Development – Part 3
How to teach letters, sounds and their relations
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

15:00 – 15:10 Tea Break

15:15 – 16:55 Session 13
Title to follow
Molteno Language and Literacy Project, Johannesburg
Presenter names to follow
OR

Session 14
Changing literacy practices in Foundation Phase classrooms:
Why, what and how?
Exploring models of change through literacy coaching
Prof Elizabeth Pretorius, University of South Africa

19:00 – Gala Dinner
-Launch of the EU Foundation Phase Teacher Education Programme
-Possible launch of the South African Early Childhood Education Research
Association

DAY 4: THURSDAY 14 JULY 2011
08:00 – 08:25 Morning tea/coffee

08:30 – 10:55 Session 15
Research and theory in literacy development – Part 4
1. Writing: from spelling to novels
2. Assessment and response to difficulties – when, why, and how
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

11:00 – 12:25 Session 16
Title to follow
Dr Ingrid Willenberg, Macquarie University, Sydney.

OR

Workshop Session 17
A systematic review of foundation phase teacher education research
Prof Cyril Julie, University of Western Cape, South Africa
12:30 – 13:25 Lunch

13:30 –14:55 Workshop Session 18
Classroom practices for literacy development – Part 4
Proven practices to support writing and to use writing in supporting reading

Assessment and using assessment data
Prof Catherine Snow, Prof Pamela Mason, and Prof Paola Uccelli
Harvard Graduate School of Education

15:00 – 15:10 Tea Break

15:15 – 16:55 Session 19 – Workshop
Aligning foundation phase teacher education programmes with the
policy on Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications
aligned with the Higher Education Qualifications Framework.
Dr Diane Parker and Dr Whitfield Green , Department of Higher Education and
Training – DHET

17:00 – 18:30 Session 20 – Meeting

DHET/EU Foundation phase teacher education programme

DAY 5: FRIDAY 15 JULY 2011
08:00 – 08:25 Morning tea/coffee
08:30 – 09:30 South African Early Childhood Education Research Association -
Election of committee members

09:30 – 11:00 Session 21

Methods and tools for initial literacy education research – Part 2
Prof Elizabeth Henning and Dr Pinky Makoe, University of Johannesburg,

OR

Session 22
Title of presentation to follow
Presenter name to follow
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa
11:05 – 12:25 Session 23
Title of presentation to follow

Prof Themane, University of Limpopo

OR

Literacy knowledge and practice standards for FP teacher preparation
programmes
Prof Carisma Nel (NWU)
12:30 – 13:25 Lunch

13:30 – 14:55 Session 24

Title of presentation to follow
Presenter name to follow
University of Pretoria, South Africa

15:00 – 15:30 Closing Session

• View Programme here

Cavendish Square Hosts 2011 Literacy Book Sale

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 24 Feb 2011   |   

SHOW US YOUR HEART THIS FEBRUARY AND SUPPORT CHILDREN’S LITERACY AND WESTERN CAPE AIDS/HIV NGO, WOLA NANI

WHEN: THURS 24th – SUN 27th FEBRUARY
WHERE: CENTRE COURT, CAVENDISH SQUARE
CELEBRITY CHILDREN’S BOOK READINGS:
SEE CHAD SAAIMAN & WINNIE THE POOH IN CENTRE COURT, SAT 26th FEBRUARY,
11:00 – 12:30
BOOK DRIVE: BRING YOUR OLD & UNUSED BOOKS IN DURING THE SALE TO BE DONATED TO WOLA NANI

• Visit Cavendish

The Little Hands Trust Brings Family and Community Literacy Conference

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 10 Jan 2011   |   

The Little Hands Trust is proud to announce the Family and Community Literacy Conference later this month. For more information read here.

This is a collaboration between BALID (the British Association of Literacy in Development), the British Council and PRAESA. If you are interested in attending the conference below, please contact us by sending a message for details and to see if there are places still available.

Common Goals, Shared Purpose:

Reading, Family Learning and the UPE Targets

24 and 25 January 2011

UCT, Cape Town, South Africa

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

MONDAY 24 JANUARY

MORNING

08.30 REGISTRATION

09.00 Welcome & Official Opening with Director, British Council, chaired by Professor Brian

Street, BALID President

10.00-10.15 Bilingual story Vulindlela Reading Club

10.15 Drs Carole Bloch and Neville Alexander, PRAESA Early Literacy Unit, Stories Across

Africa project (StAAf), UCT

‘Creating conditions for biliteracy development in community settings’

11.00 COFFEE/TEA BREAK with snacks

11.30 Video: Vulindlela Reading Clubs: Open the way through stories and books

Discussion

12.30 Lunch

AFTERNOON

14.00 Choice of 2 workshops, in a cafe style

a) Dr Ian Cheffy, SIL International, ‘Family learning in Cameroon’

b) PRAESA Early Literacy Unit: Xolisa Guzula, Ntombizanele Mahobe,

Nadeema Musthan

Strategies for sharing stories with children – telling and reading.

15.00 COFFEE/TEA BREAK with snacks

15.15 Choice of 2 workshops, in a cafe style

a) PRAESA Early Literacy Unit ‘Writing to make books – with and for children’

b) Joyce Nairuba, LABE, Uganda: ‘Family Literacy in Difficult Environments:

Lessons from Northern Uganda’

16.10 Plenary review of the day and report back from workshops, chaired by Professor

Brian Street

TUESDAY 25 JANUARY

MORNING

08.30 ARRIVING

Morning Session Chaired by Lesley Limage

09.00 Professor Brian Street of Kings College London, & BALID President

‘Publishing Local Stories as part of Family Learning’

10.00 Lyn Stefano Family Literacy Project ‘Exposing vulnerable children to stories and

books through an adult literacy programme’

11.00 COFFEE/TEA BREAK with snacks

11.30 Project Literacy, South Africa

‘Rush Home to Read: Lessons and Good Practice’

13.00 LUNCH

AFTERNOON

Afternoon Session Chaired by Juliet McCaffery, BALID

14.00 Information-Sharing Carousel Event: Short presentations by participating

organisations

Followed by Concluding Discussion

16.00 CONFERENCE ENDS

Zimbabwean Education Minister Unconvinced By 92 Percent Literacy Rate Claim

by Bontle on 06 Oct 2010   |   

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart says Zimbabweans must not mislead themselves into believing that the country has the highest literacy levels in Africa. In the recent United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) study, Zimbabwe overtook Tunisia as the country with the highest literacy rate on the continent at 92%.

Colltart said the UNDP relied on figures showing attendance at school for the first four years of formal education as indicators of literacy rates but the Grade VII results will be a more accurate indicator for Zimbabwe.

He gave an example of a recent survey among Grade V pupils in Manicaland which showed that there were “alarmingly low” rates of literacy.

Coltart said most of the pupils in the survey did not have Grade V literacy levels but had Grade I and II levels, a scenario he said most likely applied to all provinces in this country.

“Our education system is in a crisis and we need to do a lot of work to restore the quality of education for our children's sake,” he said.

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Liberia Sees First Batch of Female High School Graduates for 2010

by Bontle on 13 Sep 2010   |   

In a nation with Africa’s only female president, Liberian girls are outpaced by boys in educational enrolment, retention and completion rates from the earliest grades through university. Nationally, for every 10 boys in primary school there are nine girls; for every 10 boys in high school, there are fewer than seven girls, and in some rural high schools like Bopolu, there are none at all. Only 18 percent of girls who make it to high school graduate, compared with 25 percent of boys.

When students return to the classroom at Bopolu Central High School this year, there will be something not seen at the school since it reopened after Liberia’s long civil war: senior-class women.

Marking a milestone for a school struggling with a gender gap, eight girls are expected among Bopolu’s 24 seniors. While Bopolu’s primary grades are more gender-balanced, school attendance falls sharply after the mandatory first six years of instruction, most drastically among young women.

“I’m telling you that a single female has not graduated from this school,” said John V. Lombeh, the vice principal for instruction. “The good thing is that we are proud to announce to you that we will be having our first batch of females graduating from secondary school this new academic year.”

• Read the complete article at AllAfrica