Our Early Literacy Programmes

Wordworks offers five main programmes, which are used by our network of partners which include preschools, schools, libraries, community organisations, training and resource NGOs, tertiary institutions, education districts and other government departments.

• Every Word Counts (0–5 years): Trainers are equipped to train and resource:
– Home visitors and community workers to strengthen the early language and literacy component of their work with families
and caregivers.
– ECD practitioners to build language-rich, interactive learning environments and to reach out to parents and caregivers to
support language and literacy learning at home.
• Little Stars programme (4–5 years): Trainers are equipped to train and resource pre-Grade R teachers and to strengthen their
teaching of language and early literacy through a series of carefully-scaffolded, story-based teaching cycles.
• Stellar Home Language programme (5–6 years): Trainers are equipped to train and resource Grade R teachers to strengthen their
teaching of language and early literacy through a series of carefully-scaffolded, story-based teaching cycles, and to reach out to
parents and caregivers to support language learning at home.
• Home–School Partnerships programme (5–8 years): Foundation Phase and Learning Support Teachers are equipped to facilitate eight weekly workshops of 2½ hours each, to empower and inspire parents and caregivers to support informal learning at home.
• TIME programme (5–8 years): This programme is for parents, caregivers and tutors of children in Grade R and Grade 1. It consists of carefully developed, CAPS aligned activities that can be used at home and in after-school programmes to build language and maths foundations.

Our programmes are sustained through ongoing relationships with Wordworks, including refresher training and events, input and guidance, access to resources and opportunities, sharing of learning, and support for programme monitoring and evaluation. We support a growing network of individuals, schools, organisations and institutions that promote the importance of, and work for, the improvement of children’s early language and literacy, through their association with our programmes and materials.

We develop, produce and distribute innovative, high quality multilingual materials (see Get Resources) to support early language and literacy learning. We invest in public education and advocacy, sharing knowledge and ideas so as to open doors for all our children.