Reflections and Evaluations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A study of the Emergent Literacy Project roll out in the Western Cape

In 2015 the Curriculum Directorate of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) partnered with Wordworks to take its Emergent Literacy Project (ELIT) to Grade R classrooms across the eight education districts of the Western Cape. ELIT incorporates the STELLAR Programme (Strengthening Teaching of Early Language and Literacy in Grade R) which Wordworks developed, implemented and refined over several years.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to deliver findings which illuminate the effectiveness of the Emergent Literacy ‘cascaded training with support’ dissemination model. By drawing on the key implementers’ (the WCED subject advisors and lead teachers) accounts of the roll out, the research seeks to provide insights for future dissemination, refinement or replication of the ELIT project or similar large-scale training interventions in state primary schooling.

Read this report here.

 

 

CareUp Evaluation Report

The CareUp project is a mobile communication intervention initiated by the Department of Social Development in the Western Cape, and jointly funded by the DSD-WC and Innovation Edge. It targets both practitioners at Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres working with classes of 4 to 5-year old children; and parents of the children in their class. CareUp aims to support quality communication between the parent, caregivers and their children.

Read the executive summary of the evaluation report here.

 

 

 

EWC RCL Foods Worcester project evaluation (2016)

This report documents an evaluation of the Every Word Counts programme (EWC) in Worcester, Western Cape, a partnership between Wordworks and the Foundation for Community Work (FCW) funded by RCL Foods. The evaluation aimed firstly to assess whether the model of delivery had effectively deepened participants’ understanding of early learning and language development, taught participants practical skills and activities and enabled participants to apply what they had learned; and secondly, how well the delivery and support model was working.

Read this report here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections on whether reading programmes improve reading ability (2016)

The role of monitoring and evaluation in six South African reading programmes

This article focuses on six reading programmes, (including the Wordworks Ready, Steady…Read and Write Programme) and asks: Do these programmes work insofar as they improve the reading ability of programme participants? Denver Grigg, et al Journal article.

Read this report here. (Scroll down in PDF)

 

 

 

Reflections on the Home-School Partnership Programme (2015)

screen-shot-2016-11-23-at-2-38-17-pmHome-School Partnership Programme Evaluation Report 2015

This evaluation aims to distil ways of supporting informal learning at home, drawing from the Home-School Partnership Programme. In order to do this, HSPP collected and reflected on extensive feedback from key partners and beneficiaries, teacher-facilitators, classroom teachers and parents, collected during 2015.

Read this report here.

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections on the Home-School Partnership Programme (2013)

screen-shot-2016-11-27-at-4-10-49-pmLessons on creating scale for an early language and literacy skills development programme
In this short article Wordworks shares  the lessons learned while scaling-up the Home- School Partnership (HSP) programme.  There is strong evidence of the positive impact that the programme has on parents, caregivers and teachers, and, through them, children – this learning brief might thus be well worth the read for other early literacy and ECD programmes.

 

 

Reflections on Ready Steady Read Write!

Vscreen-shot-2016-11-23-at-2-27-35-pmolunteer-driven literacy programmes in schools: Why parents and teachers join, and why they stay

To ensure that more children learn to read and write successfully, there is a need for early literacy interventions that support young children and for programmes that equip caregivers to become more involved. Wordworks’ experience sheds light on factors that draw volunteers into programmes and help sustain their involvement over time.

 
 
 

Read this report here.

 

Academic studies

These are unpublished postgraduate theses and published journal articles that have explored an aspect of Wordworks’ programmes in supporting early language and literacy.