A fun-filled and fast-paced programme is now assisting Gr. R and Gr. 1 teachers in the Northern Cape to improve the learning outcomes of learners across the province.
The Jolly Phonics project has been launched in middle May in the Northern Cape by the province’s Department of Education, and Universal Learning Solutions, a not-for-profit organisation.
Jolly Phonics is a proven, fast-track English literacy scheme that teaches the sounds of the alphabet in a fun, multi-sensory and child-centred manner, explained Dr. Daisy Reddy, the country’s director responsible for training, implementation, and support of the programme.
Through the use of amongst other the combination of songs, locally adapted learning materials and actions, primary school learners get to learn how to identify the sounds and blend them together to make words.
Operating in over 100 countries, the methodology of Jolly Phonics emphasises the teaching of letter sounds rather than the traditional alphabet, utilizing 42 phonic building blocks. Through blending and segmenting, children decode the English language from an early age, laying a robust foundation for lifelong literacy.
Evidence from across Africa highlights how Jolly Phonics leads to significant improvements in the literacy levels of learners.
The whole project is overseen by Universal Learning Solutions who have now trained over 200 000 persons in Jolly Phonics across Africa, making the project the largest literacy project in the continent.
Teachers mentored online after initial training
The scaling up of the project in the Northern Cape comes after a successful pilot of Jolly Phonics in schools in the province in 2020.
The recent launch saw 650 teachers from across the five districts receiving two days training with Jolly Phonics resources.
The training and resources are donated freely by the publisher, Jolly Learning Ltd, as part of their philanthropic Jolly Futures programme.
Following the initial training, teachers are mentored in online platforms and monitored by representatives who are provided with an app to document their findings in the classroom.
A ”Jolly Lessons” app is also provided for parents, teachers and officials and can be downloaded freely on Google Play Store.
Reddy is grateful for the opportunity to support the early grade teachers in improving the reading skills in English.
Reddy said the Northern Cape Department of Education and Universal Learning Solutions are working with the Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley to assess the impact of the intervention, especially in Gr. R.
It is hoped that, should the method be shown to make significant impact, it will be scaled up across the province in the years ahead.
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