THE READING PLAN South African Principal’s Association 27 August 2013

PURPOSE To request the NCF to note : –the reading plan has been developed as a response to the core recommendations that were made on reading in the Ministerial Audit Reading report and the NEEDU and PIRLS reports; and –provincial progress on reading.

OVERVIEW COMMENTS The DBE and the PEDs concur with the findings in the reports. The recommendations made in the reports are part of the DBE and PEDs plans and therefore will be intensified. The focus on reading is the key strategic lever for improvement of performance and a reading plan has therefore been finalised and is being implemented by provinces. The reading and literacy requirements in CAPS have been up fronted in the Reading plan..

Research Reports on Reading 1.Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study(PIRLS) 2.National Education Evaluation and Development Unit(NEEDU) 3.Ministerial Reading Audit Report 4

PIRLS Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (2001 to 2011) 5

REFLECTIONS RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? Improve quality of reading instruction in schools whilst attending to the LiEP 1.Workbooks in Grades R to 3 in all African languages 2.Ongoing support for reading instruction (CAPS orientation; support documents; and targeted training to underperforming schools 1.Targeted in-service teacher training in all African languages (TD plan) 2.Training programmes for SMT’s on curriculum implementation and management (PDEs) Schools must be adequately to well resourced and well managed 1.National Catalogue (Grades 1-12) 2.Workbooks in Grades R to 6 1.Classroom library in primary schools 2.Increase the number of centralised school libraries

REFLECTIONS... RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Improve literacy levels in rural communities 1.Kha Ri Gude – adult literacy programme with focus on rural areas. 2.Provincial partnerships with NGOs (eg mobile libraries); ASIDI schools (media centres) 1.Intensify and introduce family literacy programmes in rural communities (PDEs) 2.Access to ICT reading support materials Pockets of excellence to achieve higher performance levels. 1.Targets are set at school level, depending on previous achievements (ANA) 1.Identify and incentivise schools of excellence 2.National reading and spelling competitions Continued and close monitoring of reading literacy in all languages 1.ANA, SACMEQ and PIRLS analysis 1.Implementation of national reading assessment with clear benchmarks for different grades, ages in all languages

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2012 NEEDU ANNUAL REPORT

LANGUAGE RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Commission the writing of graded sets of reading materials for the nine official African languages. 1.The DBE produces a National Catalogue 2.Sepedi Graded Readers and Setswana Big Books have been developed. 1.Catalogue of textbooks which includes readers for FAL. 2.Special Call for books in categories for which there are no books on the existing catalogue. 3.Develop Graded Readers and Big Books for the Foundation Phase; Core Readers and Graded Readers for the Intermediate Phase at FAL 4.Engage in around-table discussion with providers

LANGUAGE... RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? Language standardisation Language standardisation has been effected in the development of :  CAPS; the Foundation Phase documents  the Foundation Phase Workbooks  the Annual National Assessments. 1.Set up a Language Task Team that will research language standardisation of the 9 African languages and develop:  a glossary of terminology  guidelines to strengthen teaching and learning in the 9 African languages

LANGUAGE... RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Language standardisation  DBE Workbooks  National Catalogue has a prescribed list of Big Books, Graded Readers, Phonics Programmes in all official Languages at the Home Language level. 1.Commission a team of African language children’s authors and NGO’s to produce high quality Big Books, Graded Readers and an anthology of children’s stories, poems and rhymes for Grades R to 3 in the 9 African Languages. 2.Develop a standardised phonics programmes 3.Develop digital reading materials

LANGUAGE... RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? Programmes for improving the proficiency of teachers and learners in their chosen LOLT and FAL. Provinces investigate such programmes. Led by Subject Advisors. 1.Implementation of the Teacher Development Framework with focus on priority subjects and underperforming schools 2.DBE has begun a programme in EFAL for FP teachers. 1.Accredited CPTD programmes to strengthen teacher’s proficiency in LoLT and FAL 2.Recruitment of coaches who are proficient in the LoLT and FAL 3.Tighter monitoring of quality and quantity of programmes by DBE and PEDs and provision of EFAL for IP, SP and FET programmes at all levels.

AFRICAN LANGUAGES RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? The current shortage of African language teachers indicates that implementation should occur with caution, and only when teachers are available. 1.Policy Framework for Teacher Training and development 2.Planning for incremental introduction of African Languages in Accredited CPTD programmes in African languages to be offered to Foundation Phase teachers in the system. 2.Plans in place for orientation of teachers for IIAL and on-going support.

WORKBOOKS RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? The DBE workbook programme should be continued. 1.As per the plan, workbooks are continuing for the next three years. 2.For 2013 academic year workbooks delivered 3.Available in Braille in the African languages. 4.First Additional Language level for African languages and Afrikaans 1.Increasing number of workbooks 2.Introduction of digital Workbooks ( ASIDI schools) 3.Audio clips of Workbooks content on CD and DVD, IPOD (EFAL in multi-grade schools)

WORKBOOKS (2) RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? Workbooks should be assessed against the curriculum and amended 1.Books have been screened and aligned to CAPS 1.Reference team meets annually to improve the quality of the workbooks Teacher guides should be developed 1.Teacher guide has been developed and will be used for training of district officials 1.Teacher training workshops have commenced Learners should work systematically through the workbooks 1.Forms part of the monitoring 2.Structure of the workbooks facilitate easy reference 1.Intensify monitoring and reporting.

READING RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Children to read at least one book per week; classes have at least readers available 1.Included in reading plan 1.Establishment of a classroom libraries in primary schools Mathematics textbook in the Foundation Phase 1.Part of the national catalogue 1.Intensify monitoring and reporting.

ANA RecommendationWhat is being done? What will be done? Use of the ANA scores to help schools undertake useful item analysis 1.Diagnostic analysis and remedial plans formed basis of Road shows conducted 2.Make available on websites and distributed to schools 1.Intensify monitoring

Ministerial Reading Audit Report Overview: Ministerial Reading Audit Team was appointed to investigate the implementation of reading programmes across provinces. The mandate given to the Audit Team was to go beyond a catalogue of what is being done and to analyse and identify the different kinds of support needed to strengthen reading programmes across the system. 18

Findings and Recommendations RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Teacher training and support programmes to be accelerated Foundation Phase/ IP/SP teachers trained on reading methodologies prescribed in CAPS Focussed reading workshops on reading methodologies and writing in underperforming districts Optimal utilisation of the DBE Workbooks Teacher manuals have been developed to enable usage of Workbooks Teacher training workshops on effective use of DBE Workbooks (class visits to monitor usage)

Findings and Recommendations RecommendationWhat is being done?What will be done? Curriculum Advisors should be trained on CAPS content(reading methodologies and skills) Curriculum advisors have been trained on CAPS content and reading methodologies 1.Capacitation programmes for curriculum advisors Provisioning of quality reading resources National Catalogue of prescribed resources for Grades 1 to 12 and DBE workbooks Monitor LTSM procurement processes used in provinces

READING PLAN AND READING INTERVENTIONS 21

READING PLAN FOR GRADES R TO 12 Purpose: To improve literacy and reading outcomes in Grades R to 12 by monitoring and supporting the delivery of reading and literacy programmes at classroom level and to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the school, district, province and DBE with regard to supporting reading interventions.

Roles and Responsibilities ClassroomSchoolDistrictProvinceDBE Frequency of reading Lessons Teaching Methodologies Curriculum coverage as per CAPS Use of reading resources Reading Assessments Classroom libraries Monitor classroom lessons Provisioning and Utilisation of resources School and classroom libraries Reading events and festivals School based support programmes Monitor utilisation and provisioning of resources Reading Assessments Reading norms Conduct Reading and Writing Workshops LTSM Procurement procedures Reading Assessments Reading norms Monitor and evaluate reading interventions as per reading plan

Monitoring Reading Intervention s Provinces have been requested to submit quarterly reading reports on the last Tuesday of every term. The reporting is being done on these :four pillars 1.Provisioning and utilization of reading resources 2.Monitoring and evaluation(accountability) 3.Advocacy and Communication 4.Library and Information Services 24

Eastern Cape Provisioning and utilization of reading resources FAL Guidelines developed and distributed to all districts Teaching and Learning Resource booklet developed with ITEC for HL isiXhosa FP schools Classroom libraries established in most schools LTSM provided as per CAPS requirements for Grades R to 12 Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring tool being developed to collect evidence of interventions Quarterly reading and literacy assessments Reading norms( specify number of books read and words learnt for R to 3) Communication and advocacy Use of reading clubs, reading festivals Library and Information Systems Mobile libraries in a few districts, new libraries and media centres in ASIDI schools Book exhibitions

Gauteng Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Exceeded CAPS requirements for reading resource provisioning in H/Language, FAL and African languages in Grades R to 12 Monitoring and evaluation Frequency of reading and literacy lessons CAPS literature norms for Grades 7 to 12 Communication and advocacy Reading booklet for parents, homework support policy Library and Information Systems National Guidelines for library Services distributed to all schools Trolley libraries and mobile libraries, utilization municipal libraries

FREE STATE Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Provided Reading Resources as per CAPS requirements for grades R to 12 to all schools Monitoring and evaluation Conduct school visits in underperforming districts Reading norms as per CAPS requirements for Grades 1 to12 Administer quarterly assessments Communication and advocacy MoU with Dept of Arts and Culture host jointly Provincial Spelling Bee Competitions and Literacy Events Library and Information Systems: Budget of R6m for library resources 27

KwaZulu Natal Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Big Books, Graded Readers to all FP classes Charts procured for schools Manual on How to develop and implement a reading programme developed Reading Strategy document distributed to all schools Communication and advocacy KZN Literacy calendar issued to schools Teachers encouraged to join the Reading Association of KwaZulu- Natal

Limpopo Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Big Books, readers and FP CDs with stories in indigenous languages, English readers for Grades 4-7 Roles and responsibilities and accountability across the system Training and support by province and district Research monitoring and evaluation Monitoring and evaluation through sampling of schools by all levels Communication and advocacy Strategy shared with District Heads and Curriculum advisors

Mpumalanga Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Provided Reading Resources as per CAPS requirements for grades R to 12 to all schools Monitoring and evaluation Monthly and quarterly assessments assessments were administered at schools in March/June 2013 Reading and literacy norms as per CAPS requirements Communication and advocacy Radio talk shows on reading for GET and FET Reading and Literacy festivals

Northern Cape Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Provided reading resources for Grades R to 12 as per CAPS requirements Monitoring and evaluation Conduct school visits in underperforming districts Reading norms as per CAPS requirements for Grades 1 to12 Administer quarterly assessments Communication and advocacy Launched the Provincial Literacy Strategy on the 31 May Communicated the strategy to SGB members, principals and teachers. Library and Information Systems NGOs: Rally to Read, Sanparks Mobile Libraries,BREADLINE AFRICA PROJECT, BIBLIONEEF

North West Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Teachers using workbooks for shared reading Research monitoring and evaluation Area offices using analysis of quarterly assessments to give support to schools especially in 5 poor performing schools per Area Communication and advocacy Reading competitions in some Areas

Western Cape Provisioning and utilization of reading resources Exceeded CAPS requirements for reading resource provisioning in H/Language, FAL and African languages in Grades R to 12 Monitoring and evaluation Frequency of Reading programmes as per CAPS requirements in Grades R to 12 Conduct internal annual systemic assessments Reading norms set by schools Library and Information Systems The orientation of district officials, principals and teachers on the implementation of the NGSLIS (National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services) has been started.

WAY FORWARD Develop National Reading baseline tests using EGRA model. Establish National Reading norms based on national and international reading studies Monitor provisioning and utilization of reading resources Provide ongoing training and support for reading instruction Work closely with partners to intensify support for reading programmes in the system

THANK YOU 35