Supporting transition or playing catch-up in Grade 4? Implications for standards in education and training
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Date
2014
Authors
Pretorius, Elizabeth J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education, University of the Free State
Abstract
This paper describes an intervention programme that was originally intended to
support transition to English as language of learning and teaching (LoLT) in Grade 4 in
a township school, using a pre- and post-test design. Because the pre-tests revealed
very poor literacy levels in both Zulu home language and English, the intervention
programme was modified in an attempt to fast-track the learners to literacy levels
more appropriate to their grade. This paper outlines the intervention, presents the
pre- and post-test results of the English literacy assessments, reflects on the effects of
the intervention, and briefly considers some of the reasons for the initial poor literacy
performance. Finally, a model for literacy development in high-poverty contexts is
proposed to minimise the need to play catch-up in the Intermediate Phase.
Description
Keywords
Literacy, Decoding, Comprehension, Grade 4, Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase, High-poverty schools
Citation
Pretorius, E. J. (2014). Supporting transition or playing catch-up in Grade 4? Implications for standards in education and training. Perspectives in Education: Standards in education and training: the challenge, 32(1), 51-76.