Opportunity 6: Reflection and Analysis
The power of engaging around stories: Evidence from the Biblionef and Western Cape Education Department Book Project
South Africa’s foundation phase reading is in crisis. As evidenced by studies such as the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), 78% of Grade 4 students cannot read for meaning in any language. Several South African NGOs are trying to address this fracture in our education system. In 2016, book donation organisation Biblionef […]
Posted on 16 Jan 2019
We do have solutions for SA’s reading crisis
The national senior certificate results are an important annual benchmark of the state of education. In 2017, they showed some improvement, with a pass rate of 75%. But they have two major limitations. First, they reflect only the achievement of that half of school-leavers who actually wrote the grade 12 exams. The other half had […]
Posted on 16 Mar 2018
Creating a Story-Powered Nation
“Reading opens up new worlds. It gives us power – to learn new things, tell our own stories, and shape our futures”. [Extract from a Story-Powered Nation] At DGMT we often talk about the importance of reading, of ensuring that children are ready to read when they go to school. We believe it is a key […]
Posted on 7 Sep 2017
How to make sense of mother-tongue instruction debates
Many parents find the debates about mother-tongue instruction very confusing. All they want to know is “what is best for my child”? Is it better to introduce English sooner or later? Will my child get mixed up if she learns more than one language at the same time? Is it best to send her to […]
Tags: Early literacy Development, reading
Posted on 2 May 2017
Your Mandela Day to-do list: Grow empathy, connect to others, take action – but choose wisely
The message behind Mandela Day is that we all have the ability and responsibility to change the world for the better. In theory many people agree with this sentiment, judging from the 2.8K likes that a Nelson Mandela quote like “our society needs to re-establish a culture of caring” can garner on the Nelson Mandela […]
Tags: Early Childhood Development, Mandela Day
Posted on 18 Jul 2016
“Your child is also my child” – becoming part of an “army of adults” reading to children
First published by the Sowetan on 2 June 2016. We often hear about South Africa’s dismal education outcomes and low literacy rates. We have also been hearing that early literacy, reading for joy, and growing up around books can change the life trajectories of individuals and dramatically improve our society. Yet we hear much less […]
Tags: Creative Learners, Early literacy, Funda Leader, Nal'ibali, Reading for enjoyment
Posted on 8 Jun 2016
The “ordinary magic” that can change a child’s future
This article was first published in the Star on 9 May 2016 Since 27 April 2015, ‘Mandela’s children’ have been turning twenty-one. They are the first of the ‘born-free generation’ to become adults. Are they better off than young adults were in the early nineties? It’s a difficult question to ask at the best of […]
Tags: Early Childhood Development, Early literacy
Posted on 11 May 2016
Why big business must get behind reading
This article was first published by Business Day Live on 25 November 2015. There is a business product with a proven rate of return in excess of one thousand percent in emerging markets. In South Africa, demand for it outstrips supply by at least two to one. Estimates are that the national GDP would be at […]
Tags: FunDza, Literacy development, Nal'ibali
Posted on 3 Dec 2015
Why listening to stories is part of learning to read
By Carole Bloch In his insightful book, The Rights of the Reader, Daniel Pennac comments: “When someone reads aloud, they raise you to the level of the book. They give you reading as a gift.” People who love reading know the precise value of that gift, and how to access it. But there are those […]
Tags: Creative Learners, language, literacy, Nal'ibali, reading, Reading for enjoyment
Posted on 22 Sep 2015
Radio interviews: David Harrison talks about the potential of ECD and reading for joy
On World Literacy Day last week (8 September 2015), DGMT CEO, David Harrison was interviewed by Tim Modise from Power FM, John Maytham on Cape Talk and SA FM’s The Talk Show. He talked about DGMT, our work and that of our implementing partners, but most importantly he explained why early childhood development and helping children to […]
Tags: David Harrison, Early literacy Development, ECD, Reading for enjoyment
Posted on 14 Sep 2015
