Foundations for Learning Campaign

1. Foundations for Learning Campaign Laying solid foundations for learning PRESENTATION TO THE EDUCATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE Mrs Palesa Tyobeka Deputy Director-General: General Education 08 September 2009

2. Background to the Foundations for Learning Campaign • Primarily a national response to persistent unacceptably low levels of literacy and numeracy at GET level. • Minister launched campaign on 18 March 2008 in Cape Town as a call to schools and communities to focus on reading, writing and calculating. • A call for commitment to teaching & learning the art and skill of reading, writing and calculating to ensure a better life for all.

3. Background to the Foundations for Learning Campaign • Focus is on all schools • Anchored on the provision of clear directives and expectations for quality education at primary school level (to every teacher, every principal and every manager in the system) – not to add new requirements • The campaign is designed to focus attention on key activities that lead to good literacy and numeracy development. • By 2011 no school should attain less than 50% in external assessments • Clear directives are provided through the gazette regarding : • Basic resourcing for all grades; • Expected teacher performance; and • Assessment

4. Current state of performance in literacy and numeracy • The Department is increasingly strengthening measurement to provide credible evidence to inform necessary interventions and support and improve quality of learning for all learners. • Achievement of high quality learning outcomes is periodically measured against contextual factors of access, equity and quality that might impact on learning and teaching. • National priority at the basic education level is on literacy/language and numeracy/mathematics and these are monitored through periodic systemic evaluations and annual national assessments.

5. Available Evidence

8. Observed Levels of Achievement • Baseline studies showed average scores of 36% in literacy and 35% in numeracy at grade 3 level (2007) – an improvement of 5/6% on 2001 average performance; • 38% in language and 27% in mathematics at grade 6 level (2004). • Localisedtracer studies (QIDS UP) indicate appreciable increases in performance where there has been focused interventions (e.g. provision of basic learning-&-teaching resources) and regular measurement.

9. Distribution of Achievement

10. Distribution of Achievement • Lowest performance is in the largest (previously disadvantaged) provinces of Eastern Cape and Limpopo • However, individual rural schools in these provinces have been identified that tend to over-perform their socio-economic circumstances.

11. Major Predictors of Performance Key predictors and the “percentage difference (diff.) they account for ” in learner achievement: • Teaching practices (diff. = 59%) • Language of learning and teaching (diff. = 49%) • School resources (diff. = 49%) • Access to learning materials (diff. = 28%) • Time-on-task (diff. = 20%)

12. Addressing key predictors of performance • Provide content, structure and creative teaching tips around properly sequenced and paced content for teachers – to assist with effective and relevant teaching practice in the classroom; • Assistance with assessment activities covering the entire curriculum and assessing the different skills envisaged by the curriculum; • Ensure maximum time on task; • Provide critical resources for effective teaching; • Provide support for under prepared teachers in all grades.

13. Key strategies and documents: • FFL Gazette: clearly spells out expectations in respect of daily teaching activities, assessment and basic resources for effective teaching; • FFL Assessment Frameworks: Milestones, that guide teachers to pace learning and teaching and monitor learner performance; • Quarterly Assessment Activities: to assist teachers to assess appropriate competencies in learners, at the right level and monitor their progress on a quarterly basis: • Lesson plans for each quarter to provide teachers with guidance on how to approach Literacy and Numeracy teaching and learning. • ReadRight Supplements: Provide useful tips and support not only to teachers and learners but to parents as well – and make Literacy and Numeracy promotion everyone’s business.

14. 2009 and beyond • The Foundations for Learning Grade R Toolkit will be sent to all schools with Grade R by November 2009. This comprises all the basic resources a Grade R teacher needs in a year for effective teaching; • Lesson plans for all terms for Grades 1-6 will be sent to all schools for the start of the 2010 academic year (scheduled for distribution by November 2009); • National assessments for all Grades 1-6 to be conducted again at the end of 2009, and schools assisted to use results in SIPs; • A programme of support by districts to be developed with district advisors for a qualitative focus on improving outcomes.

15. Feedback from schools • Positive about support but indicated areas in which more support is required. • The DBE is responding to the request: • is strengthening the “milestones”: documents- will be on website at the end of November. • finalizing “milestones” in all official languages- will be on website at the end of November. • holding a workshop with district officials (6-9 Oct) to clarify roles and responsibilities and communicate the essential and core requirements for curriculum implementation to intensify support to schools.