The essence of education is the ability to read, write, speak and listen well, thereby developing good literacy skills. Several studies confirm that a learner’s literacy skills determine the extent to which the learner will master reading literacy. If learners do not have adequate preparation for reading literacy skills in Grade R, the learner may develop problems with progress at school.
The lack of adequate literacy skills is a global trend. South Africa is also experiencing this problem. The results of the 2011 Annual National Assessment show that the average literacy for Grade 3 learners is at 35% and average numeracy skills are at 34%. The results show that minimal improvement has taken place from the year 2000 to date. This was labelled by the Minister of Basic Education as unacceptably low. The poor performance of Grade 3 learners proves that early childhood development programmes have gaps. The findings show that average skill levels of young children are still very weak.
The Department of Basic Education together with several researchers emphasise that learners should not be exposed to formal literacy too early, but should develop a strong foundation of perceptual and perceptual motor skills before they are exposed to formal learning. Despite the recommendations of the Department of Basic Education, however, there are several schools in Gauteng that start formal training in literacy in Grade R. It is within this frame of reference that I have created a professional development programme, formulated for Grade R educators. This programme aims at empowering teachers through professional development, using a play-based approach to strengthen Grade R learners’ perceptual-motor skills. Research worldwide emphasises the importance of a good foundation of perceptual-motor skills before learners are exposed to formal literacy. The programme focuses, among others, on the importance of balance, laterality, midline crossing, coordination and vestibular integration for literacy acquisition.
In this research, a conceptual framework is used, based on Zuber-Skerritt’s and Fuller’s models for action research and the professional development of teachers as well as Kephart’s theory for the development of perceptual-motor skills. A qualitative, interpretive approach is used through participatory action research to explore, to explain and to describe the research question. Data have been collected through collaborative discussions, reflective journals, focus group interviews, observation, open-ended questions and open-ended interviews. The data analysis has been done by coding and thematic analysis.
The study consisted of thirteen participants from three schools in the Greater Tshwane Metropole, South Africa. Professional development of teachers forms the core of the study.
The findings of the study not only contribute to the professional development of educators, but also contribute to ensuring that learners have sufficient skills before their formal education in literacy is started. The study further makes a contribution regarding the value of a community of practitioners for educators and the effect that it may have on educators' professional development. Finally, the study contributes to the importance that educators should have insight into the area in which they should receive professional development.
Afrikaans: Die kern van onderwys is die vermoë om goed te kan lees, skryf, praat en luister, aldus die ontwikkeling van goeie geletterdheidsvaardighede. Verskeie studies bevestig dat ʼn leerder se geletterdheidsvaardighede bepaal tot watter mate die leerder leesgeletterdheid sal bemeester. Indien leerders nie voldoende voorbereiding vir leesgeletterdheidsvaardighede in Graad R ontvang nie, kan die leerder vorderingsprobleme ondervind.
’n Gebrek aan voldoende geletterdheidsvaardighede is ’n wêreldwye tendens. Suid-Afrika ondervind ook hierdie probleem. Die resultate van die 2011 Jaarlikse Nasionale Assessering toon dat slegs 35% van Graad 3-leerders op hul ouderdomsvlak kan lees en skryf. Hierdie resultate word deur die minister van onderwys en ander kenners as skokkend beskou. ʼn Internasionale studie wat in 2017 gedoen is, toon dat slegs 12% van Graad 4-leerders in Suid-Afrika voldoende leesbegrip het. Die swak prestasies van Suid-Afrikaanse leerders toon dat programme in vroeë geletterdheidsontwikkeling ernstige leemtes toon.
Die departement van basiese onderwys, tesame met verskeie navorsers, beklemtoon egter dat leerders nié te vroeg aan formele geletterdheid blootgestel moet word nie, maar dat leerders ʼn stewige fondasie van perseptueel-motoriese vaardighede moet hê alvorens hulle aan formele leer blootgestel word. Ten spyte van die departement van basiese onderwys se aanbevelings, is daar verskeie skole in Gauteng wat reeds in Graad R met formele onderrig in geletterdheid begin. Dit is binne hierdie verwysingsraamwerk dat ’n professionele ontwikkelingsprogram vir Graad R-opvoeders ontwikkel is. Die program poog om opvoeders deur middel van professionele ontwikkeling te bemagtig om ʼn spelgebaseerde benadering te gebruik om leerders in Graad R se perseptueel-motoriese vaardighede te versterk.
In hierdie navorsing word daar gebruik gemaak van ʼn teoretiese en konseptuele raamwerk gebaseer op Zuber-Skerritt en Fuller se modelle vir aksienavorsing en professionele ontwikkeling van opvoeders, asook Kephart se teorie vir die ontwikkeling van perseptueel-motoriese vaardighede vir leer. ʼn Kwalitatiewe, interpretivistiese benadering deur middel van deelnemende aksienavorsing is gebruik om die navorsingsvraag te verken, te verklaar en te beskryf. Data is ingesamel deur samewerkende besprekings, navorsingsrefleksiejoernale, fokusgroeponderhoude, observasie, oopeindvrae en oopeindonderhoude. Die data-analise het plaasgevind deur tematiese ontleding. Die studie het uit dertien deelnemers van drie skole in die groter Tshwane-metropool, Suid-Afrika, bestaan. Die professionele ontwikkeling van onderwysers vorm die kern van die studie.
Die bevindings van die studie dra nie net by tot die professionele ontwikkeling van opvoeders nie, maar lewer ook ’n bydrae om te verseker dat leerders oor genoegsame vaardighede beskik alvorens daar met formele onderrig in geletterdheid begin word. Die studie lewer verder ʼn bydrae betreffende die waarde van ʼn gemeenskap van praktisyns vir opvoeders en die effek wat dit op opvoeders se professionele ontwikkeling kan hê. Laastens lewer die studie ʼn bydrae betreffende die belangrikheid daarvan dat opvoeders insae moet hê in die area waarin hul professionele ontwikkeling moet ontvang.
