The literacy crisis in South Africa has worsened since COVID-19. Read more about the importance and components of literacy, as well as how we can help our learners develop their literacy skills with playful learning.
The foundations for literacy are formed before children enter formal schooling, so good preschool education plays an equally important role in promoting literacy and limiting reading difficulties!
Click here for literacy activity ideas with Six Bricks 😁
Bibliography
Brown, C. S., 2014. Language and literacy development in the early years: foundational skills that support emergent readers. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, 24(1), pp. 35-49. Little by Little, 2022. The Importance of Early Literacy. [Online] Available at: https://lblreaders.org/why-early-literacy-matters/ [Accessed 18 November 2022]. McLeod, S., 2022. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of cognitive development. [Online] Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html#:~:text=Vygotsky%20believed%20that%20language%20develops,communicating%20with%20the%20outside%20world. [Accessed 18 November 2022]. Metelerkamp, T., 2022. Education, business and policy leaders weigh in on how to tackle SA's reading crisis. [Online] Available at: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-02-07-education-business-and-policy-leaders-weigh-in-on-how-to-tackle-sas-reading-crisis/#:~:text=South%20Africa%20is%20facing%20a,for%20meaning%20in%20any%20language [Accessed 18 November 2022]. Mwoma, T., 2017. Children's reading ability in early primary schooling: challenges for a Kenyan rural community. Issues in Educational Research, 27(2), pp. 347-364. Naidoo , T., 2022. Decline in literacy levels in SA attributed to COVID-19. [Online] Available at: https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/decline-in-literacy-levels-in-sa-attributed-to-covid-19/ [Accessed 18 November 2022]. Raising Children Network, 2021. Language Development in Children. [Online] Available at: https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/development/language-development/language-development-0-8#:~:text=It%20supports%20your%20child's%20ability,think%20and%20learn [Accessed 18 November 2022]. Rule, P., 2017. South Africa has a reading crisis: why, and what can be done about it. [Online] Available at: https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-a-reading-crisis-why-and-what-can-be-done-about-it-88711 [Accessed 18 November 2022].