Department of Education Extranet

NORTHERN CAPE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO HOST READING INDABA

The Northern Cape Department of Education will host a Reading Indaba from 4-5 September 2023 at the Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley, under the theme “TEACHING AND PROMOTING READING IN THE COVID-19 CRISIS AND BEYOND”. 

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2021 results were released on the 16th May 2023 and confirmed that learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are severe in South Africa.

The study shows that in South Africa, 81% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. There was a 32-point drop in South Africa's average PIRLS score in 2021(288), down from 320 in 2016. The Northern Cape Province dropped by 22 points, from 306 in 2016 to 284 in 2021.

At the core of our efforts is our deliberate determination that in-order to improve literacy and reading with comprehension, we must make reading fashionable. 

The Reading Indaba will in the main focus to:

• Help teachers improve their instructional strategies for teaching reading, including phonics, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary development.

• Equip teachers with tools and knowledge to assess learners' reading abilities and diagnose reading difficulties.

• Encourage critical thinking and reflection among teachers.

• Explore how technology can be integrated into reading instruction to enhance engagement and learning outcomes.

• Encourage learners to develop a love for reading, which in turn will benefit their personal and cognitive development. 

End.