What we do
Shine Literacy is an early intervention programme that offers support with reading and writing to Grade two’s and Grade three’s. Trained volunteers, work with one or two children at a time, providing a level of attention that is not normally possible in an average classroom of 40-50 children.
The primary objective of this programme is to get more children reading and writing at an age-appropriate level, resulting in not only improved educational outcomes, but social ones too.
The Shine Literacy Programme currently takes place at Goedehoop Primary School in Reiger Park, Boksburg, and has been successfully running for the last two years. The programme runs in the mornings and is split into one hourly sessions with Gr2 and Gr3 learners. During this hour, children practice assisted reading and writing, engage in interactive educational games, and are read stories that give them an opportunity to step into another world outside of their realities.
A simple assessment at the end of Grade one is used to select the children who will take part in the programme. Bi-annual assessments are also conducted during the year, to carefully track every child’s progress.
Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the ‘normal’ lives of many children, their parents, caregivers, and teachers – this has posed great challenges to South Africa’s education system.
The vast inequalities in our country, specially in the education system, has been deeply felt during this time. The inequalities between private schooling and public schooling has been highlighted now more than ever. The effects of this pandemic are not only felt during this time, but will result in long term consequences for all our learners.
Now more than ever, our schools need literacy interventions, like Shine Literacy, to help and assist learners.
In these unstable “COVID” times, Shine Literacy has worked at compiling reading material to do at home. These resources delivered to the school are providing caregivers and children with invaluable tools to help reduce the literacy gap between high and low achieving learners.
2021-What will change
There are strong indications that this pandemic will continue to affect our schools and the quality of learning in the new year. Shine will continue to support and assist with literacy at Goedehoop Primary School.
Due to COVID social restrictions, our programme will run on a one-to-one learner to volunteer basis, and no longer on a two-to-one learner to volunteer ratio. We work in a dedicated Shine classroom to which only Shine learners and volunteers have access.
Shine will also be recruiting volunteers from graduate students in our Impact programme at the Oos Rand High School. This is a great initiative to help reduce unemployment, and the same time, increase the number of learners we can help in our Shine Literacy Programme.
2021- What will not change
Regardless of COVID, Shine’s commitment to making a difference in literacy standards in our schools is unwavering and we will forge ahead whatever comes our way.
Our leadership and volunteers remain driven to pursue excellence in literacy despite obstacles because of our belief that every child matters, and is uniquely different, our passion for equality and our desire and determination to continue to be weight-carriers and partners with the schools, the learners, and their parents.