Project 4: ECD Teacher Capacity Building and Enrichment Programme for Qualified Practitioners

Teachers receive in-centre training and follow up on-site mentoring in the ECD Teacher Capacity Building programme, registered by the Department of Social Development. Training is practical and delivered in Xhosa and Afrikaans to support teacher success.

This training enables teachers to successfully move the children through the required development components while maintaining the integrity of the quality of teaching and learning outcomes for preschool children. In addition these workshops also support implementing best operating practices back in the classroom. At present all affiliated preschools have received the master Annual ECD Implementation Plan manual in English and Afrikaans. Teacher progress is monitored via attendance registers and onsite mentoring reports. This project is on-going and funding is required to translate the program into Xhosa and to provide on going training and development to ensure teachers improve their teaching skills thereby improving the quality of education young learners receive.

The program is aligned with the National Early Learning Development Standards (NELDS) as specified by the DSD, as well as Curriculum and Policy Statements (CAPS), as specified by the Department of Education.

12 Key Skills covered:

• Grade R Baseline Assessment focusing on whole child development covering all the domains of development Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social.
• Developmental Norms of children from 0-3, stimulating activities and assessments.
• Developmental Norms of children from 3-6, stimulating activities and assessments.
• Classroom Management (activity, outcome and completion) and managing round-robin (different activities simultaneously).
• Strengthening Communication in ECD Centres: non- verbal - body language and facial expressions. Verbal - parent involvement and meetings, functional observations, record keeping and report writing and attendance registers and tracking sheets.
• Importance of Planning: Theme planning, weekly planning, daily planning. Having a daily routine and keeping to it. Clarifying the concept being taught/ assessed? Creative Activities (creative vs perceptual activities).
• Safety and First-aid Management, creating a safe and healthy learning environment.
• Understanding PLAY as functional and essential in the preschool environment.
• Inclusive Education: Be conscious of barriers to learning. How to use specific strategies to assist children with learning differences and difficulties whether psychological/ physical /emotional by scaffolding and supporting children. Knowing the difference between equality and equity.
• Theme Development and theme integration into all areas of the classroom (fantasy area, sensory area, art area, reading, display area etc).
• School Readiness: assisting teachers to prepare the children in their care for Grade- R, where fundamental pre-knowledge is already grasped.
• Upcycling and Side-cycling of Recycled Materials - Clever and Creative ways to use recycled material for teaching and learning opportunities.

Please contact fundraiser@knysnaedutrust.co.za should you be interested in supporting this valuable programme.