Quarter 1 Report March 2024

Posted by Lelethu Njikela on 20 March 2024, 08:40 SAST

Update on the Spell2Read2Write Programme Q1, 2024

My name is Lelethu Njikela. I am a Teacher Assistant at Ethembeni Secondary School. This is my update for Quarter 1 of 2024 for the Spell2Read2Write Programme.

In Quarter 1, we completed the following of the Spell2Read2Write Programme: 

•Identifying Priority Learners in both Grade 8 and Grade 9.

•Attending and conducting daily reading

•Conducting Spot Spelling Quizzes 

Spell2Read2Write Video Package Activities:

         -Capital Vowel Song

         -Capital Vowel Sounds 

         -Vowel Chart

         -Small Letter Sounds 

•Conducted the Oral Reading Fluency Test and Captured Results accordingly.

In this Quarter we were also provided with an opportunity to expand our skills with Alison Courses on the Yenza Platform. I outstandingly completed the following courses: 

Growth Mindset 

-Becoming an inspirational leader.

-Build confidence with self-promotion

-Get that future

-Learn how to Learn 

We were also given a chance to interact and have mentorship meetings (Peace Corp) with Mrs. Judith Harper. In these mentorship meetings we covered a vast number of topics including: 

•Lesson Planning

•Reading Strategies 

•Teaching Styles 

•Learning Styles 

•Reading Skillfully 

•Goal setting (Personal and Professional)

The highlights for this Quarter are the usage of what I learnt both with Peace Corp Mentorship and Alison Courses in the classroom and achieving a larger engagement from my Priority Learners. Slight improvement with spelling and reading with some of my priority learners and both Grades as a whole. In one of the Mentorship meetings, the main idea was “It’s the smallest things that matter” and I can see that when it comes to my priority learners and it has been satisfactory to watch. Completing all Alison courses that were given is also a part of the highlights for this Quarter.

We had quite a number of challenges this term, from starting with our Priority learners late within the term because of contact time but that was resolved amicably with our Teacher Mentor and Mr. Ballot.

Minor challenges are: 

•Load-shedding affecting our meetings because connectivity becomes a problem.

•Not getting enough time to complete my last Alison course these last 2 weeks because the School was conducting Assessments.

In the next Quarter I will be focusing on:

•Continuing with my Priority Learners 

•Start identifying learners that will be participating in the Spelling Bee for the Year 

•Continue with the Peace Corp Mentorship Programme

•Hopefully there will be more Alison Short Courses for the next Quarter.