What is the aim of these workbooks?
- They will provide organised work in the form of worksheets for every child in mathematics and language. The aim of the workbook project is provide every child with two books of worksheets – one for numeracy/mathematics and one for literacy/language in the child’s mother tongue. Each book contains 128 worksheets (two pages each) – one a day for four days of the week. In the third term, learners will be provided with another two books – one for mathematics and one for language. Learners will use the books to do written exercises in language and mathematics.
- They will be a great help to teachers. The worksheets are also intended to assist teachers who have large classes and who won’t necessarily have resources like photocopiers or stimulating reading materials for children to read.
- The workbooks will help teachers who teach multilingual classes. The worksheets will also be useful for teachers (mainly in urban areas) where they have to teach multilingual classes. Sometimes teachers have up to five different mother tongue languages in one class. Because the books are available in all 11 languages, teachers will find the books useful in mixed language.
- The workbooks will also be helpful for teachers who have to teach more than one grade in a class. Because the workbooks are available for learners from grade 1 to 6, it is possible for the teacher to work separately with different grades in the same classroom – giving each grade its own grade specific workbooks. They will also be useful for teaching mixed ability groups – with each group working on a different worksheet.
- They will assist the teacher to manage teaching time and to monitor the tasks that children do in the workbooks.
- The workbooks will assist teachers to identify learners’ needs for extra support from early in the school year. The Department’s new workbooks all start with revision of the previous grade level with grade 1 giving attention to school readiness and cognitive development. The start up of each grade with a review/revision of previous grade’s work will enable the teacher to use this to identify learners in need of extra support or remedial action. In the workbooks each alternate lesson also requires the teacher to make a judgment on which learners require additional or remedial support and which high achievers many need extended activities.
The Department is in the process of delivering the workbooks to all primary schools for all Grade 1-6 learners. Each learner will receive two books – one for language and one for numeracy/mathematics and again in the second half of the year. By the end of the year each learner will have four workbooks – two in mathematics and two in language.
Are the learners permitted to take the workbooks home?
Teachers should encourage learners to take their workbooks home so that they can do home work. Teachers should encourage the parents and care givers to engage actively with their learners’ workbooks in order to participate in their children’s learning.
Are learners allowed to write in their workbooks?
All learners must write in their workbooks. The difference between a workbook and a textbook is that the workbook is designed to enable the learner to answer questions and practice reading, writing and numeracy in the workbooks. A textbook does not have the same design features. In fact, learners should be discouraged from writing in textbooks so that these may be handed from one class to the next each year.
What happens to the workbook at the end of the year?
At the end of the school year, the workbooks become the property of the learner and a record of the learner’s progress during the year.
Is there any cost involved for the school or parents?
The books will be supplied for free at no cost to the schools or parents. They are entirely funded by the Department.
Will learners still get textbooks?
Source South African Department of Basic Education
