Ed and Lauren Langston of Knoxville Tennessee in the USA have been long time Children in the Wilderness Literacy programme supporters. Each year, they supply Jolly Phonics Early Readers and Wordworks teacher manuals to many schools on the programme in Zimbabwe. This year was no exception, with the gift of these amazing resources being delivered to Kabulwebulwe Primary school in the Kafue, Zambia.
The emphasis of CITW Zambezi’s Teacher Training and Educational Workshops is on interactive teaching methods in literacy, environmental science and life skills. The training is aimed at improving and updating teachers’ skills. These annual workshops not only assist trainee teachers but also serve as refresher courses for qualified teachers.
Children in the Wilderness promotes the South African Wordworks Early Literacy Programme (ELP); a phonics based curriculum which helps young children learn to read and write in English as a second language. It also trains teachers in all the schools they work with on the implementation of Wordworks in the Grade 0, 1 and 2 classes.
Lauren is as an ex-teacher, and used a similar programme during her teaching years; she found it to be very successful, especially at Grade 0 (ECD) level, saying that through the programme she was able to “instill a love for reading among her students.”
The students and teachers at Kabulwebulwe Primary School are so grateful for these colourful , Jolly Phonics reading books and Wordworks teaching materials, considered luxuries in these remote communities but critical in the development of reading. Thank you Ed and Lauren for your wonderful contribution and involvement in our programme.
