hantam community education trust a language and basic concepts project louis benjamin, ph.d....

HANTAM COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRUSTHANTAM COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRUSTA Language and Basic Concepts Project

Louis Benjamin, Ph.D. (Project Consultant) Copyright 2006

ACTIVITIES OF THE HANTAM COMMUNITY EDUCATION TRUST

� school (Grade R-Grade 9)

� outreach teacher development programme

� skills training programme

� bursary programme

� primary health care clinic

� pharmacy

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECT

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTNeed for the Project

1.1. Pervasive language difficulties Pervasive language difficulties

experienced by learners at the experienced by learners at the

school.school.

2. Learners were not able to cope 2. Learners were not able to cope

with ENGLISH as the language of with ENGLISH as the language of

instruction from Grade 4 and instruction from Grade 4 and

beyond.beyond.

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTNeed for the Project

UCT SPELLING TEST: Grade 6

13%

87%

2.5 yr delay

3yrs - 5yrs+delay

There were no learners on or above Grade level

Aims of the projectA LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS

PROJECTPROJECT

• To identify the language and scholastic competencies and

weaknesses of the Foundation Phase learners.

•To provide teachers with training and support to improve the

language, cognitive and scholastic functioning of their

learners

• To monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the project and to

make recommendations for intervention.

Overview of the Project: time lineOverview of the Project: time lineA LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS

PROJECTPROJECT

2003: Year One2003: Year One

2004: Year Two2004: Year Two

2005: Year Three2005: Year Three

2006: Year Four2006: Year Four

2007: Year Five2007: Year Five

Grade R

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTOverview of the Project: Goals for each gradeOverview of the Project: Goals for each grade

Grade R• To consolidate and strengthen home language: BCP and thematic language approach• Scholastic markers include a knowledge of colour, shape, size, position, number and letter

Grade 1• To use English as a language of instruction and to promote cognitive development: BCP and thematic language approach• Scholastic markers include a knowledge of BCS, vocabulary, literacy, numeracy and life skills outcomes

Grade 2-4• To extend the conceptual language and to use this language to teach literacy, numeracy, and life skills and other learning areas• 80-120 words are taught with every theme (6 themes per year)

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTTheoretical Base Theoretical Base

Piaget Vygotsky FeuersteinBASIC CONCEPTS & LANGUAGE PROJECT

CONSTRUCTIVISM

individual social-constructivism

PIAGET

•Development proceeds from less knowledgeable to more

knowledgeable states.

•Mental actions (conservation, categorization, classification,

seriation, perspective taking, multiple sources of information)

enable shifts from intuitive, spontaneous thinking to more logical

modes of thought.


The project is hierarchically constructed- introduces learners to vocabulary and conceptual language in a systematic and graduated fashion from Grade 1 to Grade 4.

REDYELLOWGREENBLUE

BLACKBROWN

CIRCLE TRIANGLERECTANGLE

SQUAREDIAMOND

STAR

BIGSMALLBIGGER

SMALLERMEDIUMMIDDLE

LEFTRIGHTTOP

MIDDLEBOTTOM

UP DOWN

MORELESS

1,2,3,4,5 1ST , 2ND

3+4 = 77-4 = 3

A,B,C,D, ... X,Y,Z

CAPTIALSMALL

LETTERS

LOWER ORDER CONCEPTS

HIGHER ORDER CONCEPTS

CONTENT OF THE BASIC CONCEPTS PROGRAMME

COLOUR SHAPE SIZE POSITION NUMBER LETTER

VYGOTSKY• Placed emphasis on the social nature of learning, aided by

language, which are vital to effect the transition in understanding

from unmediated and meaningless symbols and signs to higher

order, scientific concepts.•Mediators (signs, symbols, language) assist with the transition

from spontaneous concepts to non-spontaneous concepts.•Placed emphasis on (a special kind) of instruction in the Zone of

Proximal Development on aspects that were still in the process of

maturing.•Mediators of the project lead learners successively to new

conceptual domains, not waiting for spontaneous concepts to

mature, but initiating the process of new learning.



Vygotsky contended that

speech “besides being a means of

expression and release of tension … soon

becomes an instrument of thought

in the proper sense … in seeking

and planning the solution

of a problem.”

Language structures and directs the processes of thinking and concept formation

‘…‘…in early second language acquisition (L2) in early second language acquisition (L2)

beginning at between approximately age beginning at between approximately age

five or six, children often achieve native-five or six, children often achieve native-

like pronunciation and syntax within a like pronunciation and syntax within a

relatively short period of a year or two. relatively short period of a year or two.

The ability of young children to achieve The ability of young children to achieve

native-like proficiency in a foreign native-like proficiency in a foreign

language in a rather short time is a language in a rather short time is a

reflection of a type of neural plasticity, reflection of a type of neural plasticity,

and it appears to be related to the distinct and it appears to be related to the distinct

characteristics of the young brain.’ characteristics of the young brain.’ Yvonne F. Stapp, 1999

Gaikokugo Center, University of Tsukuba, Japan,


FEUERSTEIN

• Provided further detail of the mediation processes that were

required to advance development.

• The mediational teaching style aptly describes the quality of the

human interactions required in learning, arguably the most

important dimension of any educational process.

• The primary role of the mediator is therefore to establish the

prerequisites for learning: motivated, attentive and focussed

learners who are ready to receive systematic mediation in order to

promote their cognitive modifiability.

• The aim is to produce changes that are durable, flexible and

capable in turn of effecting changes in the rest of the system.


SUMMARY OF THE THEORETICAL BASE

Provides a framework that seeks to guide teachers’ attention to their role as mediators of human learning processes as well as to the symbolic tools required for higher order thinking.

The project includes complex, detailed descriptions of the developing mental actions that are required for producing the kinds of changes in cognitive performance desired by such a programme.


Grade 2003 2004 2005

Grade R 16 12 15

Grade 1 18 18 14

Grade 2 12 9 18

Grade 3 20 14 11

Grade 4 14 12 12

Total 80 65 70

Number Of Grade R To Grade 4 Learners AtThe Hantam Community Education Trust School

SAMPLEA LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS

PROJECTPROJECT

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTTEST BATTERY

*UCT Graded Spelling Test:

A norm-based test developed for learners in the Western Cape.

*UCT Graded Reading Test: A norm-based test developed for learners in the Western Cape.

*Boehm Test of Basic Concepts: A norm-based test, however, used without making direct reference to these American derived norms. This test was developed to assess the understanding of 50 high frequency basic concepts in young learners.

* Administered to Grade 1-4 learners.

*Ballard One-Minute Test:A norm-based test which is deemed appropriate to assess mathematical competency.

Basic Concepts Complex Figure Test:

A dynamic assessment test (test-teach-test) developed to assess

the ability of younger children to learn recall from memory and

reproduce a complex figure. This is a test of visual memory,

spatial relations, cognitive functioning and cognitive modifiability.

Administered to Grade 2-4 learners.

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTTEST BATTERY

Basic Concepts School Readiness Test For Grade R’s: A test developed by the writer in 2004 in order to assess the ability of learners to accurately identify and name 30 subordinate concepts (e.g. rectangle, triangle, square) and 6 superordinate concepts (colour, shape, size, position, number and letter). Administered to Grade R learners.

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTGRADE R ASSESSMENT BATTERY

Colour Shape Size Number Letter Position

Yellow Circle Big No Range: …….….1-10 ; 1-20 ; 1-30+

Identify: yes/no Left Hand:Yes/No

Red Rectangle Small 1:1: yes/nosystematic/not systematic

Write: yes/no Right Hand: Yes/No

Blue Triangle Categorizeby size

One more: yes/no Sound:1st letter/last letter/all letters

Top: Yes/No

Black Square Categorizeby colour

One less: yes/no Alphabet sequence:4 (1), 5-21 (2),22-26 (3)

Bottom:Yes/No

Score (4): Score (4): Score (4): Score (6): Score(8): Score (4):

Areas Covered:Areas Covered: Names and/or Identifies: 4xcolour, 4xshape, 2xsize, 4xposition,

number (number range), letter (name & letters of the alphabet)

Categorizes: colour (2colours) & size (2 sizes)

Application: number: adding 1-2 more, taking away 1-3 away,

one-on-one correspondence, letter: writing & reading

Do Grade 1 Learners In The Western Cape Know Their Basic Conceptual Systems (2006) ?

Percentage Of Correct Answers For Each Conceptual Domain (n=194)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

COLOUR SHAPE SIZE NUMBER LETTER POSITION CATEGO

Willows

Parkfields

Rondebosch

Turfhall

Voerspoed

Grove

Average Score for lower ses schools = 18.9Average score for middle to higher ses schools = 24.9Average score for Hantam Grade R learners (2005) = 26.1Average score for Hantam Grade R learners (2005) = 26.1

‘Attendance’ In Grade R


57.9

50.7

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

RSANorthern Cape

Source: Systemic Evaluation, Northern Cape, Provincial Report, 2003

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTRESULTS

Mean Scholastic Gains

0

50

100

150

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

2003

2004

2005

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Reading Spelling Maths + Maths - BasicConcepts

Grade 1: Comparative End Of Year Results

200320042005



05

1015202530354045



2003

2004

2005


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50



2003

2004

2005


05

1015202530354045505560



2003

2004

2005

• Results are encouraging, however, these have not yet been statistically analysed.

• The learners who were in Grade R or Grade 1 at the start of the project appear to have made the most progress. This is in contrast to learners who only started the project in Grade 2 or Grade 3.

• There have been impressive gains in the FP towards Grade level in three of the four scholastic areas assessed since the start of the project.

Mean Gains Reading 50.5%

Maths (+) 49% Maths (-) 48%• It is contended that the mean gains for reading have started to

positively influence the spelling level of Grade 2 and 3 learners (Mean gain of 61% & 27% respectively, since the start of the project).

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTDISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTTheme Writing From The Foundation Phase (2005)

(Grade (Grade 2)2)

‘‘At night I wash and, eat and, watch At night I wash and, eat and, watch

TV and, go to bed. In the morning it is TV and, go to bed. In the morning it is

light. I wear my school uniform and go light. I wear my school uniform and go

to school. At night I can see the stars to school. At night I can see the stars

and moon. During the day I play with and moon. During the day I play with

my dog. Yearstiday it did rain.’my dog. Yearstiday it did rain.’

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTTheme Writing From The Foundation Phase (2005)

(Grade 3)

‘‘During the day I play with my friends. During the day I play with my friends.

During the day it is light. At night I go During the day it is light. At night I go

to bed. At night my brother snores. At to bed. At night my brother snores. At

night I dream. During the day I play night I dream. During the day I play

with my friends cricket. During the day with my friends cricket. During the day

I play ball. At night the stars twinkle. I play ball. At night the stars twinkle.

At night the moon shines.’At night the moon shines.’

A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS A LANGUAGE AND BASIC CONCEPTS PROJECTPROJECTCONCLUSIONS

• The project is premised on the belief that cognitive and language

prerequisites are essential for learning.• Learning of language has therefore been prioritized and has been

linked with learning areas.• Progress of learners is not only attributed to the structured and

effective teaching-learning intervention, but to the systematic

development of the cognitive functioning and language of these

learners.• Language is the central mechanism used to direct learning: words

are used as a stimulus for the advancement of thinking.

hantam community education trust a language and basic concepts project louis benjamin, ph.d....

Documents

basic concepts project

conceptual language

language of instruction

home language

grade r grade

grade grade r

basic concepts project

grade level slide