Wordworks Programe Assessment

The evaluation study focuses on both teacher and child outcomes. The teacher evaluation consists of a qualitative assessment of teachers’ capabilities to deliver the programme, and their knowledge and behaviour changes as a result of the training.

The assessment of child outcomes includes a number of language measures: vocabulary, narrative comprehension and retelling and emergent literacy skills. Children are also being assessed on the ELOM 4&5 Years Assessment, Height for Age, and caregivers interviewed using the ELOM HLE.

The study is guided by three main research questions:
1. Is the classroom programme perceived as being useful and feasible for teachers with limited formal training to implement effectively in under-resourced contexts?

2.  What is the effect of a resource-based training programme on teachers’ knowledge and teaching practices and on interaction in the classroom?

3. What is the effect of the story-based intervention programme on children’s early literacy and language skills?

The study is being conducted in 27 ECD centres in the Paarl-Wellington area where the medium of instruction and home language of children is predominantly Afrikaans, and in 28 ECD Centres in Khayelitsha where the medium of instruction and home language of the children is predominantly isiXhosa.