IBM READING COMPANION ARTICLE

Outline Of The Programme

IBM Reading Companion Programme is a free internet based literacy programme that will allow learners to develop literacy skills in their schools using the ICT labs. IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) sponsors this programme; whose vision it is to bring the best technologies to address critical community issues. IBM has worked for over ten years trying to address such issues through different computer software programmes.

The reading programme seeks to assist the learners to increase their English literacy skills using a web-based system that uses speech  through an animated tutor character that both 'speaks' and “listens” to the children reading (which is in form of Panda or Stick Man) guiding them to read e-books selected by their Educator from a virtual library.

Benefits of the programme

·        promotes reading culture amongst learners

·        promotes communication skills enhanced amongst learners

·        promotes creative skills enhanced amongst learners [as they convert imaginative ideas into stories

Targeted Groups  Of The Programme in the Western Cape and Background

Edunova has taken an initiative this year to work with Grade Four (4) Educators and Grade 4 Learners. The groups are from fifteen (15) different schools that are situated in the disadvantaged communities. It is the first time this year that the Grade 4 Learners are using English language as their medium of learning. These Learners have been using their mother tongue ‘vernacular language‘ as a form of communication in their learning environments from the foundation phase (Grade R to Grade 3).

By taking this step, Edunova is able to equip the Grade 4 Learners with reading skills as most of these learners are still struggling to speak and write in English. If the learners are able to understand what they are reading about, they will also understand what they are writing about. Edunova is aiming at producing a solution to the 15 Schools that not only influences learner outcomes but also raise standards through effective use of ICT by both learners and educators. The Reading Companion programme is not going to replace the schools’ existing literacy activities but to find a way on how the programme can be integrated in the schools’ curriculum; so that it can be used concurrently with existing reading programmes.

A DAY AT EDUNOVA LEARNING CENTRE (ELC)

“WINNIE, EDUCATORS AND LEARNERS SAY IT ALL”

MY EXPERIENCES:

 The first training with all 15 schools commenced in April 2011. This was not an easy task to gather Educators at the ELC. My biggest fear was not that I had inadequate information to prepare the Educators for the task ahead, but rather it was about how to carry out this task. There was more to this new approach than just to put a year plan in place. It looked like an impossible mission, as Educators are always busy with their own work in schools besides the reading programme. When training began, everything began to fall into place and all I can say is that I have managed to make a great difference, particularly, in the young lives. I have moved from ‘my comfort zone’ of being a project manager to become a facilitator to ensure that proper training is given to the Grade 4 Learners. Since May 2011, ELC has been a hive of activity where learners have been dropped off at the ELC and spend 2-3 hours in the ELC training room. It is an awesome experience that once these young ones leave ELC they are not the same again, they will have transformed into better equipped learners who are able to tell their own story about their experiences. Photos and videos have been captured during the training sessions for both Educators and Learners.

EDUCATORS’ EXPERIENCES:

The Educators have been trained into the IBM RC that has two components: Reading and Book Builder. The Educators have welcomed the move of Edunova to support them and their learners at the ELC.

The biggest step that this programme has ever taken Edunova far is the fact that the Educators have being encouraged to write their own stories. Educators are very proud of their work. The stories need some polishing up before finally submitted for preview by the IBM Team. I am guiding them through this process as I have already written my own e-book entitled “My Flower Garden.” This has motivated Educators to see that they can also follow in my footsteps and write successful stories.

The Educators are helping learners in schools to write stories in groups. I hope that by the end of the year there will be more South African Authors. There are exiting stories that they are still writing and once the drafts are polished, Educators will come up with beautiful material that can help have welcomed this programme with open arms.

Some Educators have confirmed fighting their biggest fear which is ICT; as they work in their own pace to make their learners’ dreams a living testimony. Educators have confirmed the changes in their learners’ reading abilities but also in their behaviour. They are using the programme as a ‘bribe’ to ensure that learners who never used to complete their cass task on time are able to as they will be told that Winnie will not allow them at the ELC.

An Educator from Bongolethu Primary school, confirmed that this programme has changed the life of a young boy in her class; a learner who lives 5 minutes away from the school; who never used to come to school. He never liked to be at school. It just occurred that the day he came to school, was the day his classmates were coming to the ELC. He joined the group. From the time he left the ELC, he has never bunked from school and has been completing his task. What a great way of bringing change in the lives of these young ones

LEARNERS’  EXPERIENCES:

The kids can tell a story if something has brought change in their lives. I have been honoured to meet all the learners from different walks of life coming to the ELC for reading purposes; as they say it in the simple Xhosa words that I am familiar with “siyafunda incwadi”; We are reading books.

There are learners who have never used a Computer before and it was their first time to explore new tools attached to the same Computer. There are Learners who have  Computers in their ICT Labs, but because of the unfortunate events like cable thefts, they have never used internet before.

For every learner who came to the ELC, It has been a new experience to learn things differently, particularly, reading books on the Computer and using tools like internet and headsets. The learners were eager to take the challenge as the Online Tutor read with them and their Grade Educators and myself were just present to guide them through the process.

Before the learners read individually, there was a Temporary Student ID and Password; that was created for class demonstration. Learners and I went through the same process as the task was projected so that all learners participate to ensure that they will get an idea of what they will do when they will read on their own.

It was exciting to note that each Leaner was eager to participate and work with the Online Tutor that they now commonly call “Teacher Panda.” I used the term that they are familiar with in their everyday lives as they call their Educators, for example, Teacher Jezile.

I gave the learners who excelled well room to sit next to the learners who were struggling so that they could help each other. The struggling learners never felt left out and it was a good approach to ensure that every learner is involved despite their reading abilities.

Just by using the reading programme, Learners gained some mouse controlling techniques; as the mouse is used throughout reading when a learner read, he/she must click on Teacher Panda.

All the learners who have been at the ELC want to come back every week to read; but because there are other learners who still need to get the chance to do so, this can be impossible now. However, they will only come back after all the learners from the other remaining schools complete this task.

The Learners have leant something new and some learners are keen to come and work at the ELC when they complete their education; like the quote from Theodore Roosevelt “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground”. I guess they will live up to their dreams one day!