Almost three quarters of South Africa’s ‘emergent literacy’ learners cannot read for meaning in their home language by the end of Foundation Phase (Grades 1-3), the main reason because their language skills are weak, and they lack sufficient vocabulary and grammar to make sense of what they read.
They face further challenges – the need to learn an additional African language at the same time, and for most non-English home language speakers in our multilingual society, English becomes the language of learning and teaching from Grade 4.
“To assist learners become actively and critically literate and not merely learn to parrot sounds by rote, the curriculum recommends selecting four themes per term, to introduce new words and recycle vocabulary and language structures in meaningful contexts,” said Danielle Carls, Marketing Specialist: Oxford University Press SA.
Some of the themes or topic suggestions are (my) body, clothes, colours, numbers, food, animals, my family, growing things, the weather, simple greetings, and farewells.
Oxford University Press SA has just launched the second edition of the hugely popular Oxford First Bilingual Dictionary now available in English + isiXhosa as well as isiXhosa + Afrikaans and other indigenous languages.
“The themed double page spreads in the dictionaries supply the basic high-frequency vocabulary that children need to start talking, while the rich, full colour illustrations it offers further opportunities for vocabulary development, storytelling, and language games,” said Carls.
The dictionaries are available from Oxford University Press SA at R149,95 each. For more information visit www.oxford.co.za.
– ISSUED: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS SA
WIN! WIN! WIN!
The UD Express, in conjunction with Oxford University Press SA, is giving away nine copies of the hugely popular Oxford First Bilingual Dictionary to young readers.
There are four Afrikaans/English dictionaries and five English/isiXhosa dictionaries waiting to be won.
All you need to do is like the UD Express Facebook page, and follow the Oxford First Bilingual Dictionary competition instructions.
Winners will be contacted on Facebook.
