Capricorn Primary School held an “English Week” from Monday 19 to Friday 23 September as a means to improve learners’ literacy skills.
Tracy-Lee Barnard, acting deputy principal at the school, said Covid-19 caused a decline in academic performance which included reading.
“Covid really had a huge impact with regards to our academic performance so we as a school have embarked on a math week where we just exposed our learners to mathematical concepts and this time, we did English Week.
“We are doing this because Covid has caused the learners to drop with regards to reading at home.
“Just getting that love for reading back, that is what we are doing.”
The week included a spelling bee, poetry day and dress-up day.
“Bringing the love for reading back and also for learners to put their phones down and pick up a book” was the aim of the initiative.
“This week was not only about running a programme, but it was about instilling love, the value of a book, the value of using your imagination because I feel personally our learners lack that,” said Barnard.
Wearing costumes from their favourite characters, children were encouraged to use their imagination to promote books and reading.
“On Friday we are having a poetry competition and I’m so excited to have received a few poems.
“In the community there’s not a lot of resources, but we managed to get resources into the school such as an external library who came to do storytelling.
“We are bringing these resources in to allow the kids to explore that English and literacy is important.
“If you can’t read you won’t be able to get very far in life.”
Junita De Freitas, a Grade 4 teacher at the school, said they hoped to inspire and grow the love of reading and writing at the school.
“English Week is to grow a love for reading and writing because our children have a problem with their literacy and comprehension skills, that’s why we need to install the love for reading, writing, fantasy and everything to set their minds free.
“Once you have a book you have the world in your hands. So that is why we came up with English week.”
Activities on Thursday included a treasure hunt and storytelling session.
“On Tuesday we had our spelling bee for Grade 4 to 7 and the kids were absolutely amazing.”
De Freitas said the teachers enjoyed dressing up with the foundation phase learners and to see the difference it made.
“Our teachers also liked dressing up and playing along and you could see the children sitting with their books, reading, it is just so beautiful to see.”
