“The baby is watching them dance!” is English translation of the last sentence child reads.
One step at a time. These children had Souns in their Grade R (kindergarten) classroom last year. This mid year of Grade 1. They are well ahead of their classmates who did not have the Souns program. One child at a time – one gentle, encouraging step at a time – we will build readers in South Africa. Thank you, Rotary! You are making a difference.
The graph shows progress in the GET SET preschool in First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs, CO. There are 31 children in the preschool and they began implementing the Souns program at the beginning of this school year – 2012/2013. The preschool serves children 4-5 years of age from economically challenged environments. GET SET’s goal is to ready their students for success when they go to public kindergarten. The teachers are exceptional and the environment is a model for others to follow. In September as the children entered GET SET’s classrooms they were evaluated for letter-sound knowledge. That demonstrated knowledge is on the graph in green. The lavender is demonstrated letter-sound knowledge from a mid-year evaluation. The teachers should be proud of their progress, particularly since they are in a learning curve for the program as well. Imagine the possibilities at end of year and in future years as Souns becomes a natural part of their environment. What a grand step forward for the children they serve. Ready, GET SET, Go!
Looking at the results of the Souns program is SO much fun. The video is of a Rotarian volunteering at GET SET and a young student building a word by saying the word, listening for the individual sounds in the word, and identifying the letters that make each of the sounds. Building words or encoding is stage two in Souns. The first stage is the learning of at least 12 to 15 letter-sound associations. The third stage is decoding, or sounding out words, which happens after much experience building words. You can see the enthusiasm that comes from suddenly realizing, “I know that sound!”
Counterpane’s Early Literacy Workshop – a community outreach for families of children 0-36 months – brings Moms, Dads, and their little ones together to share stories about Souns and parenting. During our last get-together we watched a short video encouraging parents to foster independence for their children in the home environment. Today’s harvest included one family who avoids the before dinner chaos by having their young child set the table. She loves it! Another celebrated their new “dishwasher” – all that is needed is a stool and happiness prevails with, “I want to do ALL the dishes!” This story was shared by the mother that, after the previous meeting, emailed the following –
| Yes!! We are really enjoying the program as well… I call Nicholas my “I’ll do it” child And I spend all day trying to stop him from doing it himself. So as a parent I feel refreshed and pressure free, by giving in to this idea of, if he wants to do it, then… Let Him Do It”!!! It is almost Liberating!! Lol |
Then there was the delightful onion story. One mom was fixing dinner and her little son saw the sliced onions on the counter and targeted one piece, taking it in his hands and exclaiming, “Ahhh! This is ahh!” He has indeed learned the most common sound for the “o.” He refused to let his mom cook the ahhh.
Souns is an amazing program and seeing these children want to match the sounds they knew with the sounds I wrote on the board and wipe specific sounds off the board brings smiles to all of us. Little hands placing each Souns symbol in the basket during clean-up is proof that play is the best way to teach. Reading builds vocabulary and Souns builds letter-sound associations. The desire for independence came in these little packages of humanity. The same drive for independence that wants to sweep the floor, wash a dish, crack an egg can be experienced with the symbols of our print. Just give the real tool – letter- sounds! The most magic words are, “I can do it myself!”
Below is a Peace Corps volunteer’s from-the-field report about a literacy effort she initiated. PCV’s are such a force for good in humanity. They serve in ways that change lives in lasting ways in their assigned communities. What awesome work they do! This PCV is currently structuring a plan to sustain this literacy program past her term of service.
Her words:
A Family Outreach Program began in three informal settlements. Tribal leaders nominated residents to serve as “Community Development Coaches.” These Coaches were trained in early childhood development, play, nutrition, and gardening. Each Coach works with ten families for two years at a time, conducting weekly home visits and teaching both parents and children together. The program targets children ages 1-5 years whose caregivers do not have a source of income (excepting social grants). In 2011, toys and books were donated to each of the families in the program. The arrival of the books prompted the Coaches to request training in literacy. In November 2012, nine Coaches were trained on the SOUNS method and began to implement SOUNS with 110 children in the program.
Most of the children were immediately delighted with the SOUNS symbols. They readily mimicked the Coaches and eagerly handled the O-M-S-T as each sound was presented. Even the children’s caregivers were excited to participate. Many of these caregivers are illiterate, and SOUNS provides an opportunity for them to learn basic literacy skills alongside their children. At one home visit, the grandmother in charge of four young girls sat to the side, pronouncing each sound carefully and showing her granddaughters how to feel the symbol. X (pronounced “sh” in Tsonga) is already a favorite among the children who giggle every time they shush their Coach. By using the SOUNS method, the Coaches expect to prepare these children to enter Grade R on par with their peers who have attended crèche.
5 year olds building the word isele (frog) by listening to sounds.
In 2010 the first SOUNS kits (2 alphabets of lower case letters and training booklet written in English) were piloted at selected preschools affiliated to the Knysna Education Trust, supported by a matching grant from Rotary Districts 9350 (SA) and 6900 (USA).
In 2011 all 22 of the KET preschools received a SOUNS kit to share among its classes. At this stage material in the local languages was prepared so that the teachers understood the methodology of the programme correctly, and a local DVD was produced to be used in the training. It was soon realised that there was a need for a Xhosa-speaking person in the field to make sure that the teachers were following the instructions and monitoring their learners’ progress correctly. A person was appointed by KET to work in the field on all aspects of preschool education, which also included SOUNS. Towards the end of 2011, a generous grant was accessed from the DG Murray Trust, which enabled every teacher at the KET preschools to receive her own SOUNS kit for her own class. The kits were made up with everything required to present SOUNS successfully, including a polar fleece mat for 8 children to sit around on the floor, and a file containing information about SOUNS in Xhosa and Afrikaans.
In 2012, the kits were distributed to every preschool teacher in KET preschools, and they were trained in the methodology of the programme.
At the same time, volunteers were brought in to monitor progress of learners in every class. 21 volunteers offered their services and one volunteer agreed to monitor 2 preschools that bordered each other. 17 of the original volunteers are still busy with the SOUNS programme (3 have accepted permanent employment, and 1 has gone to England for several months). The volunteers monitor the progress of the learners (the teachers do the teaching), and guide and support the teachers in the field. Every teacher reports that she enjoys the regular visits of the volunteer concerned, and the volunteers report that they feel welcome in the preschools. The teachers are proud to show off their learners’ progress to the volunteers when they come.
1. EVIDENCE FROM Grade 1 TEACHERS:
A list of learners was compiled to try to track learners who had had SOUNS in 2010 and 2011 in KET preschools and Grade R classes, now in Grade 1, in 5 local township primary schools. 172 learners were identified during June 2012 and the following information was supplied by Grade 1 teachers with regard to their performance in literacy after 6 months in primary school:
91 (53%) good – excellent 52 (30%) average – satisfactory 29 (17%) weak
2. KET PRESCHOOLS SURVEY:
21 of the 22 KET preschools and 17 volunteers replied, in varying amounts of detail. One preschool is being rebuilt, and the teacher did not get her information to me because she was busy moving her preschool into temporary accommodation. Information from both volunteers and teachers has usually been consistent.
3. FACTORS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED, AS GROUPS ARE NOT HOMOGENOUS:
3.1 Some classes consist of mixed ages and languages. It is recommended that children learn SOUNS in their mother-tongue, in a group who speak the same language. However, there are foreigners from other parts of Africa in some of the classes. One Child Welfare preschool has an Afrikaans-speaking teacher with Xhosa learners, and she is trying to teach them SOUNS in English! None of them will go to an English primary school. We have Xhosa learners in Sedgefield, with a Xhosa teacher, but the primary school there is only Afrikaans-medium at the moment. These are practical problems, and they will interfere with the children’s future educational development.
3.2 Most teachers report that absenteeism among their learners is a challenge.
3.3 Learners in township preschools come and go, joining and leaving classes throughout the year.
3.4 Individual teachers have had personal traumatic experiences, and this causes ups and downs in teaching. It is expected that the same has happened to some of the learners.
3.5 Some preschool facilities are extremely overcrowded.
4. LEARNING AND TEACHING:
4.1 By August 2012 many of the older learners (Grade R) knew all the SOUNS of the alphabet, and could decode and encode many 4, 5 and 6-letter phonetic words. The teachers have found “phonetic” a challenge, as the words they give their learners to build and decipher must be able to be sounded out with the individual sounds that the children have learnt, (e.g. ses, and sestig are phonetic, but not sestien). Suitable word lists in Xhosa, Afrikaans and English have been compiled, and teachers still need guidance in selecting phonetic words for the learners to work with.
4.2 Teachers in the preschools have become more confident and capable as they have become more familiar with the programme, and the learners have more scope for experimentation. Teachers have reported that they enjoy teaching SOUNS, the children look forward to it (“It is like play when we do SOUNS!”), and they are all proud of their progress. Most parents are impressed, as are the volunteers, who speak highly of the programme (“This is a wonderful system, and I was amazed at the progress we saw.”) In my own visits I have been impressed with the teachers’ attitudes, they have been patient, kind, calm and positive towards their learners, and have handled them all in a most loving way.
4.3 The languages that are used in KET preschools are mostly Afrikaans and Xhosa. In Afrikaans, one can start with 2 and 3-letter words, e.g. om, and os, but the shortest Xhosa words are usually 4-letters, so the learners have to listen more attentively when forming their first words. In Xhosa there are also repetitive syllables, like mama, tata, sisi, which enable the learners to experience patterns in words.
5. GRADE R :
8 Xhosa classes, 9 Afrikaans classes, 3 Mixed Classes, 1 Has changed from Xhosa to English, 1 did not reply.
| Time on SOUNS | Letter Knowledge | Building Words | Reading Words |
| 18 and 23 months | All 26 | 5-6 letters | 5-6 letters |
| 16 months | All 26 | 5 letters, names | |
| 13 months | 13 | 4 letters | 3 letters |
| 13 months | 12 | 3-4 letters | |
| 12 months | All 26 | 4-6 letters | |
| 11 months | All 26 | 3 letters | |
| 11 months | 15-all 26 | 3 letters | |
| 9 months | 14 | 3 letters | |
| 9 months | 10 | 3-4 letters | |
| 8 months | All 26 | 3 letters, names | |
| 7 months | 24-all 26 | 4 letters, names | |
| 7 months | 20 | 3-4 letters | |
| 7 months | 15 | 3-4 letters, names | |
| 7 months | 13 | 6 letters, names | |
| 7 months | 13 | 5 letters, names | |
| 6 months | 12-all 26 | ||
| 5 months | 12 |
Some teachers have reported that their Grade R learners are also enjoying writing words (on paper, board, sand etc.) at this stage.
6. 4 and 5 Year old Classes : 5 Xhosa Classes, 8 Afrikaans classes , 1 did not reply.
| Time on SOUNS | Letter Knowledge | Building Words | Reading Words |
| 14 Months | 13 – 26 | 4 Letters | |
| 7 Months | 26 | 4-5 Letters | |
| 7 Months | 18 | 3 letters | |
| 7 Months | 15 | ||
| 7 Months | 10 | 3 letters | |
| 7 Months | 10 | ||
| 7 Months | 9 – 13 | 3 Letters | |
| 7 Months | 4-13 | ||
| 7 Months | 9 | 3 Letters | |
| Months | 9 | 3 letters | |
| 7 Months | 6 | ||
| 7 Months | 7 | ||
| 5 Months | 9 |
A teacher in this age range has reported that her learners recognise the word STOP. Another teacher sings a SOUNS song to her class.
7. 3-4 Year Old classes : 3 Xhosa Classes, 4 Afrikaans Classes, 1 mixed class.
| Time on SOUNS | Letter Knowledge | Building Words | Reading Words |
| 7 Months | 14 | 6 letters | |
| 7 Months | 13 | ||
| 7 Months | 12 – 26 | 3 letters | |
| 7 Months | 10 | ||
| 7 Months | 8 – 26 | 3 letters | |
| 7 Months | 6 | ||
| 7 Months | 6 | ||
| 7 Months | 4-10 |
One teacher reports that her learners have started identifying letters that they have learnt at the beginnings of their names and other words.
8. Under 3’s : 6 Xhosa Classes, 4 Afrikaans Classes.
| Time on SOUNS | Letter Knowledge | Building Words | Reading Words |
| 7 Months | 13 – 26 | ||
| 7 Months | 12 | ||
| 7 Months | 10 | ||
| 7 Months | 7-14 | ||
| 7 Months | 6 | ||
| 7 Months | 4 | ||
| 7 Months | 4 | ||
| 7 Months | 4 | ||
| 7 Months | 3-11 | ||
| 7 Months | Babies Crawl around and handle them |
As was reported in June 2012, there is clearly a wide range of performance in all age groups. This will depend on time spent on the programme, as well as many other factors within each preschool, teacher and child. All ages have shown progress, and more teachers have reported starting word-building in the past 2 months.
CLOSING COMMENTS: The closing comments from both volunteers and teachers who are participating in the programme speak for themselves. The vast majority are VERY enthusiastic!
VOLUNTEERS: “This is a great system, and I am so impressed that children as young as 3 years are able to identify sounds confidently. The teachers have impressed me.”
“The children and teachers enjoy ‘outside’ person taking an interest in their (pre)school. Consequently the visits have been most rewarding as one feels appreciated and the teachers don’t regard you as a threat.”
“The teachers are well organised and display a genuine care for their work and want the children to succeed with their project”.
“The teacher is very patient and encourages her children….She is structured and systematic with the children who are very small, and the children want to please her.”
“Holidays make a big gap in the learning. The teacher is enthusiastic and the children respond well. This group has really improved this term.”
“The teacher applies the programme effectively and incorporates it in her daily teaching….She has wonderful results and I was amazed at the progress I saw every time I went back. This programme is fantastic and it works!”
“The teacher works at the level of the children. She is patient and prompts them when they hesitate. She had a chart and asked them to place the SOUNS on the letters which were arranged in an alphabet….She makes everyone clap when they get something correct and prompts those who falter. Very gentle but assertive.”
“Most of the group are quick, confident and ready to move on. Their enjoyment is evident – they are a great credit to the teacher”.
TEACHERS:
Most of them say they enjoy teaching SOUNS. The children “love” learning SOUNS and are “excited” about the programme. “They are curious about SOUNS”. “That is the pleasure, even to feel the SOUNS” “Kinders kan nie wag wanneer ons met die SOUNS begin nie”.
“They are very glad when they see the SOUNS, they say we are now ready to do our work”.
“The SOUNS are very important, especially for Grade R because SOUNS help them develop their thinking and language skills.”
“My children can read and write. Their progress is good and has a big effect on children’s lives.”
“Four of my children have a hearing problem…” (Discovered through working with SOUNS).
“Parents appreciate the progress because their children can learn a few words. They answer if you ask…” “They speak more clearly”. “Parents hear (listen?) when children talk or tell a story”.
One of the preschool teachers who also has an aftercare facility for older children, reports that those children’s spelling has improved as a result of them using SOUNS at her preschool.
“The programme makes things easy to manage…and developing children’s skills, knowing names, counting and numbers”.
“Children remember easily”. They “learn well and listen.”
“Children call out SOUNS at home”.
“Parents are proud.” “SOUNS make children brilliant, not even at preschool, but at primary school also”.
When I teach them, they are free and listening”. The little ones are “just playing with them and eat them.”
“The children go to the alphabet chart and say the SOUNS that they know. They will be the best generation.”
“Children ask for books and paper at home.” “They respond to alphabets, and words on TV and magazines”. “Children point to letters in shops and street names”.
SOUNS is a “fun way to learn”. The children play on their own with SOUNS and become “clever” each day.
A 3-year-old shows her Mom the S of Siyafunda on the way to preschool every day.
“Ouers is beindruk met SOUNS want dit gee ‘n hupstoot met die alfabet.”
“Die program help my baie met kinders wat skaam is. Dit gee my ‘n kans om ‘n sterker band to bou en terselfde tyd leerders se developmental stage vas te stel.”
Two teachers do not know what their parents think – they have had no contact on this level.
Some teachers would like more training, and this need will be addressed soon.
One of our preschool principals has this to say: “Your motivation and inspiration are helping us here…..to prepare leaders and readers for the future of the world.”
KNYSNA EDUCATION TRUST 2012
(Watch for the final report in November.)
There are compelling changes taking place in the world. We are learning about children. What we saw as a little human waiting to grow big is really a voracious, rapidly developing brain inside a slowly, but more visibly developing body. The young brain grows at an unparalleled rate, but we can’t s e e it like we can see the body grow. The body explores the world to feed the developing brain, as, interestingly, the brain must progress ahead of the body in order to safeguard the survival of the child. There is such beautiful logic, so much of which we don’t see by casual observation. Look intentionally, and you will!
Understanding the learning potential of young children can change the world in dramatic ways. It can ensure peace or exacerbate war. That little brain is going to adapt whether it means pulling a trigger or planting a seed. Peace Corps and Rotary International are powerful organizations dedicated to a peaceful world. One of the avenues to that end is literacy. If children are able to read, they will be more informed and can make decisions for themselves. People who can read are more able to take charge of their lives and are less likely to be victimized.
“I will help you learn to read!” Beyond health and love, there is NO greater gift for a child or the world then literacy. Collaborations between organizations such as Rotary International and the Peace Corps in South Africa are reaching thousands of children in rural communities. Urban populations in South Africa and in Puerto Rico are involved in literacy projects funded by The Rotary Foundation. The world may turn a little more smoothly for these children thanks to such globally minded literacy efforts.
On a smaller – but no less important – scale are individuals who are equally driven to help children. SenseAble Learning’s Della Palacios in Florida, USA, and Nikolai Pizarro in Puerto Rico with her publication Ring the Alarm are examples of the many hands reaching out to children. Della and Nikolai know the power of the young, developing mind. They know our tomorrows are defined by the experiences offered a child today.
Another hand reaching out and a thread that runs through each of the efforts mentioned above – Souns for literacy – is designed in response to the way children learn best. Souns breathes life into the tools of print, w h a t e v e r t h e l a n g u a g e. In the hands of children, Souns leads naturally and incrementally to letter-sound knowledge which leads incidentally to reading. Reading leads to success in school; and success in school leads to a more independent life. The result of an independent life is the ability to see beyond oneself, a necessity if we are to ensure peace. Many hands or the hands of one can make a difference – Every child wants to read.
Unfortunately, even with Rotary, Peace Corps, committed individuals, and so much information about how children learn, building readers remains a global challenge. We construct schools, hire fabulous teachers, stock libraries, give books; but, in the end, the parent who is with the child during the most formative years holds the key to reading. We must empower parents from the ground up if we are to impact literacy in a global way. All efforts, large or small, must touch the family, acknowledging parents as the real unit of change!
So THAT is how much fun a Souns kid can have? Meet Prince, and his marvelous mother Nikolai. Prince has had Souns since his mother and I met on TWITTER and she ordered Souns materials (January 2011). The journey has been furiously fast moving and engaging. Within two weeks of Nikolai seeing the impact Souns had on her young child, she was compelled to change every child’s life in Puerto Rico. She spoke to everyone, trying to build a resource for getting Souns into the hands of the children in her community. Finally, a Rotarian from Rotary District 7000 heard of the effort and suddenly, a Matching Grant was in the making.
Where are we now with this vibrant mother and one little boy who loved his Souns? Mix such passion and commitment with Rotary and the world really does change. Currently, the Head Start program of San Juan Municipality is the recipient of a grant from The Rotary Foundation, a Matching Grant sought by Rotary Districts 6990 and 7000. One mom and the experiences of one little boy on a mission now impact 4000 children in Head Start. The ultimate goal is to change the world for children in all of Puerto Rico. That mission is not to be denied, at least not for Nikolai .
And what about the star of this story, our little Prince? Prince is now building words with Souns letters, writing words with his hands, and sounding out phonetic words in two languages. He is not even old enough to be in kindergarten. What do you think his world will be like as he enters school? He loves learning. He is curious and inspired. Family matters to children. Souns has powered a relationship with a family and their community and has spawned a future for 4001 children. Nikolai is taking that even a step further – surprise! She has written, published, and is traveling and speaking about the power of family. Ring the Alarm: The Hope of Black and Brown communities: A Zero to Five Parenting Guide for Low Income Black and Latino Caregivers. Nikolai Pizarro (Author) http://www.amazon.com/Ring-Alarm-Communities-Parenting-Caregivers/dp/1468146963
It started with a TWEET between @counterpane and @Be_Pure! It is now a major literacy project in Puerto Rico thanks to The Rotary Foundation and the support of Rotary Districts 6990 and 7000 (inspired by the dream of one very passionate mother and her child). Today’s communication tools combined with service-above-self organizations such as Rotary build amazing opportunities, linking minds, hearts, and purpose.
While playing in the sand at the beach, my 4-year-old daughter grabbed me and said,
“Look Mom, I made a sound.”
“Wonderful! What sound did you make?”
A school year has spun by so quickly since we began Souns with the Even Start Family Literacy Program in Georgia. Five counties participated, with one center in each. The centers ranged from childcare settings which met daily during the week to centers with once a month visits by families. Almost every site included home visits by Even Start teachers.
From my experience, the people involved in ESFLP are an inspiration and such a positive reflection on the efforts to build literacy in Georgia. Each site is unique in its style and population. I have delighted in the eagerness of a parent watching her four-year-old child demonstrate letter-sound knowledge while she, herself, was on her way to a classroom to study for the GED. She is determined her child will have a head start in school. A home visitor shared the success she was having with a family whose child was not succeeding in school because of reading issues. There are abundant anecdotes of how Souns made a difference for children and their families. One teacher bemoaned the fact that the Even Start Family Literacy Program did not have Souns until this year, saying it would have made a tremendous difference had they had it during previous years.
We also learned about the conditions that make it harder for Souns to succeed. Souns works best when a child has regular exposure to the program. Souns once a month does not give as positive results as Souns being taught each day. Home visits were successful where the family supported the program between visits. Children who miss many days of school are clearly in jeopardy of not progressing as well as their classmates who attend regularly. The teachers voiced this frustration many times, “The program works if the child is here.”
Souns is an early literacy program that teachers love and children love if we can get the teacher, the material, and the children together on a regular basis. An exceptional academic program and great teachers are two critical legs of a stool that will not stand without the third leg – the child, supported by their family. The issues that challenge families who qualify for Georgia’s Even Start Family Literacy Program are clearly issues that are not easily remedied by the best of intentions or the greatest of programs and teachers. We must find a way to intercept families earlier and in incidental ways that adapt to the needs and schedules of very determined parents with complicated daily lives. How can we reach the most predictable teacher for a child – the parent – with the right information to build literacy at home? This hope I gained from this year. That is our goal, and I thank the Even Start Family Literacy Program for giving us such a clear direction for helping children. Every parent wants their child to read!
Souns Talk Weblog 