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Hello ,
Edu Fun literacy Programme - the week ahead
We have one week left of lessons this term.
We invite all volunteers to stay on for a bit after the lesson on Monday for a general meeting from about 9:45 until 11am.
This invitation is extended to all our volunteers who attend the literacy programmes on Mondays, Tuesdays and who are involved in our partner projects.
The purpose of the meeting is two-fold
1. To celebrate Read for Africa's 20th birthday and the role that Edu Fun and all of you have played in sharing and working towards the vision that everyone will be "Reading for Africa". We will have some Cake and Tea & Coffee to celebrate.
2. To chat about the plans we have for Edu Fun for the rest of the year in terms of the partner projects, literacy programme as well as the hub. With Edu Fun being run solely by volunteers, we're appealing for more help on various "behind the scenes" aspects and plan to share our "wish list" and "to do" lists with you to see how you may be able to help.
The Easter Bunny will be visiting DCS early this year (in the form of Edu Fun Volunteers)
We will be giving all the Grade 2 learners Easter Eggs on Monday and Grade 3s on Tuesday. This means we need approximately 400 eggs. We will be buying enough for Monday over the weekend and are asking volunteers to either donate R50 to cover the costs of a box of 24 marshmallow eggs.
If you are in a position to do so, you can either follow this link https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/edufun to make a credit card donation (please put "easter eggs" in the appreciation message), or you could bring a hand full of eggs, a strip or a box with you on Monday. We are not brand sensitive :-), however they need to be marshmallow eggs so that every child gets a similar type of Easter egg.

We will then tally up the number of eggs we have and buy the balance on Monday afternoon so that all the Grade 3s can receive an egg on Tuesday before the school closes next week.

Meet 'n Greet in Dainfern and then Car Pool to Diepsloot
Volunteers will meet Gillean on Monday and Jenny on Tuesday at Dainfern Valley Shopping Centre at 8:30 outside Piatto's and car pool to Diepsloot. We will be back in Dainfern by 10:30/10:45.
PLEASE TRY AND ARRIVE PROMPTLY AT 8:30 AND BE READY TO LEAVE BY 8:40 SO THAT OUR LESSONS CAN START AT 9AM. WITH THE HUB NOW BEING OUR FIRST POINT OF CALL IT TAKES A FEW EXTRA MINUTES TO COLLECT THE RESOURCES AND GET TO THE VARIOUS VENUES FOR THE LESSONS.
If this is your first time volunteering, it would be useful to click on
this link and read the general information about volunteering, our meeting point, and a link with directions and a map to Piatto's (which is in the process of changing it's name to VALLEY Bar & Grill)
Monday 16 March - teaching of 3 sound words to differentiated groups of learners
We will be running 8 groups of reading lessons parallel to each other on Monday mornings. This means that our group sizes will be considerably less so that we can give more personalised attention.
Please can all volunteers start at the hub and then make your way with the various leaders to the venue that you will be assigned to. Some volunteers have their set groups/leaders that they would like to work with. It is not essential, but it does make education sense for our regular volunteers to stick to one group each week so that you get to know the learners and your leader in order to maximise the short time we have.
All groups started on the Pink Level of the programme which means we will be dealing mainly with 3 sound words. Please see the attached lesson plan to view the basic steps that each leader will follow when getting learners to build, manipulate, read and spell the words.
The learners will be grouped into one of the following 8 groups.
**** If your name is not listed below, you will be allocated to a group on Monday
Red Group - Container classroom - Ms Mothapo (+ assigned volunteers)
Pink Group - 2a class room - Lianne & Ms Ngcobo (+ assigned volunteers: Eva, Lisa, Andrea, Debra, Joanne, )
Gold Group - Hub Office - Dudu
Blue Group - 2b class room - Gillean and Ms Mogotlane (+ assigned volunteers: Gayle, Claire, Annika, Liesel)
Green Group - Hub (Sick Bay) - Jeanne
Silver Group - Hub Training Room - Anne
Purple Group - 2c class room - Sachi and Ms Makgoba (+ assigned volunteers: Monique, Harriet, Judy F, Natasha, Hans)
Orange Group - Library - Judy will conduct this session as Meghan is away.
Tuesday 17 March - Grade 2 Lessons Continue
Approximately 80 Grade 2 children have been selected for our 2020 programme based on last year's results. Depending on the number of volunteers we get, we will try and work with all 80 learners in smaller groups.
30+ learners are the top learners from 2019, who we feel can really excel and will benefit from English Enrichment lessons.
The rest are children who have been identified as having a lot of potential, have acquired the basic skills and code knowledge (letters and their representing sounds), but would benefit from extra lessons in the blue level (4 sound words).
See lesson plans attached for the process that our lessons follow.
All resources and worksheets are provided for all our programmes.
The Phono-Graphix Reading Method
Read for Africa's Phono-Graphix Reading Method is the methodology of choice at all our Edu Fun Literacy sites.
We do run informal workshops for new volunteers once a term after, however most training takes place on-site observing and working with other volunteers.
All volunteers are always welcome to attend more in-depth courses with Read for Africa at no charge. Opportunities to pursue an international certification are available to all volunteers at a nominal fee. Email buddy@readforafrica.com if you would like to find out more about the Phono-Graphix reading method or the courses that are available to volunteers. Our next weekend course starts on 9 May - the detailed information sheet is attached.
New Volunteers may wish to view this video to learn a bit about the Phono-Graphix method we use to teach reading. The video clip takes you through the 4 key principles behind the programme as well as discusses a few topical debates such as learning how to read in your mother tongue versus English. There is also a practical demonstration of word building and buddy reading towards the end.

Partner Projects
If you are new to Edu Fun or would like to be reminded about all of our partner projects, please see the attached overview document. This provides information and contact details for each of our partner projects and their co-ordinators, namely the Ngangifisa Food Pantry (Meghan), Sewing (Karin), Health Group (Michaela) and Baby Club (Anthea).
We continue to expand our Literacy programme beyond Diepsloot and are working in Wakkerstroom, Alexandra and Rosettenville too.
Follow us on Instagram (edufunsouthafrica) and Facebook to see what we're up to.
We also Partner with an organisation called Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority who are actively involved with Edu Fun and support all of our partner projects. They "Spread a Little Love" every Monday by providing over 200 Peanut Butter Sandwiches to all the Grade 2 learners.
Dates to Diarise for 2020
We have another action packed year ahead and are in the process of planning various events with our partner projects and groups who support us.
We will keep adding to the calendar below, but please diarise the following in the meantime:
Term 1:
Weekly Lessons until Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 March 2020
Monday 16th March - Read for Africa birthday tea and general meeting for all volunteers in the hib until approx. 11am
School Closes on 20 March 2020
Food Pantry - Usually the last Wednesday in every month, but due to the school holidays this will take place on Wednesday 18 March from 11am.
The Health Group meets most Tuesdays to do basic health screenings mainly to identify which children would benefit from receiving spectacles.
*** we will discuss how a group of volunteers will still go into school on Tuesdays to teach and assist in the hub when the school is open. We have had to cancel several Mondays due to the public holidays mainly falling on Mondays.
Term 2:
Lessons for the second term will only resume on Monday 4 May due to the school holidays, Easter and the public holidays over April and May.
Due to such a long break - we hope to offer a few extra lessons in the school holidays
Saturday 9 - 9am to 3:30pm An in-depth Phono-Graphix course offered to volunteers who would like to attend further training to learn how to teach reading. See the attached information sheet for details.
WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAMME
Tuesday 30 June, Wednesday 1 July and Thursday 2 July 2020
TERM 3 AND 4 DATES AND EVENTS TO BE CONFIRMED
END OF YEAR HOLIDAY PARTIES
Monday 16 November 2020
Tuesday 17 November 2020
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