Studies like the Progress in International Reading Literacy (PIRLS) and the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ), in which South Africa actively participates, offer valuable insights into learners’ reading comprehension levels in primary school. However, they do not pinpoint the specific foundational reading skills where learners face challenges as they assess reading using the ultimate skill of written reading comprehension. The DBE has explored how to track these foundational skills necessary for achieving basic reading comprehension.
Establishing benchmarks on early skills gives us standardised milestones that learners need to reach in grades 1, 2 and 3. Teachers, schools, districts, provinces, and the national department can support the mastery of these skills as they develop and where there are challenges, ensure early remediation.
NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION
Establishes def inilian of reading proficiency
Clearly communicates standards and torgels
Monitor progress
SCHOOL
Standards and targets that school leaders can aim towards
Standardises assessment practices across and within schools
Identify the extent of remedialsupport required
CLASSROOM
Standard against which to measure learner skills
Identify early on learners at risk of not being able to read.
Adapt instructional focus lo meet learners' needs
Setting Reading Benchmarks for all Languages of Learning, Teaching, and Assessment in South Africa
Since 2019, the efforts by the department and stakeholders have resulted in the launch of 5 reports. The first is the design report, Setting Reading Benchmarks in South Africa, which outlines what is available in terms of reading benchmarks, what data is needed and what language-specific gaps exist. This report also explores benchmarking methodology by discussing the most prevalent data-driven methods for benchmarking, acknowledging statistical methodologies used nationally and internationally, as well as the limitations that exist.
The remaining 4 reports are the Early Grade Reading Skills Benchmark reports for the Nguni Language group (IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, and Siswati); the Sesotho-Setswana Language group (Sepedi, Sesotho, and Setswana); Afrikaans; and English (First Additional Language).
Join us for the launch
The Department of Basic Education and its partners are proud to announce the launch of the early-grade reading skills benchmark reports for the remaining two languages: Xitsonga and Tshivenḓa!
Date: 16 November 2023
Time: 8:30 to 16:30
Venue: Department of Basic Education YouTube channel
Be sure to join the live stream and catch the conversation.
Contact:
Zamangwe Zwane
E-mail: Zwane.Z@dbe.gov.za
Tel: 012 357 3681
Sasabona Mabasa
E-mail: Mabasa.S@dbe.gov.za
Tel: 012 357 3659
