#antonique

By Antonique Dick

  South Africa is on the verge of an educational meltdown. Old-fashioned teaching methods are no longer effectively equipping children with necessary knowledge. The most innovative learning method is through creativity, which stimulates the learning growth of children. The mind is stimulated through repetition, but it is also true that the concentration span of a young child is extremely short. 

  Educators are constantly battling with rowdy pupils and their short concentration spans. This does not include the pupils who might suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a mental disorder of the neurodevelopmental type. The main focus of educators should not just simply be to deal with the pupils who suffer from ADHD, but also the remainder of pupils within the class. 

Pictured: An infographic on ADHD. Image: DrJockers.

The main struggle educators face is the fact that governmental policies restrict teachers with a fixed syllabus, leaving little to no room for creative teaching.

  There are various methods to make teaching more creative and to stimulate the brain into remembering the teaching activities of the day. An example of this would be through a process known as ‘creative teaching’. This is done through the use of creative tools, such as games or visual exercises, both which help stimulate the creativity of the mind. The effectiveness of these games is in their ability to capture and excite young minds. Another form of creative teaching is done through audio-visuals, such as pictorials and mind-maps.

  Educators who have tried to implement role play within a class claim that it helps the development of interpersonal and social skills. Ensuring that classes are bright and colourfully decorated helps young pupils be active and creates a space conducive to learning. Personal interactions with the children in class also creates a comfortable and open learning environment.

  The use of digital technological materials, such as video games, are a fun way to engaged children while also stressing the importance of teamwork. Other methods include flashcards, which should be visually stimulating to enhance memory. This is an excellent teaching strategy for difficult subjects such as Mathematics and Science.

  Nick Morpus, an online journalist who suffered from ADHD as a child, states exams presented in the form of “game shows, the sound of voice reciting information, similar to visuals stimulated, my brain and kept my interest better than that of a one sided lecture or lesson and paper exam.” Examples of these game shows include Family Feud and Pyramid. These are not only visual stimulant, but also enhance the listening skills of the child.

  The amount of children who are literate in South Africa is extremely low compared to the illiteracy level of grade four to five learners, which stand at a whopping 75 percent. Furthermore, there is a vast gap between the amount of qualified educators and the competency levels of the students. It is believed that students are merely taught to memorise and recite the curriculum instead of learning independently. By allowing students to truly learn, understand, and critically think about what is being taught, they soon realise the value of working hard.

  Another factor which could be contributing to the lack of creativity in classrooms is the lack of interaction with youth in enhancing the learning skills of young pupils. Therefore, Rhodes University has created a space where its students are able to interact with local schools in the surroundings area of Grahamstown.

  The Wordworks Early Childhood Development Reading Programme, a non-profit initiative which aims to enhance the literary and numeracy skills of young children through creative teaching practises, has been a huge success for the past few years.

  A student Kimberly Makombe, who has been volunteering at Wordwords ECD Reading Programme, describes this opportunity as an uplifting experience. 

Pictured: Kimberly Makombe.

“Working with the Workwords ECD Reading Programme makes me feel more engaged with Rhodes University,” says Makombe. “This is because I feel proud to add positive values towards the surrounding community, whilst upholding the values of the school.”

  The ECD programme also tries to work past the language barrier, which is one of the main challenges faced by the pupils. Makombe also believes that the positives will always outweigh the negatives, and every week is a learning experience not only for the students, but also herself and the educators.

Pictured: The Workwords Early Childhood Development Reading Programme in session.