scholarly journals Interrogating quality in early childhood development: Working towards a South African perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorayne Excell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
South African ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
The South ◽  
African Context ◽  
Open The Doors

<p>Within the South African context, early childhood development (ECD) is receiving increasing attention at both government and civil society levels. This has resulted in children accessing ECD services in increasing numbers. But although access may open the doors to learning, it does not ensure a quality early learning experience for children. The pivotal factor is quality. Quality ECD has the potential to drive redress and realise the promise inherent in the South <br />African Constitution. The study draws on the three dimensions of a community of practice, to explore how new dialogic spaces are emerging, spaces that have the potential to generate innovation, reflection and new understandings of what could constitute quality ECD throughout South Africa. Using an action research design, this study will trace how understandings of what constitutes quality ECD in South Africa have already begun to be interrogated by a number of different stakeholders.</p>

scholarly journals Vocabulary used by ethno-linguistically diverse South African toddlers: A parent report using the Language Development Survey

2013 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurellia Shamaleni Gonasillan ◽  
Juan Bornman ◽  
Michal Harty
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Language Development ◽  
South African ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Parent Report ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Expressive Vocabulary ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
African Context

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to ascertain the relevance of the vocabulary of the Language Development Survey (LDS) for typically developing South African toddlers who attend ethno-linguistically diverse early childhood development centres.Rationale: The need for exploration of the expressive vocabulary of this population stems from the diverse linguistic contexts to which toddlers are exposed on a day-to-day basis in South Africa. Many parents prefer English as the language of learning and teaching for their child. As a result, toddlers interact with ethno-linguistically diverse peers from a young age, usually within their early childhood development centres.Method: An adapted version of the LDS was presented to 40 middle-class parents in Mpumalanga. Vocabulary commonly used by toddlers was determined and a comparison of parent responses made between the present study and the original American-based survey.Results: Results revealed that nouns were used most often by toddlers, in keeping with research on vocabulary acquisition. Significant correlations between the two groups were evident in 12 of the 14 categories. Parents reported that nouns, verbs, adjectives and words from other word classes were used similarly by toddlers, despite differences in their linguistic exposure.Conclusions: These findings suggest that the LDS is a valuable clinical screening tool for speech-language therapists who deliver services to toddlers within the South African context.

scholarly journals Challenges facing the early childhood development sector in South Africa

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Atmore
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
South African ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Situation Analysis ◽  
Programme Implementation ◽  
African Government ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Government Education

In this review article, the context of young children in South Africa in 2012 is described and the main challenges affecting children and the early childhood development sector (ECD) in South Africa are investigated. A situation analysis of ECD in South Africa was undertaken using South African government ECD policy and programme implementation reports. There has been progress since 1994, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The number of children in Grade R has trebled since 2001, government education and social development budgets have increased substantially and 58% of children at ECD centres nationally are now subsidised. More children are in provision and in better quality provision than before. However, much still remains to be done before we can say with confidence that the needs of our youngest children are being met. This study identifies infrastructure, nutrition, ECD programmes, teacher training, institutional capacity and funding as the major gaps in ECD provision.

scholarly journals Tapping into Leadership in Early Childhood Development Centers: Learning from the Lived Experiences of Principals in South African Townships

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110613
Author(s):  
Sibonelo Blose ◽  
Evelyn Muteweri
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
South African ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Community Based

Leadership is one of the critical drivers of educational institutions and has been overwhelmingly researched across countries. However, there is little with regards to early childhood development centers in the scholarship of educational leadership. South Africa has an assortment of early childhood development centers (ECD) ranging from fully registered and well-resourced centers in affluent areas to less regulated and poorly resourced community-based centers in townships, informal settlements and rural areas. In these centers, there are individuals performing a pivotal role of leading and managing the institutions. In this paper, we hone in on these individuals, specifically in a township setting, whom we refer to as ECD center principals. By means of narrative inquiry methodology, we solicited and interpreted the lived experiences of selected ECD center principals to garner an understanding of what it means to lead an ECD center in a township setting. The paper makes two broad contributions, namely, ECD center principals’ self-cognitions and their experiences of leading centers in townships.

scholarly journals The South African 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Birth to 5 Years: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sitting Behavior, Screen Time, and Sleep

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine E. Draper ◽  
Simone A. Tomaz ◽  
Linda Biersteker ◽  
Caylee J. Cook ◽  
Jacqui Couper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
South African ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
The South ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Stakeholder Consultation ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Local Literatures

Background: In December 2018, the South African 24-hour movement guidelines for birth to 5 years were released. This article describes the process used to develop these guidelines. Methods: The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation-ADOLOPMENT approach was followed, with some pragmatic adaptions, using the Australian guidelines for the early years as a starting point. A consensus panel, including stakeholders in early childhood development and academics, was formed to assist with the development process. Results: At a face-to-face meeting of the panel, global and local literatures were considered. Following this meeting, a first draft of the guidelines (including a preamble) was formulated. Further reviews of these drafts by the panel were done via e-mail, and a working draft was sent out for stakeholder consultation. The guidelines and preamble were amended based on stakeholder input, and an infographic was designed. Practical “tips” documents were also developed for caregivers of birth to 5-year-olds and early childhood development practitioners. The guidelines (and accompanying documents) were released at a launch event and disseminated through various media channels. Conclusions: These are the first movement guidelines for South African and the first such guidelines for this age group from a low- and middle-income country.

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