Overview
Taming the English Curriculum is no easy task as it has many ideas, suggestions and requirements to be considered. It can be quite daunting and teachers often have to rely on a textbook as a simple and organised alternative to a complex curriculum guide. Textbooks have to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach which more often than not does not cater to the unique context of each school.
ErlyBirds spend time demystifying the curriculum empowering language teachers to better understand the CAPS requirements. Teachers are then able to select an age- and context-appropriate approach to Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing and Language Conventions to best meet the needs of their pupils. As a school, one can plan a new, fresh, inspired school-overview to encompass all the requirements of the curriculum over the InterSen Phase without repeating the same content or covering too much at a superficial level.
ErlyBirds have created hands-on tools that teachers might use to realise links, themes, patterns and similarities in the curriculum content throughout the grades and subject areas. Vital creative and critical thinking tools, like brainstorming and attribute listing, can be introduced as well as suggestions for integration with other subjects to provide authentic language experiences. Incorporating problem-solving, collaborative work where pupils communicate effectively to critically evaluate information.
We recommend that this workshop is followed by Grade and subject-specific curriculum planning to develop a tailor-made, detailed plan for each grade and subject. See LEVEL 2: IN THE CLASSROOM