Background
The Canolees and Canotel – literacy and numeracy – intervention programs were founded by CAP (Community Action Partnership) in 2020. These programs are based on the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL)-approach developed by a renowned NGO in India called Pratham. The TaRL-approach aims at bridging the gap in foundational literacy and numeracy experienced by an alarming number of learners who enter Intermediary Phase education (Gr. 4-6) lacking the ability to read with understanding or carry out basic mathematical operations. CANO give learners who have fallen behind and missed out on key concepts, a fair chance to catch up and improve their learning outcomes.
This approach is currently being successfully offered in 12 other African countries by either a local non-governmental organization (NGOs) or a TaRL-government partnership. Our intervention model is a combination of these two. We, as an NGO, train, and support government teachers to effectively deliver the TaRL-methodology. This allows us to transfer our expertise to teachers and provide ongoing support until schools can persist independently using the methodology as an intervention tool as required, which allows for a more sustainable approach.
The success of this approach can be contributed to four core components:
- The Implementation Teams – Continuous support is provided to teachers.
- Learner assessment – Learners are grouped according to their ability and not their grade or age.
- Classroom methodology – Fun and engaging level-oriented activities are presented. The learning materials used are adapted to each learner’s learning needs and are culturally relevant.
- Continuous measurement and monitoring – Constant program evaluation and adjustment is done to ensure the program meets the school’s needs so that it is purposeful, cost effective and sustainable.
The intervention takes place for a minimum of 40 hours and is presented by the teachers for 1 hour a day during school hours. The learners are reassessed at the beginning and end of each term to determine if they can move to the next level. Twenty years’ research of this methodology shows that learners can progress with two levels within 40-60 hours.
Methodology
The program does not follow any curriculum. It is primarily a methodology that can be offered in line with the current CAPS curriculum. A CANO-manual is provided that includes basic material which is culturally relevant to the (rural/urban) learner’s environment.
The Canolees-methodology is centred around all 5 literacy skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking, and thinking, and involves whole class, small group as well as individual activities.
The Canotel-methodology is centered around number recognition and basic operations and also involves whole class, small group as well as individual activities.
In both programs great emphasis is placed on Trauma Informed Teaching and individual attention.
The CANO-programs are the first of its kind in South Africa. Two models currently exist: A rural model and an urban model. Both these models are available in Afrikaans and English.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED)
We have the full support of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Ongoing collaboration exists between CAP and the Curriculum Advisers, Subject Advisers and Circuit Managers of each of the districts where we have implemented the program. The CAP-School-WCED partnership is very important for the sustainability of the program and meetings with stakeholders occur on a regular basis.
Our hope is that every little one in our program will be able to say “Ek KAN NOU lees/tel”, hence the name Canolees/Canotel
CanoLEES Results 2022
Vondeling Primary
31% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding after 42 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 1 – 4 |
| Total number of learners on program | 39 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 0 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 3 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 42 |
Rondeheuwel Primary
31% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding after 59 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 1 – 3 |
| Total number of learners on program | 89 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 0 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 3 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 59 |
Protem Primary
14% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding 22 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 1 – 3 |
| Total number of learners on program | 22 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 1 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 2 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 22 |
Nu Hoop Primary
34% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding after 31 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 2 – 5 |
| Total number of learners on program | 47 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 3 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 1 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 31 |
Molenrivier Primary
17% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding after 43 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 1 – 6 |
| Total number of learners on program | 47 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 2 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 1 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 43 |
Brandenburg Primary
25% increase in learners who can now read short texts with understanding after 27 hours.
| Grades on Canolees program | Gr. 2 & 3 |
| Total number of learners on program | 55 |
| Total number of teachers that facilitate | 2 |
| Total number of CAP assistants that facilitate | 1 |
| Average amount of hours spent on program per learner | 27 |
Funding needed for previously disadvantaged schools in the Western Cape
- Roll-out costs per school (Training, materials and resources, catering, and admin)
- Maintenance costs per school (Continuous monitoring and evaluation, guidance, and consultation)
Roll out plan
Continuation Model: Maintenance and Support
Term 1 and 2:
The structure of the first two terms of this year will be a blueprint for how schools will use the interventions independently in the future. Each of the two terms will be used to launch a short 10–15-hour intervention-burst directed predominantly at Gr. 3 learners and all new learners entering the school whose literacy and/or math-skills are not up to standard. We will also offer training sessions for any new teachers.
Term 3 and 4:
We will continue to support teachers with emphasis on helping them plan, manage, analyze, and adjust these short intervention-bursts accordingly. We want them to ultimately become Leaders of Practice who can, driven by their own experience, mentor and inspire their colleagues, and continue to be catalysts for the program going forward.
