Literacy is a human right

On 21 March we celebrate Human Rights Day in South Africa. This year the theme is equality. Equality in learning is close to our hearts at StudyChamp which is why this month our focus is on literacy as a basic human right. A 2016 study assessing learners’ reading comprehension in five-year intervals found that eight out of ten Grade 4 learners could read, but not comprehend what they were reading. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many early learning centres had to close and many primary school learners were forced to learn online, while some did not attend any form of schooling. Education experts fear that this will dramatically increase the number of learners dropping out of school in the near future. Although the literacy problem is more evident in rural and previously disadvantaged schools, the lockdown period and less face-to-face learning time impacted all learners. Literacy is fostered from early childhood by speaking and reading to a child. It is important to remember literacy development is a continuous process throughout a child’s education. Even short gaps in the learning process can negatively impact a learner’s literacy skills. Reading and writing are the most important literacy skills – and entail more than just meaningless reading and thoughtless writing. Literacy is the skill to understand what you are reading and being able to use the knowledge you have gained from your reading in a meaningful way. Spelling and vocabulary are two important components of literacy, both of which are dependent on reading often and reading with meaning. Teachers play a vital role in developing literacy skills, but unfortunately there is not enough time in a busy school day to sit individually with every child to assess their literacy skills and to actively work on developing each one’s shortcomings. Parents therefore play a very important role in developing literacy skills. Young children should read or be read to every day, even if it is just for ten minutes. When reading together, ask questions about the story, the images in the book, the cover of the book, ask them to predict the ending of the story and explain any difficult words they may not understand. Time spent together reading a book will not only foster a deep bond between you and your child, but it will also encourage a love for reading and develop their literacy skills. How you can help to develop literacy in South Africa Donating to literacy organisations Save the Children Literacy Boost measures children’s literacy skills, trains teachers to help children with reading and comprehension and involves communities by sponsoring study materials and supplying books. Donate your time Help2Read is a South African organisation that offers literacy intervention programmes at public primary schools across South Africa. They provide children who struggle to read with volunteer helpers or community tutors. You can either volunteer as a reading helper, donate money or campaign for literacy. Donating books Many schools do not have the resources to provide learners with books. By donating your children’s old books to schools or even community libraries, you can help learners improve their literacy skills.

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Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.