Rotarians ● Peace Corps Africa ● Literacy

Rotary Clubs, join hands with the Peace Corps! Children need us!

The following letter is from Dick Day, Regional Director of The Peace Corps in Africa.

Dear Rotarians,

Early childhood development is such a critical need across Africa. While we have some Peace Corps Volunteers working with local non-governmental organizations to support ECD with orphans and vulnerable children, they have little training in early childhood development and fluency teaching and few resources.

Thank you for helping equip our Volunteers on both fronts through the Souns program, and thank you for touching the little ones who so desperately need love and training.

Dick Day                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

This letter is the result of a pilot literacy project in South Africa, promising the fundamental skills of reading and writing for children. A collaboration between the Peace Corps and Rotary (currently including D9400 and D6900) means a door is open and the light is shining through it. A sustainable path to impacting literacy is visible. We have two amazingly dedicated organizations and a tool designed to teach children to read in any African language.

How can you get involved? There is a Global Grant option, as well as ample opportunity for any Rotary Club to support one or more Peace Corps volunteers in Africa. Please email: everychildwillread@gmail.com to discuss the possibilities. You might even consider joining in the training at some point. Once you have experienced the eyes of these children as they learn, you will see many things differently.

Global Grant Option for Rotary Clubs

A Global Grant to help 12000 children read in South Africa!

The past and the present! Global Grant #25244 has been extraordinarily successful in building fundamental literacy skills for almost 8000 children of Mamelodi in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Such success has led to a new Global Grant proposal to provide Souns literacy materials to 250 classrooms in Gauteng and surrounding Provinces via the University of Pretoria, University of Venda, and the Peace Corps. This new grant will provide materials initially impacting almost 12,000 children through primary schools and creches, as well as equipping Peace Corps volunteers with Souns materials to better serve them as a resource for their communities.

Since Souns materials are not expendable, the overall impact as the years go by will be exponential. The grant provides funds for classroom materials only and is matched almost dollar-for-dollar by experienced Rotarian volunteers training local teachers to implement the program. Teaching teachers ensures long term sustainability.

The almost completed Global Grant 25244 ($34,200) was initiated by D9400, Host Club Pretoria East, and D6900, International Partner Club Peachtree City, along with Rotary Clubs Carrollton Dawnbreakers, East Cobb, and North Fulton. This international literacy project is changing lives for children. Clearly, this is a demonstration of the power of Rotary.

The new, proposed Global Grant ($50,000) is being initiated, once again, by the Rotary Club of Pretoria East. This project builds on the collaboration between D6900 (International Partner) and D9400 (Host) and promises an even larger impact by Rotary on the fundamental literacy skills for young children in South Africa.

If you are in District 6900(USA) or District 9400(ZA) and are interested in your club participating in this international literacy Global Grant, please email everychildwillread@gmail.com. If you are in another Rotary District and want to get involved in this effort, contact me and we will find a way to make that happen. The world is filled with children who want to read, and we need as many hands joined as possible. The ability to read and write is the peacemaker, and we must ensure that every child – YES, EVERY – child will read!

Peace Corps, “Souns has been the calm in my sea!”

Greater words to share hath no person than these: I have helped a child! Working with the Peace Corps on this Rotary District 9400/APC pilot for future literacy work has inspired me beyond expectations. What beautiful people demonstrating the very best of humanity. Thank you PCV’s! You are our promise of calm in the world’s turbulent sea! One PCV’s words on his work with Souns:

Souns has been the calm in my sea of first year turbulence. It has been a solid start to everyday, and seeing youth progress in something tangible has been rewarding to push forward in the times when content doesn’t not come so fluidly. Even teachers are picking up the concept of putting learning into the child’s hands.

I have seen the most success in my two days at the cretche. The learners have almost no formal exposure and are taking to it like fish to water. I still have a slower moving group, but even the parents of these children are coming up to me saying their child plays in the sand making their souns.

As mentioned above, teachers are picking it up. The principal of my own school slid in a challenge to his teachers to use more visual aids and study aids in order to improve learner’s retention. He proceeded to make a connection with souns and the vocabulary notebooks he was starting with his Grade 5 learners.

Moving forward, I need to improve my communication with the Grade R teacher in order for them to more congruent follow up during non-souns days. I also need to figure what to do with my grade 1s who have mastered their souns and are progressing quickly with building words.

I see souns not only having a lasting impact on literacy, but also parental and communal involvement. Being visible and informally teaching is broken down barriers to school. In my own house, the parents are talking more with their child about what they are learning and challenging them with new knowledge.

I think we could use a little more shop talk with each other, but I obviously haven’t been able to prioritize it.

Len Breen Award – Souns Project RD 6900/9350

 

KNYSNA’S SOUNS PROJECT                                                                                                        By Lesley Satchel,             Past President, Knysna

Knysna has been busy with literacy projects this past year, and most of our Matching Grants also have a literacy component. SOUNS LITERACY PROGRAMME Knysna RC, in conjunction with the Knysna Education Trust, has continued to expand the SOUNS Literacy Programme at 48 pre- schools in the greater Knysna area townships, and rural communities. This programme was developed by Brenda Erikson, a Rotarian from the Peachtree Club in Georgia USA, who be- lieves that literacy should be introduced from a very young age (less than a year old) and be mastered by means of the kinaesthetic sense (the dominant sense at that age) rather than the usual visual and auditory senses. Of course, all senses come into it later. Brenda managed to have all 48 sets of SOUNS letters sponsored by Rotary Clubs in her District, so it is truly a Rotary project. Brenda and her husband visit South Africa twice every year to monitor the progress of the programme, which is being used very successfully in Afrikaans and Xhosa in our area. Through KET, SOUNS programmes are being used in the Mossel Bay area, sponsored by Mossel Bay RC, and also Pretoria, through a local RC there.

 

 

Best community service project (The Len Breen Trophy)

1 A viable project that meets the community’s needs

2 Ongoing sustainability

3 Implemented in partnership and in collaboration with the community/authority structure and organization

4 Degree of participation of Rotary club members

5 Degree of participation by the community

6 Enhances Rotary’s visibility and public image in the community

7 Project should have been running for six months prior to conference

8 Project registered on the District database

9 Donation of money is not a criterion

Ah-Ha Moments

I registered for the Florida Literacy Conference on a whim. My rationale went something like this, “Adult and Family Literacy certainly applies to SensAbleLearning, LLC, I’ll go.” It was a very good whim. At the conference, I had my first experience using Souns® with an adult learner.  He inquisitively looked at the Souns® symbols (letters) and I explained quickly how the program worked the first time he happened by.  I realized quickly that his curiosity was more than piqued as he touched the letters and said the sounds with me.  I wondered if he could read, but I did not ask. He left to attend a workshop but he soon returned and apologized for having to leave.  I asked if he would like to sit and work with me for a bit using Souns®.  He said yes.  We went through each letter sound, just as the program suggests.  Most of the sounds he learned very quickly.  I have the tracking sheet we used. He did not recognize many of the letter sounds initially, but we practiced and he learned.  Next, I began building words with him using Souns® symbols and the objects I have ready in my box of three letter words.  With each new word he built, a smile stretched from ear to ear displaying his delight in what I can only assume is a new understanding of this mysterious language code.  I wish I had more time with this young man. I loved every ah-ha moment that came across the faces of trained professionals, tutors and scholars  as they “got” how teaching sounds first before letter names removes much of the confusion not needed for a beginning reader.  But, the ah-ha that will remain in my heart is the one I saw in the smile of the curious young man.

Della Palacios                                                                                                                                Founder and Owner of SensAble Learning, LLC

SounsZambia – new steps for literacy

Souns is so happy to introduce you to the new friend we have in our global efforts toward literacy. Steven Putter of IRDI  (Waters Edge, an Imagine Rural Development Initiative) is a new advocate for Souns and together we have a goal for families and education in Zambia: every – yes every – child will read! Text below is from IRDI Blog.

“IRDI [Imagine Rural Development Initiative] are proud to announce our partnership with Souns, the greatest educational system we could find globally to fit in our educational system for Zambia. It is the only system we could find that actually satisfied all the criteria of working and designing systems derived from nature and incorporated into early childhood education.

Their playful and personal contact model in their learning environment is such a positive model that it just can’t be ignored as a great added benefit to an already brilliant model of early childhood education.

IRDI would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome [Souns] to Zambia and the IRDI project on Water’s Edge in Luangwa.. welcome and thank you for choosing a partnership that will see the quality training of locals who wish to give their children a head-start in life.”

Peace Corps Reflections (from the field)

Volunteers in the Peace Corps have the option to use Souns in their communities in South Africa. This opportunity is the result of a collaboration between Rotary Districts 6900, 9400, and Africa Peace Corps. The work is promising, even compelling when one considers the difference for children that is being made. It is a wonderful thing to see organizations join forces for building a literate world, which is the only route to a peaceful one.  Please enjoy the collection of quotes from the field. Keep in mind, Souns works in any language using the Latin alphabet symbols. You associate the sound of the symbol for the child’s language. What a bridge between differences.

“I really like the simple, realistic ideals of the souns program. The individualized program meets the learners where they are and provides small group interaction that is often missing in the regular classroom setting.” 

“It was nice to see despite the different language barriers how fast the children pick up on the idea of the program and the different activities you can do with it.”  

“One simple technique that I had not thought of was asking the kids to exchange souns with another learner.”  

“I am going to start grouping the students more as they progress, since I don’t want the students who are progressing to get bored.”

“Things are going well!
I’m learning that
writing must be done in smaller groups!
I recently had a little guy [who wasn't feeling well] – but he
still participated… only afterwards did I realize [how badly he felt]. Poor guy! But he still was working hard.

I’m trying to get to every kid at least once a week. I’m seeing
progress. Using local words has been especially effective.

Souns is a great way for me to get to work with the younger grades,
otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity to interact with them.”

“Souns is doing well in my area! Before our training I had thought we needed to perfect each cluster of 4 sounds before moving on so I wasn’t as far into the sounds as the other volunteers. But now that I am on track things are looking really well! Just the other week we started our first combination of sounds to form short words. It was amazing to see the lightbulb go off in the kids head when the put together sounds to make simple words.” 

Mothers – Teachers Of The World

From conception there is a conversation between mother and child. Sounds filter into the cradled world of the little being inside the womb. Words are heard and voices are categorized. The child’s brain is developing and recording. The mother is the first and most important teacher for a child whether the child is within the womb or without. She holds, nurtures, and guides, helping the child acclimate to the world. Learning how to dress, learning how to eat, learning the home language – all require the attention, patience, and help of the mother. Every detail is absorbed with the voracious appetite of a young growing brain. Understanding the rapid growth of the brain at this stage is of great importance, as the cells that are not used are “pruned.” Therefore, a sensorially stimulating, language rich, experiential environment is the best environment for this new little being.

As the teacher of the child, mothers are the power that can change the world. Imagine children going to school already able to read and write. School is for learning, but it is not necessary to be in school to learn the fundamentals of reading and writing. In fact, the child is with the mother during the most ideal time to teach those skills, and it requires no special training, just a miniscule paradigm shift. From one to three years of age is the optimal time to learn the tools of print. No pressure, so simple and natural. Mothers are the logical teachers of the child. How can we remove the stigma of school being the place to learn basic literacy skills? School is for learning about the world, building a body of information and understanding through reading. But reading and writing begin at home! Mothers, accept the power of one – each and every one of you can teach your child to read and write.

Building literacy tools is natural and fun! Here is one opportunity.

“Look at the great /o/ (ahh) you made. I can show you an /o/ in a book when you finish drawing.”

Just make sure you give the letter-sound association ONLY!  Short vowel sounds and hard consonant sounds until the child begins decoding. Letter-names come after the child begins sounding out words.

Visit www.souns.org to read more. Google and enjoy the work of Dr. Patricia Kuhl to be amazed at the unfolding of the young brain

Every Child – YES EVERY – Child Will Read!

 

Such a great experience showing teachers how to implement Souns in the Head Start program in San Juan Municipality. The children of Puerto Rico will read. Beautiful people, eager children, the tremendous support of Rotary Districts 7000, 6990, and The Rotary Foundation are making this work happen. What magic. How critical a journey. Literacy is the key to peace in the world. A child who cannot read will be a victim for life. Children from economically challenged environments have the same inherent abilities as children from economically advantaged environments. We can make a difference for all children with Souns, leveling the playing field, and building a better world for all. We thank you, Rotary!

SounsPuertoRico / Museo del Niño

Rotary District 7000 is engaging children in Head Start classrooms and at the Museo del Niño in activities that build literacy naturally. Letter-sound associations are so easy for a child to learn if the experience is fun and hands-on. In Head Start and at the Museo, Rotarians volunteer their time and talents, and provide the Souns materials to ensure the children of San Juan have fundamental skills in place when they are developmentally ready to write and read. Below is the beautiful environment at the Museo del Niño.