Remote & Virtual Learning Guidelines for Parents, Teachers & Learners

With COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions causing limited attendance at school, leaners have been provided with opportunities to access virtual/remote learning at home. Due to health and safety protocols, learners cannot attend school every day and many schools have adopted an option that allows learners to attend on a rotation basis.

This results in learners having fewer days for learning. The available teaching and learning at school for the remaining part of the year is undoubtedly inadequate to sufficiently support the learner with continued learning of the skills and concepts that are required as per the curriculum content.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in collaboration with different consortiums have undertaken to provide extended learning for learners at home. The following has been planned which is intended to support learners from Grade R to 11:

  • Designated TV channels in specific weekly time slots
  • Schedule of viewing times in respective subjects per grades
  • Content of the subjects have been selected to accommodate the curriculum that needs to be covered for the remaining part of the year.

GRADES 1-6 LEARNERS

A schedule of viewing the Language & Mathematics lessons with the relevant topics will be provided.

Parents can support their children in the following ways:

  • Create a designated space for the TV viewing with no distractions for the child.
  • Displaying the schedule clearly of the viewing times against each subject for the day. Refer the child daily to the schedule of the viewing times especially when parents are not at home.
  • Make available resources where possible – paper, pencil, coloured pencils, glue, counters, manipulatives etc
  • If you are at home, please sit with your child during the viewing of the lessons as some of the lessons are very interactive and expect the learners to engage with the parent/sibling/relative etc. during the lessons
  • Parents should discuss the lesson after the viewing for comprehension, clarity and consolidation.
  • If parents are not at home during the viewing, then this discussion of the lessons can take place during a time suitable for both of you. Ask your child to share something they learnt from the lesson for the day.
  • Caregivers or extended family who are at home can also assist. Request their assistance and discuss the schedule with them (where and when their assistance will be needed)

GRADES 7-9 LEARNERS

A schedule of viewing the different subjects in the respective grades with the relevant topics will be provided to learners.

The following are suggestions to assist you to benefit from the different subjects that will be presented on the designated television learning channel:

  • Display the schedule of the viewing times of the different subjects for easy reference and as a reminder
  • If possible, record the lessons to view at your most convenient time and for consolidation
  • Arrange with your friends from your class to also watch at the same time so you can have discussions about the lessons
  • Make sure that you follow up on any activities that were done during the lesson. You could do that by either completing any worksheets that you may have been given at school or by referring to your textbook or workbook.
  • When you go back to school, discuss the lesson you watched on TV with your teacher and classmates and request for any written work to be checked/ marked so that corrections can be done.
  • Improve your vocabulary by writing down any new words learned during the lesson and looking up for their meaning in a dictionary. Make sense of the new words by using them in a sentence.
  • Write down a summary of what you have learned every week, this will help you during revision.

HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH EXAM STRESS

Writing exams is a stressful time for many learners. It can be a difficult time for everyone in the household too. These tips may help you give learners the support they need at home.

Stay positive:

The fear of failure can create unnecessary pressure on learners.  Help them stay positive. Don’t judge or compare them with their peers.  Talk about exam nerves.  Remind them that it’s normal to feel anxious.

Remain calm:  

You probably worry about how well children will do and what failing an exam will mean for their future. Make sure you don’t make things worse. Try to also be positive.

Signs of stress:

Pay attention to their concerns. Watch for signs of stress. These may include, headaches and stomach pains; worrying a lot all the time; not eating or sleeping; feeling hopeless all the time. Ask other parents or teachers for advice and support. If learners are worried about a particular subject, encourage them to talk to a teacher.

A study schedule:

Help them make a study schedule.  Put it up on the fridge, so it feels part of daily routines.  Remind and encourage them to stick to it.

Know their exam timetable:

Know what exams they’ve got and when. Put their exam timetable up so it feels like a team effort.

Encourage enough sleep:

Good sleep improves thinking and concentration. Cramming all night before an exam is usually a bad idea.

Exercise and eat well:

Encourage them to exercise.  Exercise can help boost energy levels and relieve stress. A balanced diet is important for their health and energy too.  Lots of fatty foods and sugar can make children irritable and moody. 

Help them to avoid study distractions:

SMSing friends and checking what’s happening on Facebook can be a bad distraction for learners when they are studying. Encourage them to avoid too much screen time.

Watching actively to learn:

If learners are using television as part of their revision programme encourage them to watch actively.

  • Switch off their phones.
  • Have their textbooks or learning resources open to refer to.
  • Let them talk to you about what they have watched and learnt. Teaching you what they have learnt can be a helpful way to learn.

Be an active listener:

Sometimes the best thing you can do is listen. But listen actively. 

  • Stop – stop what you are doing.
  • Breathe – breathe deeply to slow down and focus your attention.
  • Listen – Listen without interrupting or telling them what to do.
  • Respond – Then respond in a kind and patient way.

FAQs

The Tswelopele Programme is a Remote Learning Programme, that provides support for teachers, learners, and parents via a range of platforms. It enables learners and teachers to access teaching, learning and support content away from the school. Parents and carers are also supported with information that help them to support learners. The various platforms include television, radio, digital platforms such as the internet/ Youtube, and social media.

The Tswelopele Remote Learning Programme covers the following grades and subjects:

  • Grades R to 11.
  • Foundation Phase Subjects: English First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills
  • Intermediate & Senior Phase subjects: EFAL Mathematics and Natural Sciences

We are unable to cover all subjects due the limited time on television and radio. Also, these subjects are important for the following reasons:

  • These core subjects are important for concept formation going forward into the higher grades.
  • EFAL focuses on core skills of reading and viewing, writing and presenting, listening and speaking, and language structures and conventions.
  • Mathematics is important to ensure that learners become numerate (calculating), and
  • Natural Sciences help us study the things or phenomena around us.

You will be able to catch any lessons at a later stage in the following ways:

  • Repeat broadcasts on the OVHD channel (Channel 122). Check out the Tswelopele broadcast schedule on the website.
  • The Tswelopele website (Tswelopele.org.za).
  • DSTV Catchup

The broadcast schedule is available on the Tswelopele website. You can also ask your school to download and print it for you.

If you do not understand anything, you should ask the following persons for assistance:

  • Your teachers
  • Your parents or carers
  • An older brother or sister

Teachers can help learners in the following ways:

  • Provide them with a schedule of TV broadcasts.
  • Ask learners to tell what they learnt from various broadcasts.
  • Revise topics that learners watched or listened to Show learners how to access content remotely on various devices (computer, cell phones, etc.).

Parents can assist their children in the following ways:

  • Make time for learners to watch or listen lessons on TV or radio.
  • Ask learners what they learned.
  • Provide learners with a schedule of TV and Radio broadcasts
  • Support them in accessing learning content remotely on their computers, cell phones, etc.
  • Discuss the programmes with learners.

The Tswelopele Programme will cover the core aspects of the term’s work (Terms 2-4). As such it will assist learners to revise and/ or catchup on the work they should have done at school. Tswelopele therefore can assist learners prepare for the assessments.

To gain from the Tswelopele Programme, you should do the following:

  • Get the broadcast schedule and listen to the lessons.
  • Ask your teachers and parents/ carers about anything that you do not understand.
  • Make notes while you listen to the lessons.
  • Listen to repeat broadcasts over the weekends, on the internet, and the Tswelopele website.
  • Study regularly and refer to your notes and textbooks.
  • Read regularly and revise your work as often as you can.
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