Blogs

Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 2
Helping struggling readers
Do you remember how you learnt to read? The chances are that if you found learning to read easy as a child, you can’t remember a thing about it! But speak to someone who struggled to learn how to read and they can probably recall the details of every painful moment. So, how can you help your child who is struggling to learn to read? Here are some tips for you to try.
 
  • Take off the pressure. If children struggle with something they are less likely to perform well at it if they put under pressure. So, relax and remember that the vast majority of children learn to read competently enough to succeed at school and in life. Trust that just because your child is taking longer to learn how to read, he/she will get there in the end. No two children are potty trained at the same speed – learning to read is no different!
  • Read to your child. Children who struggle to read are less likely to choose to read for pleasure and this is important for literacy development. Help your child to experience the pleasure we get from books by reading regularly to him/her. Read for as long as he/she is interested and then continue at another time if you haven’t got to the end of the story.
  • Helped by the pictures. Picture books have more illustrations in them than words. For children who struggle to read, this helps reading feel like less of a chore. Also, the pictures provide your child with clues to what the words on the page are.
  • Let them choose. In order for children to remain motivated to read, they need opportunities to choose books that interest them. Visit the library or bookshop with your children and let them choose one or more books that interest them. Don’t worry about whether these books are above the level they are reading at – you can read the books to them!
Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3
Memory training games There is no such thing as a bad memory. Just like any other muscle, your brain must be exercise and developed every day. Keep it in training! It will get used to repeated exercises and needs new challenges every now and again to improve and stay at its best.
From an early age, I started ‘training’ my... Read the full article
Preschool, Grade R, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3
Getting ready for the first day of school Your child’s first day of school is a big step. However, there are plenty of practical things that you can do to prepare them for their big day. Practical tips Tell your child what you enjoyed about your school days and talk positively about starting school. Involve your child in choosing things... Read the full article
Grade R
Story sums
Story sums, problem solving sums and detective sums all refer to the same thing.  These sums are language based.  It is imperative that you start exploring, investigating and playing with these kinds of sums as early as possible.  Many children who find the written word a challenge, find story sums very tricky when... Read the full article
Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7
Understanding question words
It is important to look for the question words (the words that tell you what to do) to correctly understand what the examiner is asking. Once you have read the question once circle the question word and then underline any other important key words. The combination of the circled and underlined words will tell... Read the full article
Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7


So you’re ready. You’ve done your revision and practised thousands of exam questions. Now it’s time to face the exam paper. Here are some tips for surviving in the exam room:

Keep calm

Try not to panic – after all, you are well prepared! Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and count... Read the full article

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