Guidelines for the establishment of Professional Learning Communities in South African schools

Guidelines for the establishment of Professional Learning Communities in South African schools

The Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED) launched in 2011 identifies the establishment of teacher Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) as an important component in facilitating teacher development and in strengthening teacher professionalism to promote collective participation in professional activities for professional development.

Earlier this year, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) publishedProfessional Learning Communities – A guideline for South African schools, developed in partnership with the Flemish Development Agency (VVOB).

Aimed at Provincial and District officials and school-based educators, the practical and user-friendly guidelines contain invaluable information about setting up a PLC, including addressing the following:
• What are PLCs?
• Why should schools support PLCs?
• Key characteristics of PLCs
• Who is responsible for PLCs?
• Who are the key players in PLCs and what are their roles?

JOINING FORCES FOR NUTRITION

JOINING FORCES FOR NUTRITION

MIET AFRICA recently partnered with the South African Sugar Association (SASA) and the KZN Department of Education’s nutrition and curriculum units to develop a nutrition resource pack for teachers and learners in Grade R-6.

The pack comprises a teacher guide to teaching nutrition as part of the Life Skills curriculum in the foundation and intermediate phases. It includes nutrition information for the teacher, lesson activity ideas and CAPS-compliant grade-specific activity sheets for learners. The guide is accompanied by three readers, one for each of Grades 4-6.These colourful and attractive readers, entitled Looking after your Teeth, Food from around the World! and A Case of the Runs–A Detective Story About Food Safety, also address curriculum-specific nutrition topics.

View these materials in our publications section.

News from the Materials Development Department

News from the Materials Development Department

MIET AFRICA was commissioned by JET Education Services to develop Guidelines and Protocols for Continued Professional Development for SADTU’s Curtis Nkondo Professional Development Institute. Aimed at teachers, the guidelines discuss professional development, why it is important and how to undertake it, including strategies for establishing and running professional learning communities and communities of practice.

Initiated and funded by REPSSI, MIET AFRICA collaborated with REPSSI and the Children’s Institute on the development of an in-service distance education course for teachers entitled: Teachers’ Diploma in Psychosocial Care, Support and Protection. MIET AFRICA was responsible for writing two of the six modules and for editing the entire course.

MIET AFRICA is developing facilitation guidelines and training teachers on the Life Skills component of a high school extra-curricular sports programme being run by AmaZulu Football Club. Teachers will make use of Staying Healthy, an MIET AFRICA publication aimed at adolescents,