Insights and publications

This report and series of research briefs presents findings from a British Academy-funded study showing that the Little Stars programme enhanced early literacy outcomes, boosted teacher confidence, and improved classroom practices in Western Cape ECD centres, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness in under-resourced settings.

This report and series of learning briefs presents the findings from the two-year longitudinal TIME study conducted between 2022 and 2025. The study helped refine our understanding of how families engage with TIME activities, what obstacles they face, what benefits they observe, as well as how children’s skills and school readiness grow over time.

Yizane Sifunde was a collaborative 5-year project funded by the Liberty Community Trust. It was designed as a 3-way partnership between Book Dash, Nal’ibali and Wordworks, with local Eastern Cape partners, ITEC and Khululeka. The project aimed to infuse underserved communities with high-quality ECD training for practitioners (Wordworks contributed its Little Stars classroom & EWC parent programmes), an abundance of books for children and families, and sustained literacy practices in the community. We share the findings of external evaluation.

This learning brief was developed as part of the Gauteng Grade R Improvement Project’s story-based Home Language programme. It highlights the key principles underpinning the development of materials to strengthen oral language teaching in Grade R.

This learning brief was developed as part of the Gauteng Grade R Improvement Project’s story-based Home Language programme. It highlights the key principles underpinning the development of materials to strengthen oral language teaching in Grade R.

This presentation, presented by Dr Shelley O’Carroll at the 2024 Litasa conference explores how different forms of play support early language and literacy.

This learning brief reflects on the CAPS Grade R English Home Language curriculum, drawing on Wordworks’ experience developing materials for the Gauteng Grade R Improvement Project. It aims to support wider curriculum review and assist those interpreting the document in practice.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Grade R interventions across South Africa. It identifies 22 programmes implemented in multiple districts, detailing their focus, reach, and delivery models, and highlighting gaps, funding trends, and opportunities to strengthen Grade R nationally.

This report and series of research briefs presents findings from a British Academy-funded study showing that the Little Stars programme enhanced early literacy outcomes, boosted teacher confidence, and improved classroom practices in Western Cape ECD centres, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness in under-resourced settings.

Yizane Sifunde was a collaborative 5-year project funded by the Liberty Community Trust. It was designed as a 3-way partnership between Book Dash, Nal’ibali and Wordworks, with local Eastern Cape partners, ITEC and Khululeka. The project aimed to infuse underserved communities with high-quality ECD training for practitioners (Wordworks contributed its Little Stars classroom & EWC parent programmes), an abundance of books for children and families, and sustained literacy practices in the community. We share the findings of external evaluation.

This report shares findings from a study of the Western Cape’s Emergent Literacy Project (ELIT), showing how the STELLAR programme’s ‘cascaded training with support’ model reached 2,973 Grade R teachers and influenced teaching and early literacy outcomes.

This evaluation examines the impact of Wordworks’ early literacy tutor programme for Grade 1 learners in the Western Cape, and assesses improvements in children’s literacy and psychosocial development.

This report and series of learning briefs presents the findings from the two-year longitudinal TIME study conducted between 2022 and 2025. The study helped refine our understanding of how families engage with TIME activities, what obstacles they face, what benefits they observe, as well as how children’s skills and school readiness grow over time.

When Wordworks began work in the first five years of children’s lives, we developed a set of resources that we hoped would be used in a variety of ways in the diverse ECD sector. While we have not had funding for a large external evaluation, a number of studies and reflections have been done. We hope that by collecting them together here we create a rich and textured narrative of the interesting and important work that has been done using EWC.

The Home-School Partnership (HSP) programme has been one of Wordworks’ flagships programmes since 2006. While we have not had funding for a large external evaluation, a number of studies and reflections have been done. We hope that by collecting them together here we create a rich and textured narrative of the interesting and important work that has been done using HSP.