Supporting Literacy at Home in Grade R & 1: Insights from the TIME home learning study, 2022-2025
At a glance
This report and series of learning briefs presents the findings from the two-year longitudinal TIME longitudinal study conducted between 2022 and 2025. The TIME home learning programme, developed in response to COVID, is a set of daily story-based activities with language activities designed by Wordworks and Maths activities designed by Red Ink.
Evaluators
The TIME study was internally conducted by Wordworks, and led by Magali von Blottnitz.
Dates of fieldwork
2022-2023
Evaluation Approach
Quantitative & Qualitative
Main findings
The study helped understand the various obstacles that hinder the education department in providing practical support to the TIME programme despite good strategic alignment, as well as the difficulties faced by schools in committing to the programme on a long-term basis. It also confirmed that, given the challenging living circumstances of many families, a lighter programme of activities would enhance the chances of families making full use of the resources. The child assessment data shows good progress of the participating children in their mathematics and literacy skills. The study highlights the critical role of family involvement in supporting early learning outcomes.
TIME Learning Brief 1 – Introduction to the TIME study
This learning brief outlines key elements of the TIME Home Learning programme and the design of the TIME study, which explores how the programme is embedded in the early learning ecosystem and lived in everyday practice.
TIME Learning Brief 2 – Provincial education departments supporting TIME
This learning brief explores the implementation of the TIME Home Learning programme and the learning trajectories of 5- to 7-year-olds. Based on 2022 interviews with WCED officials, it focuses on the provincial education department’s role in supporting the programme.
TIME Learning Brief 3 – The TIME programme in its ecosystem: What does it take for a school to commit to TIME?
This is the third in a series of learning briefs on the TIME Home Learning programme and the learning trajectories of 5- to 7-year-olds. Based on 2022 interviews with Western Cape school stakeholders, it focuses on schools’ commitment to the programme.
TIME Learning Brief 4 – Implementing TIME at home: Insights from caregivers
This learning brief draws on interviews, home visits, and observations with families to explore the factors that support or hinder home-based learning.
TIME Learning Brief 5 – Assessment tools for literacy and numeracy
This is the fifth in a series of learning briefs that unpack learnings from the TIME longitudinal study. This brief focuses on the two assessment tools that were used in the study: the WELA (early literacy) and MELA (early mathematics). The brief presents the tools within the greater context of existing tools for that age band, explains briefly how they were developed or adapted, and what lessons were gained from using them.
TIME Learning Brief 6 – Learning Trajectories from Grade R to end of Grade 1
This is the sixth in a series of learning briefs based on the TIME longitudinal study, which explored the implementation of the TIME home-learning programme and the learning trajectories of 5- to 7-year-olds. This brief unpacks the analysis of assessment data of sampled children at mid-Grade R, early Grade 1 and end of Grade 1, for mathematics and home language. It reviews the pace and sequence of development of children’s skills, and looks at the achievement of the sample’s children in relation to CAPS and to other studies.
TIME Learning Brief 7 – What difference did TIME make?
This is the seventh and final in a series of TIME learning briefs. By weaving together the themes from previous briefs, this brief explores connections between the quality of implementation of TIME in the homes, the participating children’s personal development and their learning trajectories. In particular, it addresses the observations of caregivers and teachers about the effect of TIME on children and; through the study of three individual children’s stories, the mechanisms through which TIME impacts children’s academic achievement.
