1. In 2015 the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) hosted a successful Grade R Emergent Literacy (ELIT) Project for Grade R teachers/practitioners.
2. This minute serves to inform schools about a similar initiative, the Emergent Mathematics Project (R-Maths) for Grade R teachers/practitioners and learning support teachers.
3. The WCED has entered into a partnership with the Schools Development Unit (SDU) of the University of Cape Town and funding donors for this province-wide project.
4. The project aims to significantly improve Mathematics teaching and learning in Grade R by providing tools, strategies and developmentally appropriate pedagogy for implementing a focused Mathematics time in the daily programme. The mathematics content is aligned to the CAPS and participants will explore the scope and depth of the critical concepts on which future mathematics learning is constructed.
5. The Emergent Mathematics Project will be evaluated by an external research agency.
6. The project will take place in two phases over two years, as follows: phase 1 schools will receive training in 2017 and phase 2 schools will receive training in 2018. All ordinary public schools and independent Early Childhood Development (ECD) sites will be invited to participate in either phase 1 or 2. Districts will inform all schools and ECD sites of which phase they have been allocated to by 30 November 2016.
7. Please note that non-Grade R teachers/practitioners (for example, ECD assistants) may not register for this training; however, the delegates who attend the training may share their learning and practice with them. This will be the responsibility of the school management team to organise.
8. In each phase the training will be provided in a series of cluster workshops and one five-day block workshop. Teachers/practitioners who are registered to attend the course are required to commit to attend the full programme as they will each receive mathematics resources for their classroom. Subject advisers will conduct the training.
9. In 2017, phase 1 workshops will take place as follows:

Cluster workshops 1 & 2 14 January 2017 (4 hours) To be confirmed by the district office before the end of 2016.
Cluster workshop 3 17 to 20 January 2017* Districts will issue notices with the exact dates and venues to phase 1 schools at least three weeks before the workshop.
Cluster workshop 4 13 to 17 February 2017*
Cluster workshop 5 13 to 17 March 2017*
Cluster workshop 6 08 to 12 May 2017*
Cluster workshop 7 05 to 09 June 2017*
Block workshop 03 to 07 July 2017: five-day training in July holiday Venues will be confirmed in 2017.
*teachers attend one 2-hour cluster workshop within the period allocated
10. For further information kindly contact the relevant district GET coordinator:

District Coordinator Telephone Email
Metro Central Avrille Morgendal 021 514 6770 amorgendal@gmail.com
Metro North Malefo Makena 021 938 3104 Malefo.Makena@westerncape.gov.za
Metro South Lorraine Bailey 021 370 2061 Lorraine.Bailey@westerncape.gov.za
Metro East Ursula Esau 021 900 7051 Ursula.Esau@westerncape.gov.za
West Coast Ebrahim Peck 021 860 1569 Ebrahim.Peck@westerncape.gov.za
Cape Winelands Edgar Johannes 023 348 0605 Edgar.Johannes@westerncape.gov.za
Overberg Lynne Le Grange 028 214 7363 Lynn.LeGrange@westerncape.gov.za
Eden & Central Karoo Marietjie Beukes 044 803 8320 Marietjie.Beukes@westerncape.gov.za
11. Principals are requested to bring this minute to the attention of all Grade R teachers/practitioners and ensure that this project is noted on the school calendar.


SIGNED: L ELY
ACTING HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2016:11:17