You are in : Education > Schools

Learning disability

Edublox make learning fun for Hout Bay learners

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:35

The ability to learn is a crucial life skill that many people take for granted as it is such a natural part of daily life. Unfortunately more than 20% of South Africans are faced with learning disabilities.

Susan du Plessis, Director of Educational Programs at Edublox, says, “Children with learning disabilities are often let down by the automatic learning processes that take place in the brain. The ease of understanding new information, that should be effortless, becomes difficult and learning becomes frustrating.

“Research has shown that with brain training exercises, children are able to learn and read faster, more easily and with greater comprehension,” du Plessis adds. Edublox, a South African company that helps children and adults with learning disabilities through specially developed programmes, have introduced a bursary program for learners with learning disabilities in less fortunate communities.

“Not being able to learn is debilitating and learners from these areas have a lot to contend with as it is,” says Zainu Allie, Edublox franchise owner and facilitator in Cape Town. “We have been working closely with 16 learners from schools in the Hout Bay area since April this year. With the safe, fun and challenging environment that we provide the learners at our Centre in Claremont, we have seen delightful results despite them only being able to attend lessons once a week.

“When we first met the group they were noisy, disruptive, argumentative, lazy, disorganised and disrespectful, and had given up on themselves, Allie says. “Eight months later, the learners arrive with smiles, are eager to be challenged cognitively, keen to read and chat to us about their dreams of becoming a soccer player, a singer or a dancer.

They are also telling us of their improvements at school and how they now understand their work. We have seen a definite improvement in reading, concentration, visual and auditory memory. I am extremely proud of their progress especially as many of the learners do not speak English as their first language. “I was particularly touched,” smiles Allie, “when one of the learners, who had been struggling a lot with poor academic results and low self-esteem, proudly asked his mother, ‘Guess who got full marks in their spelling test today?’ and beaming from ear to ear pointed to himself.”

Forming partnerships are important for Edublox, “we are very grateful for the partnerships that we have fostered,” Allie indicates and adds, “Sheila Hofmeyr, from the Hout Bay Educational Trust, has been instrumental in getting the learners from Hout Bay to Claremont and providing them with weekly lunches.”

The Edublox methodology is based on 30 years’ practical experience combined with 50 years of intensive research about reading and learning. Even learners who are seriously dyslexic can be helped to overcome their problems completely by following the Edublox program. For more information on Edublox contact: Zainu Allie on (021) 671-2409 / zainu@edublox.com