A pre-test post-test correlated groups design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Shuttleworth/Rotary Numbers Skills Development Programme to enhance the numeracy of Grade 2 learners (N=169) from five primary schools (a private school, a school of auditory impaired learners, and three rural schools). An unstructured questionnaire was employed to obtain teachers' views about the program (n=5). The findings of the study showed that the programme was effective in developing the numeracy of the total sample, and of learners from the different types of schools. It was concluded that the use of concrete educational material should be central in the teaching of number skills in Grade 2. The teachers also indicated that the programme was beneficial to learners and to themselves. However differences in improvement of the numeracy scores of the five classes were found (possibly due to difference in instructional quality). Therefore, it is recommended that teachers should be trained in the use of educational equipment and also to create an optimal learning environment. Further use of research, with more representative samples, is required to verify the effectiveness of of (and broaden) the application of the programme, and to explore teacher-related variables that could limit numeracy development in learners.
From: South African Journal of Education, 2006 Vol. 26 (3), pp. 413-426
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