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Navigating the Coding & Robotics curriculum

In our ever-changing technological world, the Coding and Robotics curriculum is vital in exposing our learners to new technologies within the schooling environment and building a foundation of knowledge for the Intermediate and Senior Phase.

The Coding and Robotics curriculum aims to guide and prepare learners to solve problems, think critically, work collaboratively and creatively, function in a digital and information-driven world, apply digital and ICT skills and to transfer these skills to solve everyday problems.

What is coding and robotics?

Coding is the way we communicate with a computer to tell it what we want it to do. Coding is also called computer programming. The program or code is a set of instructions, so the computer knows the actions it must take. You can use your computer coding to tell a computer to process data, create websites or apps, create digital games, and many other amazing digital things.

Robots are machines that have been made to do a task. There are many different types of robots. Often, robots are built to copy or imitate human actions. A robot is a programmable machine that combines science, engineering and technology.

What are the different content areas in the Coding and Robotics curriculum for Foundation Phase?

In the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) the subject Coding and Robotics in Foundation Phase (Grades R–3) has been organised into five strands or digital skills and knowledge content areas, namely:

Pattern recognition and problem solving
Algorithms and coding
Robotics skills
Internet and E-Communication skills
Application skills

Click here to learn more about the different content areas of the coding and robotics curriculum.

Teaching Methodologies

There are two teaching methodologies to be used when teaching the Coding and Robotics curriculum:

Computational thinking (namely decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction and algorithm) and
Engineering design process (investigate, design, make, evaluate and communicate).

Computational thinking

Computational thinking involves the expressing of and finding of solutions to problems in a way that a computer can interpret and execute.

Computational thinking is a dynamic process involving the following steps:

Decomposition: A process of thinking about problems and breaking them down into smaller parts to make them easier to understand and solve
Pattern recognition: Recognition of similarities and characteristics in smaller parts of the de-composed problems to solve them more efficiently
Abstraction: A process of filtering characteristics of patterns that we don’t need, in order to concentrate on those that contribute to the solution
Algorithm: A way of defining the steps that we need to solve the problem

Engineering Design Process

The curriculum describes the Design Process as the backbone of the subject and should be used to structure the delivery of all learning aims.

We work through the Design Process to solve problems:

The problem: to begin the process, learners should be exposed to a problem, need or opportunity as a starting point.
Investigate: involves finding out about contexts to the problem, researching existing products in relation to key design aspects, performing practical tests to understand aspects of the content areas or determining a product’s fitness-for-purpose.
Design & make: designing, making and evaluating; these skills should not be separate as they are interrelated. Designs can be drawn, drafted and virtually assembled before they are produced.
Evaluate: evaluation skills are used throughout the process, for example, they are used to choose ideas.
Communicate: communication should be ongoing throughout the entire design process. Learners should be continually recording and presenting their project’s progress in written and graphical forms.

Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Workbook & Teacher’s Guide

The Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics workbook assists learners in understanding coding and robotics concepts. It consists of write-in worksheets that can be used by teachers to introduce the subject to young learners, or by parents who want their child to learn and practise the skills required for coding and robotics.

9781776103942 Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Grade 2 Workbook

Workbook features:

One activity per page with clear instructions
Answers and tips to guide parents
Cutout coding blocks for additional practice
Cutout keyboard and screen to make your own laptop
Star chart and certificate

The Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Teacher’s Guide in eBook format provides the educator with guidelines to help learners with the activities. It includes reference to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) addressed on each page in the Smart-Kids Coding & Robotic workbook and includes the answers to the activities.

Click here to purchase Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Teacher’s Guide Grade 2.

Learn more about the Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics workbook.

Download Brochure

Different content areas in the Coding & Robotics curriculum

In the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) the subject Coding and Robotics in Foundation Phase (Grades R–3) has been organised into five strands or digital skills and knowledge content areas.

Pattern Recognition and Problem Solving
Algorithms and Coding
Robotics Skills
Internet and E-Communication Skills
Application Skills

Strand 1: Pattern Recognition and Problem Solving

This is the first strand. This strand is only found in the Foundation Phase. Learning to identify abstract and geometric patterns is an integral part of the design and computational thinking process which will assist learners in solving problems.

The following skills and concepts are taught in the Pattern Recognition and Problem Solving strand:

Identification and analysis of regularities in patterns
Repetitions and change in patterns, with increases in size and number of physical objects, drawings and symbolic forms
Making predictions and solving problems about patterns
Description of patterns and relationships using symbolic expressions and grids
The identification of code patterns through the sequences of lines, shapes and objects in the world.

Strand 2: Algorithms and Coding

In the Foundation Phase, fundamental programming principles are introduced to Grade R learners through physical, offline or unplugged coding activities. In Grade 1, learners progress to using digital platforms that are engaging, fun and easy-to-learn. The programming platforms introduce learners to computational skills and concepts, such as identifying and analysing solutions to basic problems.

Learners should convert simple physical or offline algorithms to block-based coding. The curriculum introduces the learners to coding in a sequential manner.

Strand 3: Robotics Skills

When completing the robotics tasks, learners are introduced to the fundamental mechanical systems and electrical circuits. The methodology in the Robotics strand primarily uses the engineering design process combined with computational thinking skills.

The concepts and skills in the Foundation Phase include:

Creating logical steps for robots to follow
Using basic mechanical systems such as pulleys, gears and linkages when building model robots
Building basic electrical circuits.

Strand 4: Internet and E-Communication Skills

This strand informs and prepares learners to work and interact safely in a digital environment, both online and offline.

The concepts and skills in the Foundation Phase include:

Each learner’s own digital identity
Personal internet security and safety when using digital platforms
An introduction to various types of E-communication technologies or platforms
An introduction and basic understanding of networks and the Internet
Information about the safe use of Web browsers to search for information.

Strand 5: Application Skills

In this strand, Foundation Phase learners are introduced to different digital platforms and are taught about the various user interfaces and functions of applications on devices.

The concepts and skills in the Foundation Phase include:

Understanding what digital devices are and how to use them
Understanding what a user interface is
Text editing applications
Spreadsheet applications

Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Workbook & Teacher’s Guide

Workbook features:

One activity per page with clear instructions
Answers and tips to guide parents
Cutout coding blocks for additional practice
Cutout keyboard and screen to make your own laptop
Star chart and certificate

Click here to purchase Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Teacher’s Guide Grade 2.

Learn more about the Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics workbook.

Download Brochure

Vuma: an educator's story of how to instill a love of reading and lay a strong literacy foundation

In 2018, Ms. Karen Eybers, a teacher at Bronville Primary School, began teaching Afrikaans Home Language using Vuma, a reading instruction programme developed by Pearson. Through the use of Vuma, she found that there was an increase in her learners’ engagement and motivation in reading. She also believed her learners showed a higher level of understanding when using Vuma. Further, the varied reading strategies made teaching the different aspects of Afrikaans Home Language much easier to implement.

Ms. Eybers’ main goal was to adopt a reading instruction programme that made her learners excited about reading. She wanted to instill that love of reading early on in hopes that it would carry through the rest of their academic experiences.

Challenges faced

The Grade 1 learners were previously in a combined class with the Grade 2 learners when Ms. Eybers arrived in February, 2018.
Some of the learners were younger than the traditional age for Grade 1 and there was no Grade R facility available at the school at that time.
Many of the learners come from challenging socio-economic backgrounds with social issues and many of the learners are reliant on the school’s feeding scheme for their basic needs.
Literacy levels are a challenge in the Eastern Cape so addressing reading was a key challenge.

“I wouldn’t be using this if I thought it wasn’t good and it wasn’t something that the kids enjoyed. At least I can achieve the goals that I have set out to achieve by using it. Definitely.” — Ms. Eybers

Implementation

Ms. Eybers wasn’t initially intending on changing her approach to teaching reading but when she was introduced to Vuma, she thought she would try it. She felt that the previous series she used was outdated and she wanted to do something to make the learners excited about reading.

Ms. Eybers believes that creating a solid literacy foundation is key to further academic success. Implementing Vuma, while adding in her own creative activities and resources, has helped to lay that foundation.

Vuma was easy to use
Ms. Eybers didn’t receive formal training in using Vuma and found the programme easy to use with the valuable guidance from the lesson plans and teacher’s guide.

Vuma supports the use of reading strategies
Vuma is used to implement the different reading strategies prescribed by CAPS with a particular focus on Shared Reading and Group Guided Reading.

“Because it’s one thing to flash the words, read sentences, read the book. It feels like you have got to do more. That is what makes it more exciting for the children too and for yourself… You have more satisfaction. You can just see this is working, this is nice, this works.” — Ms. Eybers

Vuma supports the development of language skills
Ms. Eybers used Vuma alongside the workbooks from the department of education for teaching the different aspects of Afrikaans Home Language in the following ways.

Sentence building – there are opportunities for sentence building activities after learners have finished reading a book. Ms. Eybers gives them text copied out on strips of paper and learners would need to piece the story back together. This also helps to build their punctuation skills.
Vocabulary development – extended vocabulary is developed through using pictures in the Vuma books. The teacher created her own flashcards indicating items in the picture and learners would stick them onto the pages in the Big Book.
Shared writing – Ms. Eybers has developed songs about the various Vuma characters. In the lesson observed, learners reminded Ms. Eybers that they didn’t have a song about Nina, one of the Vuma characters. This allowed Ms. Eybers to move into a shared writing activity with the class. They composed a song together and sang it as a class. Ms. Eybers thought the Vuma characters and stories help to inspire this creativity in the class.

Vuma lays a solid foundation for reading
Ms. Eybers reflected on how important the early years are for laying a solid literacy foundation and believes that if they can implement Vuma across the foundation phase, it will help them to achieve this objective. She believes that the Grade 2 teacher next year will have an easier time when her Grade 1 learners arrive because they will be familiar with the series.

“They get excited about the story… You saw now like writing this verse of this song. They get involved.” — Ms. Eybers

Findings
Ms. Eybers’ main goal for adopting Vuma was to inspire a love for reading. When asked to rate her level of agreement with the statement that Vuma supports learner engagement, on a scale of 0 – 10, Ms. Eybers rated it a 10 which is ‘strongly agree’.

Vuma made teaching easier
As a comprehensive reading programme, Vuma has all the different resources needed to help make the teaching of reading easier. Ms. Eybers referred to the following features of Vuma as making her teaching easier:

The pre-reading questions at the front of the book.
The new words list in the books help you to focus on the vocabulary you need to teach.
The learners’ interest in the stories sparks questions.

Learners related well to the characters
The learners have responded very well to the characters. Ms. Eybers thought that it was because of how true-to-life the characters are that makes learners connect with them.

“I think it is because they are so true-to-life... These children can easily associate with them… That to me was part of the fascinating part of this… the way they took to these characters.” — Ms. Eybers

Enhancing resources to build on the love for the characters
Ms. Eybers has created resources in her class which strengthen the love of the characters. She has created figures of the characters which are attached to sticks and these characters appear from behind red theatrical curtains on a hollowed out television.

Ms. Eybers also uses these figures for oral lessons with the learners, where they role play what has happened in the story, using the figures on sticks to facilitate this.

She finds this approach helps her learners build confidence in speaking in front of the class because they are speaking through the characters rather than about themselves, which creates a ‘safer’ distance.

Ms. Eybers has also written songs about the Vuma characters and learners sing these songs together.

Vuma enables cross-curricular integration
The Vuma characters live in familiar surroundings to South African learners: a shack, a small house, a farm and a block of flats. Talking about their surroundings and having pets as characters integrates themes from Life Skills Grade 1 into teaching.

“So, to me, it was just a nicer way, easier way, fun, exciting way and that was my goal. Because I thought to myself I must somehow make these children enjoy reading. Because I’ll tell you a lot of them go to the library to watch TV not to read.” — Ms. Eybers

Vuma helps to take learners from the known to the unknown, expanding their context
In the observed lesson, learners engaged with a story where a Vuma character is overseas in a cold place and thinking of, and missing, the familiar South African environment. Ms. Eybers said that in the previous lesson, she had shown the learners a video of a plane and snow to help them become familiar with the concepts, that this journey from the known to the unknown needs this kind of scaffolding for learners to meaningfully relate. She finds that supplementing Vuma with these varied resources adds interest and excitement.

Vuma seems to support visual literacy
Ms. Eybers pointed out how reading is about more than just the words. As a class, they discuss the pictures. In the lesson observed, one of the learners, without prompting from the teacher, pointed out footprints in the snow where someone had been walking. Ms. Eybers said that the learners tend to notice great detail in the pictures, for example, one of the characters had a hole in their shoe and the learners commented on this. The teacher said she hadn’t noticed this detail but the learners did.

“They said the toe is sticking out. The hole is there. Who would see that? They picked it up!... They really study these pictures.” — Ms. Eybers— Ms. Eybers

Vuma is supporting learners in their reading
It’s still in the early stages of implementation of Vuma at Bronville Primary School, but Ms. Eybers is noticing a positive influence of Vuma on learners’ reading ability. She thought that
after the June-July holidays, learners would have forgotten some of what they had learned in terms of reading. However, she noticed that this was not the case and that they were able to read many words and write their own sentences. In addition, Ms. Eybers believes learners responses to the pre- and post-reading questions reveal that many of them are reading with understanding.

Conclusion
Implementing Vuma has helped Ms. Eybers achieve her goal of finding a program that engaged and motivated her learners to read.

Having the series in her classroom is making Ms. Eybers’ life as a teacher easier in terms of
implementing the different reading strategies and teaching different aspects of Afrikaans Home Language.

In addition, as seen by the teacher’s report, the learners are showing understanding when answering the pre- and post-reading questions and learners appear to be reading with better understanding.

Ms. Eybers has continued using Vuma and the intention is to expand its use at the school beyond Grades R and 1 to include all grades in the Foundation Phase in 2019.

Donwload Full Report

Coding & Robotics for Foundation Phase

Whilst it might seem far fetched to consider teaching a child how to code or operate a robot, the benefits of coding and robotics far exceeds the obvious.

Children will learn creativity through play using digital, but they can also be the creators of their own learning. In addition to learning computational thinking, it enables learners to understand logic and develop cognitive skills in terms of logical and sequential processes. This means that they will not only be able to use logic to solve problems but also apply those skills to other subject areas and situations.

Coding encourages collaboration as your child learns to work in groups solving problems and share what they learn alongside one another. In doing so, they also develop their communication skills which enables them to better explain or share their difficulties or their victories more confidently.

Your child will also learn how to be persistent in keeping them engaged to try again. Coding enables them to complete a task by systematically training them how to navigate through complex problems.

The world of coding and robotics is not limited to encouraging learners to become astronauts, gaming experts or engineers but it does provide clear advantages to boost their confidence in the world they live in, today. Introducing new possibilities, logical reasoning creating new career paths of learning now and in the future.

We have compiled a few interactive activities to take you on a short journey of what coding looks like in the world of a young learner.

PLEASE NOTE: for an optimal experience, complete the activities on a PC.

Instructions on how to complete the activities:

Click on the interactive you want to complete.
When you want to listen to the instructions, click on the speak button on the screen.
Each time you complete a screen, click on the next button.
Each time a new screen appears, you can click on the speaker button to listen to the next set of instructions followed by the next button.
You will know that you’ve completed each task successfully when you reach the “Star”.

Decomposition Interactive Activities

Decomposition is the process is the first process in learning computational thinking skills (using coding). Learners will learn how to process complex problems or responsibilities by breaking huge tasks into smaller bits of information. This will allow them to feel less overwhelmed by tasks, and enable them to process each part and work out where they get stuck.

Activity 1: Space Puppy

Skills taught:

Developing a structured problem-solving method
Identify individual parts of a problem
Following instructions to complete a task

Activity 2: Treasure Hunt

Skills taught:

Identify and plan the steps involved in solving a problem
Using smaller steps to solve a complex problem
Recognise, identify and name two-dimensional shapes in pictures
Identify, copy, extend and create patterns

Activity 3: Ready, steady go!

Skills taught:

Breaking problems down into its different parts
Solve problems in context using concrete apparatus
Identify and match shapes
Recognise, identify and name two dimensional shapes in pictures
Deconstruct a large shape into smaller shapes

Algorithm Interactive Activities

Algorithms will teach your child how to come up with a solution, step-by-step. This is the last piece of the puzzle in learning computational thinking skills. It is also the process in which they’ll develop a clearer understanding of order. So, in the real world, they’ll need to figure out which patterns will result in the best or most successful outcome. When they’ve mastered this skill during coding lessons, they will be able to communicate clearer and more concise. In a coding application, you child will not be able to progress further during an activity and will find themselves having to repeat the activity, teaching them how to persevere and evaluate their plan using strategy. This concept also teaches them how to translate concepts into actionable steps, which can be applied to any of their areas of learning.

Activity 1: To the Park

Skills taught:

Recognise that the order in which steps are taken is important for problem solving.
Follow directions to move within a specific space.
Place steps in the correct order, to achieve a specific objective.

Activity 2: Busy Beads

Skills taught:

Identify simple patterns
Identify colours
Recognise order in which steps are taken in order to solve the problem
Identify sequence of events
Making calculations

Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Workbook & Teacher’s Guide

Workbook features:

Activities with clear instructions and answers
Cutout coding blocks for additional practice
Cutout keyboard and screen to make your own laptop
Star chart and certificate

Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Teacher’s Guide in eBook format provides the educator with guidelines to help learners with the activities. It includes reference to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) addressed on each page in the Smart-Kids Coding & Robotic workbook and includes the answers to the activities.

Click here to purchase Smart-Kids Coding & Robotics Teacher’s Guide Grade 2.