Learners’ Amazing Academic Improvements
Recognised

While learning comes easily to some, children with learning difficulties can find the simplest school activity an insurmountable challenge. In a bid to recognise learners who have overcome their learning difficulties, Edublox introduced their Learner of the Year awards to reward learners for their hard work and achievements at school.

Edublox launched their first learning clinic as a pilot project in 2007 and have been recognising learners who excel in their Learner of the Year awards ever since. Parents of learners on the Edublox program are encouraged to put forward candidates that they feel have shown significant improvements. The criteria when looking for winners include results achieved at school, progress made, level of effort put in and challenges overcome such as poor self-image, doubt in their own abilities and a negative attitude towards reading or learning.

“All the learners who participate are winners,” says Susan du Plessis, Director of Educational Programs at Edublox. “It is an honour and a privilege to be able to reward these children who work so hard to achieve their goals. Over and above their success at school and the lifelong foundation of learning skills now created, they also learn that hard work and dedication will bring them success — a wonderful lesson in life,” du Plessis states.

The four Learner of the Year winners for 2011 are Ameerudeen Kaffoor from Kempton Park, Kyle Christie from Pretoria East, Ongama Duze from Ballito and Troy Benson from the West Rand. Each winner received R1000 in prize money, as well as a certificate of achievement. All the children who entered will receive a consolation prize of a R50 voucher sponsored by Roman’s Pizza.

The success stories of the winning learners are detailed below:

From not being able to read, and doing assisted school exams for the first two terms of the school year, Ameerudeen Kaffoor from Kempton Park progressed to completing the last two school exams unassisted and passing the year in 2011.

Ameerudeen, who has backpacked through remote parts of the world since the age of three and skippered a yacht on his own on the open sea, changed from being an illiterate child to a literate child, and is becoming more and more well-rounded mentally, intellectually and emotionally.

In less than a 12 month period at Edublox, Kyle Christie from Pretoria East progressed from a learner on the brink of failing the year to an “A grade” achiever. Kyle has managed to maintain his improved results and received a certificate and badge for his academic achievements from his school at the end of 2011.

His athletics improved to the extent that he represented his school for the first time in 2011, and his rugby and cricket have grown from strength to strength. He was part of the school team in both sports.

Since starting lessons at Edublox Ballito, Ongama Duze’s reading ability has improved greatly and he no longer dreads it. Simple changes such as carrying the grocery list during a shopping trip, proudly reading it and ticking off items as they are purchased show his increase in confidence.

Ongama showed a marked improvement in his school results at the end of 2011 and received an award for very good progress in all his subjects.

Troy Benson from the West Rand never showed an interest in reading. He struggled to understand what he was reading as it took so long to work out each individual word. Since the third term of 2011 Troy has taken to reading the Bible before bed every night and comfortably reads out every signboard he sees along the roadside.

Troy has moved from the position of needing to repeat a grade to achieving high results for all reading-related topics as well as spelling and phonics activities.

More about Edublox

The Edublox methodology is based on 30 years’ practical experience combined with 50 years of intensive research about reading and learning. Edublox has helped learners in South Africa as well as internationally and certain Edublox products are exported worldwide. The latest and best technologies are presented at the Edublox clinics. Edublox sharpens attention and concentration, develops accurate perception, improves memory and promotes logical thinking, and also improves reading, spelling and writing. Even learners who are seriously dyslexic can be helped to overcome their problems completely.