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2016 Learning Gains through Play – Executive Summary Report and Findings

The Learning Gains through Play (LGP) initiative explored how play-based, learner-centred teaching and innovative technologies can strengthen foundational learning. Through professional development, technology integration and ongoing support, the project worked to create engaging learning environments where both teachers and learners could thrive.

The Challenge

Many South African learners leave the Foundation Phase without the foundational skills they need to succeed in later grades.

Several challenges contribute to this, including:

  • School environments that are not always supportive or conducive to change.
  • Play-based and learner-centred teaching strategies being undervalued.
  • Limited use and recognition of innovative technologies within Foundation Phase classrooms.

Purpose of the Programme

The programme aimed to transform learning environments and enhance teaching practices by placing learners, play and meaningful technology use at the centre of learning.

Its objectives included:

  • Improving learning and foundational literacies.
  • Promoting learning through play and learner-driven play.
  • Inspiring and motivating teachers.
  • Supporting change leadership within schools.
  • Aligning school leadership with teachers’ project goals.
  • Building and supporting communities of practice.
  • Exploring the relationship between cognitive and motor development.
  • Promoting learner-centred activities through play.
  • Facilitating the effective use of learning technologies.

Programme Implementation

Three Years of Technology & Professional Development

The programme provided participating schools with technology, professional development and ongoing classroom support over a three-year period.

Professional development materials were created with a particular focus on innovative teaching strategies, digital game-based learning and play-based, learner-centred pedagogies.

Schools Across Two South African Provinces

Grade R and Grade 1 Teachers Received Professional Development

SMT Members Supported Through Professional Development and Change Leadership

Learners Impacted During The Three-Year Programme

Technology in the Classroom

Participating schools were equipped with technology to explore new approaches to Foundation Phase learning.

The programme included:

  • Tablets for participating schools.
  • Xbox Kinect devices donated by Microsoft.
  • TV screens donated by Samsung.
  • Personal 10-inch tablets for participating teachers.
  • Digital game-based learning activities integrated into classroom practice.

Teachers were encouraged to identify teachable moments and opportunities for “stealth learning”, where learners develop skills naturally through engaging activities and play.

Teacher & Leadership Development

Technology alone was not the focus. A major part of the programme involved developing the confidence, knowledge and support structures teachers needed to transform their classroom practice.

This included:

  • Professional development for Grade R and Grade 1 teachers.
  • Change-leadership development for Senior Management Teams and district officials.
  • A Peer Coaching programme encouraging collegial support.
  • Ongoing classroom support for teachers and SMTs from the project team.
  • Sharing project findings and analysis directly with participating schools.

Targeted Foundational Literacies

Measuring development across the foundational skills that support future learning.

Developmental evaluations were used to assess learner performance across six foundational literacies:

Gross-Motor Skills

Fine-Motor Skills

Numeracy

Oral English Communication

Visual Literacy

Emotional Literacy

Key Findings

Evidence of learning gains across foundational literacies and classroom practice.

Key findings included:

  • Learners in project schools consistently outperformed learners in control schools.
  • Learning gains were recorded across all six foundational literacies.
  • The greatest gains were seen in English acquisition.
  • Gains were evident across all literacies from Grade R to Grade 1.
  • Fewer gains were recorded between Grade 1 and Grade 2.
  • Oral English development was measured against Krashen’s five stages of second-language acquisition.
  • Findings predicted that almost all learners could progress beyond Stage 1 by the middle of Grade 3.
  • This presents an important opportunity to better prepare learners for learning in English from Grade 4.

Technology as a Tool for Learning

The project demonstrated that technology could be more than an additional classroom resource—it could support curriculum outcomes while encouraging curiosity and independent learning.

Teachers discovered that digital games could be used to achieve CAPS outcomes, while learners demonstrated sufficient curiosity to initiate self-driven learning.

One of the most notable outcomes came from the school that began the programme as the lowest-performing participating school. By the end, it had become the highest-achieving school.

The success was attributed in part to the programme’s ability to level the playing field and create a supportive learning environment.

Lessons Learned

The evaluation produced several important lessons for future digital learning and Foundation Phase initiatives:

  • Learning technologies are most effective when they are in the hands of learners.
  • A 1:1 learner-to-device ratio is not essential; collaborative group work can actively support learning.
  • Teacher training should take place before learners gain access to new technologies.
  • Once teachers become confident using technology, they are more willing to transform their teaching practices.
  • Even teachers who were already comfortable with technology discovered educational possibilities they had not previously considered.
  • Schools valued receiving diagnostic findings and using them to plan remediation.
  • Learning through play and technology can successfully support CAPS outcomes.
  • Teachers were more willing to transform their pedagogies when they could clearly see how new approaches achieved curriculum outcomes.
  • Learner attendance improved on days when learners knew technology would be used.

Creating Sustainable Change

Strong learning communities, relationships, leadership and school culture influence how effectively ICT can be integrated into teaching and learning.

The findings suggest that:

  • Education departments should place greater emphasis on learning outcomes, rather than focusing solely on curriculum delivery and coverage.
  • Communication from education departments should clearly connect learning through play—including technology-based and traditional games—with CAPS outcomes.
  • Teachers benefit from mediation and support in understanding CAPS outcomes; when provided effectively, this can be highly empowering.
  • Building learning communities within schools is critical to successful ICT integration.
  • Social and relationship factors within school communities need to be considered alongside technology and pedagogy.

Why Foundation Phase Matters

Building the foundations for learning before learners progress into later grades.

The Learning Gains through Play project reinforced a central finding:

Foundation Phase is crucial.

Early development in motor skills, numeracy, communication, visual literacy and emotional literacy establishes the foundation learners need for future academic success.

By combining learning through play, effective pedagogy, teacher development, supportive leadership and meaningful technology integration, schools can create environments that give young learners stronger foundations for the grades ahead.