Education experts to unpack how teachers can better support literacy and maths learning across South Africa’s diverse language environments
Johannesburg – As South Africa continues to grapple with low literacy and numeracy outcomes in the early grades, education researchers and practitioners are turning increasing attention to one critical question: how can teachers be better equipped to teach effectively in multilingual classrooms?
This question will form the focus of a national Teacher Professional Development (TPD) dissemination event hosted by Funda Wande in collaboration with the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) on Friday, 29 May 2026 at the Venue in Johannesburg. The event will bring together researchers, education stakeholders, teachers, academic institutions, government representatives, early grade mathematics and literacy specialists to share findings from recent project work exploring multilingual teaching practices in both literacy and mathematics classrooms.
The collaboration forms part of a broader effort to strengthen Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) and improve learning outcomes in South African schools, particularly during the Foundation and Intermediate Phases. Recent project work undertaken through the Funda Wande-Wits collaboration has generated important insights into how teacher development programmes can support teachers working across multiple languages in the classroom, especially in literacy and mathematics learning.
The work includes interventions in Foundation Phase classrooms (Grades 1-3) within Funda Wande partner schools, as well as research conducted in Intermediate Phase mathematics classrooms (Grades 4-5) in KwaZulu-Natal. Central to the project is a key question: “In what ways can teachers be developed to harness the epistemic potential of multiple languages in South African classrooms?”
Researchers say the answer lies not only in curriculum reform, but in developing practical, context-responsive teacher support systems that reflect the linguistic realities of South African schools.
Several innovations emerging from the project will be shared at the event, including:
- professional development models focused specifically on multilingual classroom practice,
- collaborative teacher learning communities,
- and language-sensitive approaches to literacy and mathematics teaching.
The findings suggest that teacher development in multilingual environments requires more than generic training models. Instead, teachers need sustained support that helps them navigate the complex relationship between language, understanding, participation and learning.
Funda Wande’s Maths lead Ingrid Sapire and Professor Anthony Essien, who was a SARChI Chair in Numeracy, will host the event that is intended not only to share findings, but also to open broader conversations about how South Africa can strengthen classroom practice in linguistically diverse learning environments. The dissemination event forms part of Funda Wande’s broader mission to ensure that by 2030, all children in South Africa can read for meaning and calculate with confidence by the age of 10.
Event Details
- Date: Friday, 29 May 2026
- Time: 09h00 – 15h00
- Venue: The Venue at the Houghton Hotel, Johannesburg
Media Invited
For interview requests, attendance confirmation or additional info contact JT Communication Solutions on media@jtcomms.co.za or +27 11 788 7632
About Funda Wande
Funda Wande is a South African non-profit organisation working to improve early literacy and numeracy outcomes in Foundation Phase classrooms. Through bilingual learning materials, teacher support and evidence-based interventions, the organisation supports teachers and learners across multiple provinces in South Africa.
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Author: Dee’s Harilal from JT Communication Solutions on behalf of Funda Wande.
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