"Wow", is the appropriate word to describe all the exciting events that Woorde Open Wêrelde (WOW) organised for learners and teachers at this year's US Woordfees.
Fiona van Kerwel, Project Manager of WOW, and Shireen Crotz, Sanlam Spelfees coordinator, gave a synopsis of the diverse and exciting activities on their programme during the US Woordfees, which began on Saturday 5 March, when more than 1 500 Grade 12 learners attended an educational programme at Coetzenburg.
Senior arts and social sciences students of Stellenbosch University (US), subject advisors of the Western Cape Department of Education, and a Matie student recruiter equipped the youths with information on the third Afrikaans language paper, numeracy and access to the SU.
They were addressed by Dr Japie Gouws of the ATKV and Prof Eugene Cloete, SU Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, while the actors Irshaad Ally of Suidooster and Hildegardt Whites of 7de Laan, made a special appearance.
A WOW workshop for 320 Afrikaans language teachers from across the Western Cape was also held on Saturday. The teachers were addressed by the acting Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, Prof Nico Koopman and entertained by well-known actress Marion Holm. They also attended a discussion between WOW learners and the Nasionale Boekhandel (NB) writer, Carin Krahtz, of her book, Elton amper famous April en juffrou Brom.
In total, 250 learners from 25 schools attended a school media course at Coetzenburg, where they received handy tips on how to make school newspapers more interesting. This was also the official launch of this year's competition for school newspapers which includes exciting prizes and scholarships. At the Verf-en-Vers workshop at St Idas Primary, 250 Grade 5 learners were encouraged to write and illustrate a poem that will be entered in WOW's annual Verf-en-Vers competition.
A Writers' Fest was present by Lapa Publishers during the week in the JS Gericke Auditorium. Theresa van Baalen introduced her book, Karla Krullebol, to Grade 3 WOW learners, while Fanie Viljoen presented the Lulu series to Grade 4 and 5 learners, and Anzil Kulsen, writer and facilitator of the ATKV's community project for the promotion of reading and writing in the Northern Cape, introduced her book, 'n Hart vol Sand, to Grade 8 to 10 learners.
A symposium on foundation phase literacy was held at Cloetesville Primary School, where Henk Viljoen did a presentation on the Alles in Een series of NB Publishers for the foundation phase and Helena Bester shared her knowledge and experience of ADHD with teachers.
The countrywide Spelfees (Spelling Fest) for Grade 1 to 10, which will continue until October, was also launched at the Woordfees.
And still the excitement continues, with the Debatfees (Debating Fest) for learners of 36 Western Cape schools that will be held in cooperation with the ATKV on Saturday. So too, the WOW acting workshop, an opportunity for high school learner with acting aspirations, as well as the launch of a choir competition with a workshop at the SU Konservatorium for choir leaders. Auditions for the ATKV Crescendo song-writing competition, presented in cooperation with WOW, will be held on Friday and Saturday, with the finals taking place on Saturday at 15:30 in the Stellenbosch Town Hall.
On Sunday 13 March, you can test your spelling ability against winners of the Sanlam WOW Spelling Competition in the ATKV Boektent at 13:00.
On Wednesday, the WOW project manager, in the midst of the WOW programme, expressed her satisfaction with the activities presented during the Woordfees. "The teachers learnt in a festive way, and it was an eye-opener for the children. Many of them were not aware that they would be able to study in Stellenbosch," said Van Kerwel.
