The best online learning resources to make homeschooling easier
Use these to keep your children learning virtually.
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The coronavirus has changed the world and our daily lives. One of the most immediate impacts was felt by parents as schools closed early for Easter holidays and there’s no concrete way forward with regards to when they may open.
Also Read: WATCH: Prof Jansen says scrap entire 2020 school year – pass all students
In the meantime learning has gone virtual and even though the internet is a great resource for information, more important for parents is knowing where to actually find great learning resources online. Here are the top online resources for your kids to try today:
Khan Academy
This is a US non profit organisation organisation founded in 2008 by Salman Khan with the goal of creating a set of online tools that help educate students.The organization produces short lessons in the form of videos. It’s website also includes materials that teachers can use to structure their online lessons. All resources are available for free to users of the website and app. They produce lessons in math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics. Also cool is that they We’ve also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.
Go to: https://www.khanacademy.org/
Also Read: Leaked document says it will be back to school on 6 May
Worksheet cloud
This resource is fantastic, free and is also local. Here you kids learn and study in the safety of your home during lockdown. It offers online video lessons, worksheets and practice exams based on the CAPS and IEB curriculum for Grade 1 to 9 learners in South Africa. Plus their unlimited online video lessons feature highly-qualified and experienced South African teachers.
Go to: https://www.worksheetcloud.com/
Hello Tutor
Hello tutor, is a South African internet-based platform through which teachers and tutors take videos of their lessons and upload them into a system for learners to download on to their computers, mobile phones and laptops. The platform is also tailored for the two learning systems (private and public schools) that South Africa has as it aims to connect people, tutors and learners and education for everyone in any language, thereby bridging the gap between upmarket and government school education as it enables teachers and learners from well-resourced upmarket private schools to share lessons and methodologies with less privileged schools in informal settlements, townships and rural areas. It’s not free but has different subscription plans.
Go to: https://www.hellotutor.co.za/
Vodacom e-school
The cellphone network launched the education portal in 2015 which is a learning platform that gives children access to educational content sites. Vodacom subscribers whose kids are in Grade 8-12 high school learners can access classroom content, which is curriculum aligned on their mobile device across all major subjects for free because Vodacom has zero-rated browsing on the site for its customers.
Kids can learn through the video lessons which have been developed by expert teachers, revise homework questions after the video lessons through the interactive quizzes that are available at the end of topics. They can also track their progress in individual subjects and earn badges and certificates for excelling in them.
Go to: www.vodacom.co.za/e-school and register
Smart Kids
This resource provides relevant South African educational material based on CAPS for Grades R – 7 and great tips for parents which have been given by teachers. The platform is aimed at developing young learners’ skills in languages and mathematics in a fun and interactive way. On the website parents will find fun worksheets for their child to practise their maths and languages skills. There are also extra online activities, such as readers, flashcards, worksheets and tests in mathematics, English and Afrikaans.
Go to: https://www.smart-kids.co.za/
Snapplify
This company was founded in SA in 2011 and specialises in the enablement of digital learning by offering a marketplace for digital education content, related educational services, and devices. As Africa’s largest ebook aggregator and distributor, it gives students access to learning materials and over 240 000 textbooks from over 250 publishers. Their “Snappbox” enables learners from schools with limited or no connectivity to access fast downloads of learning materials.
Go to: https://www.snapplify.com/
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