Teachers reach out to learners via WhatsApp | Western Cape Education Department
Teachers reach out to learners via WhatsApp

Teachers reach out to learners via WhatsApp

9 April 2020

Evan Papier, a teacher at Groendal Secondary School in Franschhoek, created WhatsApp Groups for his Grade 12 learners.

Papier teaches Economics and Management Science (EMS) and Life Orientation.

He explained that many learners are from poor and middle class backgrounds and he needed to think creatively to still reach them.

 "We basically took our classrooms to WhatsApp Groups. In these groups, I post Google forms with the subject content, but also assess them informally."

Papier also sends voice notes explaining the content and activities for learners to complete. "They can send their answers back in the group, either via voice notes, photo, video, or just typing it out. They are doing it at their own pace and in the comfort of their own homes."

Learners responded with great enthusiasm and requested new activities and continuous evaluation to help them gauge their progress and keep them busy.

Papier said many of his colleagues at the school, like the Grade 11 Afrikaans teacher, Heidi Snyders, and Grade 12 Life Science teacher, Wilmin Riffel, were also making use of WhatsApp groups to continue teaching and learning. “Seeing the Grade 11 learners' videos on their unprepared speeches brought us so much hope. It is all and well to send them voice notes and content, but to see and hear their responses make us very excited.”

Teachers can download the following document on how to use Whatsapp: https://f3d3d181-c116-4916-98e1-e8d62066fbea.filesusr.com/ugd/be1865_2f443031078b4c6f8b4343cca234d406.pdf