The family noticed that Liso-lam’s learning abilities and speech development were poorer than his peers. He would play alone even when around children of his age or his cousins from the families. At creche we would find him playing alone outside in the playground and thought it was because he was still only two years old. However, the behaviour continued until Grade R and it’s when we were advised to seek professional assistance.
Liso-lam had been to an educational psychologist, occupational and speech therapists but there was no improvement. In 2017 we decided to enrol him at Insight Learning Centre, where slow learners are said to be catered for, and visited a speech therapist twice a week.
Despite all these attempts to assist him, Liso-lam did not pass Grade 1 in 2017. He repeated Grade 1 in 2018 and the school promised to put him in a special class where he would receive additional assistance. Yet there was no improvement in Liso-lam’s progress — instead he became aggressive, refused to do homework, and was not able to read or construct a sentence. I realised that there was a bigger problem here and started to do some research and found Edublox on the internet. The parents’ testimonies on the website resembled my grandson’s. I contacted Edublox in Johannesburg and was told that they have a branch in Port Elizabeth, which I phoned and was given a date for assessment. They assessed him and gave us a feedback, and since then Liso-lam became a family member at Edublox.
Improvements
- Liso-lam has improved in vocabulary since he joined Edublox.
- He can read and write clearly and neatly.
- He is now a better storyteller for orals, and at home he is able to express himself in sentences. He constructs his sentences in a way we better understand.
- He is now able to convey messages from school to his grandparents.
- He does his homework voluntarily — no fighting over it.
- His marks have improved, and his confidence has been boosted.
- Recently Insight Learning Centre awarded him with a Certificate for Commitment in Afrikaans FAL, English Home Language, Mathematics and Life Skills.
Difficulties
- Liso-lam still struggles with pace when writing.
- He cannot use his hands to the optimum (has a challenge to open stuff and tying his shoes).
Joyce Msutwana
2017: Liso-lam obtains 44% (3/7) for English and an average of 53%. He fails Grade 1.
2018: Liso-lam repeats Grade 1 and passes with 4/7 for English
2019: Liso-lam starts Edublox. He passes Grade 2, 3rd term with 82% (7/7) for English and an average of 75%!
Joyce Msutwana Liso-lam's grandmother
