Top honours for local school in quiz

Grade 6 and 7 pupils from schools in Johannesburg took part in the sixth Phendulani Literacy Quiz held at The Ridge School on October 30.

102 pupils from more than 12 schools in Johannesburg, took part in this year’s quiz.

This was one of five such events around SA, with about 50 schools participating nationally.

The pupils had read 24 books, in teams of six, in preparation for the event. Books ranged from small picture books such as the short story The Gift of the Magi by the USA author, O Henry, to classics such as Don Quixote. Contemporary SA literature, such as Team Trinity by Fiona Snyckers, also featured on the reading list, as did African short stories by Nigerian author Ifeoma Onyefulu.

The 24 books were divided into four categories of questions: life lessons, courage, school and family life, and tales and fables.

Before the quiz, pupils were asked to fill in evaluation forms to give feedback on the books. The top vote went to Team Trinity by Fiona Snyckers with 20 votes, followed by The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cotterell Boyce with eight votes and Diary of a Wimpy Kid with seven votes.

When Phendulani Literacy Quiz started six years ago, the average score was 30 to 40 percent, with the highest scores being 60 percent.

This year, the average score was 72 percent, with the winning team scoring 93 percent. The team once again came from Yeoville Community School, a school designated by the GDE a few years ago as a school at risk for its low literacy and numeracy scores.

The teachers present at the event bore testimony to the positive effect the quiz has had on reading in their schools.

As the quiz has progressed over the years, Ms Marj Brown, quiz-mistress and founder of the quiz, has increased the level of questioning from basic questions requiring one word answers, to questions that interrogate the reasons for actions, and consequences of actions.

“This year I felt that some of my questions would be too challenging, yet in every category at least one school managed to achieve full marks. The teachers helping me mark were so impressed by the in-depth answers received,” said Ms Brown.

A highlight for the pupils at this year’s event was a visit by Ms Fiona Snyckers, the author of Team Trinity.

The children listened attentively as she spoke, and then plied her with questions about her life, characters, and the skills required to become an author or journalist.

Once again, the questions were posed in an articulate, considered way, impressing the adults present.

The 2014 winners were Yeoville Community School, which took the first place, and Albert Street School, which came second.

It is hoped that next year the quiz will spread to a number of schools that have container libraries stocked by corporates.