Teachers and parents across the country will soon have access to innovative teaching aids that will enable them to convey vital road safety messages at schools and in family settings. SANRAL is developing these educational materials based on extensive research, conducted over the past five years, and with the aid of experts in the fields of education, road safety and graphic design. The resource boxes will be provided to schools that participate in SANRAL’s road safety education and awareness programmes, and were selected for the agency’s behavioural research project. Elna Fourie, SANRAL’s Road
Safety Education and Awareness
Manager, says the teaching material
has been designed and developed to
support teachers, especially in rural
communities, who do not have ready
access to resources.
Basic road safety education is
included in the curriculum in Grades
1-6, but it is expected of teachers
to develop their own learning opportunities (lessons) that fit in
with the
development stages of their
learners. The SANRAL material helps to
fill those gaps.
Included in the resource box are
colourful education aids that can assist in teaching children various aspects
of basic road safety, explaining the
importance of road signs, traffic lights,
pedestrian zebra crossings and much more, supplemented by road safety
tips and basic information on good
road
behaviour. It is made up of transparencies, flash cards, posters and signs, and contains ideas on how teachers and learners can design and make their own material. Teachers also receive manuals and documents that they can use in the presentation of the lessons, as well as suggestions for activities that can take place in the classroom or outdoor settings.
SANRAL is working closely with the Department of Basic Edcation and provincial and local transport authorities in the implementation of this road safety education programme.
Building South Africa through better roads 