Description:

In recent years there has been a concerning decline in literacy skills among Kiwi children. If unchecked this problem will grow and impact our ākonga as they progress in their learning journey. Almost 2 in 5 ākonga are below the required curriculum level for year 4, rising to a staggering 3 in 5 by the time they reach year 8. It's clear that additional support is required to assist our teachers because if children are struggling to read then they’re struggling to learn.

The core idea was to create an interactive set of physical tools that break down the key parts, connections and actions in Subject-Verb-Object structured sentences for children aged 7 - 8. Inspired by Montessori-based learning, Grammar Gizmos is a set of 4 “tools” which take the form of interactive wooden books. The main component is the interactive shape sentences which introduce hands-on interactivity to language learning. This is made stronger with the storytelling approach to exploring sentence structure, adding a narrative dimension and helping children connect the abstract ideas of the 4 types of verbs to real-life scenarios. Through secondary research, interviews, desirability testing and surveying with NZ educators each component was assessed to ensure it taught the key concepts and that the design choices were accessible and engaging. The shapes and use of pure colours are simple and consistent, which serve to reinforce the same underlying formula across each tool. The font – Andika is designed for the needs of beginner readers and literacy use.

The “going tool” is about the subject of the sentence going toward or away from the object, exploring the direction of action in sentences.
The “doing tool” explores sentences where the subject is performing an action which results in the object of its sentences changing or reacting in response.
The “having tool” is about possession, it focuses on the subject and whether or not it’s in a state of having the object of the sentence.
The “being tool” explores how the subject gets from one state of being to a different state of being and what transitional things happen to get from one state to another.

The toolset comes with a guide that explains how to use the tools in the classroom and connects the abstract concepts of the 4 types of verbs to real-life situations. This is done by asking students to remember times when they experienced one of these concepts. To solidify their understanding, students link these concepts to the sentences on the left of each tool. Then by utilizing sentence-building cards, children are able to visually grasp the concepts of subjects and objects. Lastly, this is reinforced by the corresponding worksheets for each tool.

The early years are critical for learning, Grammar Gizmos seeks to effect change at critical stage in a child’s literacy development. If we want to make a difference in these declining skills then the message is the same from designers to educators to policymakers, giving children those key skills is crucial to their future prospects.