Our Approach to Education
Imagine Greatness
At Vista Junior Academy we believe that learning is a journey, not a destination.
We strive to instil a love for learning in every one of our learners and provide them with a happy and safe learning space where they can be themselves and grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Our educators are passionate about education and lead by example.
VJA learners are encouraged to always imagine greatness without boundaries for themselves and their future while our educators understand the importance of teaching every individual to embrace in being unique and to set goals for themselves in line with their potential.
Our curriculum is innovation driven and combines a variety of teaching methods and techniques to ensure that the content of every lesson reaches each unique learner on the learning level where they are truly able to understand and learn. It is al enriched by combining classroom lessons with physical activities outside the classroom.
Learning Content
Vista Junior Academy takes a holistic view of learners’ overall development as the learner as a unique individual. We aim to ensure that all pre-primary learners develop their cognitive, perceptual, gross, and fine motor and social-emotional skills as the basis of school readiness.
We use CAPS as our curriculum basis and use all the various themes prescribed by the Department of Education.
We ensure that learners follow a daily program that makes adaptation for formal school successful. However, we believe that pre-primary learners learn mainly through play while focusing on all important learning blocks to ensure optimal success for their future.
Caps Curriculum
| Learning Area |
|---|
| English Home Language |
| Afrikaans First Additional Language |
| Mathematics |
| Life Skills |
Caps Curriculum
| Learning Area |
|---|
| English Home Language |
| Afrikaans First Additional Language |
| Mathematics |
| Natural Science and Technology |
| Social Science |
| Life Skills |
Caps Curriculum
| Learning Area |
|---|
| English Home Language |
| Afrikaans First Additional Language |
| Mathematics |
| Natural Science |
| Technology |
| Social Science |
| Economic and Management Science |
| Life Orientation |
| Creative Arts |
Language Approach
Vista Junior Academy combines three different language approaches, namely:
Task-Based Language Teaching
This method encourages fluency by uplifting the learner’s confidence with tasks successfully completed. Reducing direct mistake correction. The biggest advantage of the TBL approach is that learners have some degree of freedom to learn the language they want to learn.
The Direct Method
We encourage our learners to think in the target language. This approach improves understanding, reading, fluency and listening skills.
Natural Approach
This approach aims for natural language learning to take place. The main goal is to reduce anxiety when learners are educated in the target language.
Language of Instruction
The language of instruction is English as Home Language and Afrikaans as First Additional Language. All teaching, exercise and practical material are provided in English. Most students originating from South African countries as well as students from English-speaking countries, can assume that they have sufficient proficiency in English to register and participate in the CAPS programme.
Learners whose home language is not English, will have to pass a baseline assessment on their age level before being accepted at Vista Junior Academy. On a case-by-case basis, as determined by the respective learner advisor, learners whose first language is not English, may be required to attend remedial English-language classes.