Daily storytelling routines in informal house schools: A feasibility study in Cloetesville, South Africa

Abstract

Daily storytelling was introduced in four informal house schools in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch, South Africa, to examine how a simple storytelling routine could be incorporated into everyday childcare. These house schools operate in a neighbourhood where children have limited access to books, few opportunities to visit libraries, and where safety concerns often restrict movement beyond the immediate community. Within this context, house schools play an important role in early childcare, although access to literacy materials and structured reading practices remains limited. Early literacy research has given limited attention to how literacy practices emerge in such informal settings. A qualitative feasibility study was conducted in four house schools involving seventeen children aged 18 months to 5 years and four house-school owners. Afrikaans picture books were introduced, supported by on-site coaching in shared reading delivered by two community volunteers. Structured observations documented children’s attention, verbal responses, and participation during storytelling sessions, together with changes in carers’ reading practices over time. Across the four sites, storytelling became part of daily childcare. Children showed sustained attention to illustrations, anticipated familiar story events, and repeated phrases during free play. Carers incorporated pauses, questions, and shared attention to the text following coaching. Storytelling continued across all sites during the observation period, including periods when movement in the neighbourhood was restricted, indicating its potential to function as a stable literacy practice within local constraints.