Young children need nurturing care, which includes responsive caregiver-child interactions and opportunities to learn. However, there are few extant large-scale programs that build parents' abilities to provide this. We have developed an early childhood parenting training package, called Reach Up, with the aim of providing an evidence-based, adaptable program that is feasible for low-resource settings. Implementation of Reach Up was evaluated in Brazil and Zimbabwe to inform modifications needed and identify challenges that implementers and delivery agents encountered. Interview guides were developed to collect information on the program's appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility from mothers, home visitors, and supervisors. Information on adaptation was obtained from country program leads and Reach Up team logs, as well as quality of visits from observations conducted by supervisors. The program was well accepted by mothers and visitors, who perceived benefits for the children; training was viewed as appropriate, and visitors felt well-prepared to conduct visits. A need for expansion of supervisor training was identified and the program was feasible to implement, although challenges were identified, including staff turnover; implementation was less feasible for staff with other work commitments (in Brazil). However, most aspects of visit quality were high. We conclude that the Reach Up program can expand capacity for parenting programs in low- and middle-income countries.

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This study examined secondary school teachers’ understanding of the HIV and AIDS education policy and curriculum in Zimbabwe. The study was informed by the Concerns-Based Adoption Model. Twenty teachers, four school heads from the participating schools and two Ministry of Education officials from Masvingo provincial offices participated in the study. Data for the qualitative case study were collected via individual interviews, focus group interviews and open-ended questionnaires. The study found that teachers had mixed perceptions of the HIV and AIDS school policy. Few teachers had a clear understanding of the policy and curriculum innovation while most of them were uninformed, ignorant, frustrated or confused regarding this policy and the implementation thereof. Overall, there was a disjunction between policy, curriculum requirements and teacher understanding and conceptualisation of the subject area due to a lack of professional qualifications and the non-availability of policy and curriculum documents. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education should become proactive in developing teachers’ knowledge and skills via significant and ongoing professional development and training for all teachers in HIV and AIDS education. School heads should provide support with regard to enhancing teachers’ understanding of HIV and AIDS education for effective implementation of the subject area in schools.

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Left-handed children from infancy right through their primary school days struggle to overcome the annoyance and frustration of living in a right-handed world. Resources and ideas specifically give best techniques to right-handed learners across the school curriculum, thereby marginalising left-handers. It is evident that children who are left-handed can learn new skills efficiently without awkwardness or frustration, to achieve their potential. This study aimed to (1) explore the experiences of left-handed learners in primary schools (2) Establish strategies teachers use to teach young children who are left-handed. (3) Document perceptions on how teacher-learner interactions affect left-handed children's learning and development. The Person-Environment Fit (PEF) Theoretical framework guided the study. A fundamental premise of PEF theory is that stress arises from a misfit between the person and environment. A qualitative phenomenological case study was employed. The sample comprised of 40 participants. Twenty (20) teachers and twenty (20) learners were purposively selected from five (5) primary schools in Masvingo urban. Taking note of the learner's own voices was imperative in determining how they experienced writing with the left-hand in dominant right-handed classrooms. Data were collected through focus group discussions, individual interviews and observations. Tesch's open coding qualitative data analysis tool was used to analyse data. Results show that left-handed learners had varied experiences ranging from sad emotions due to perceptions of marginalisation and negative labels; to happy emotions of success and positive self-efficacy. Techniques like exploring with both hands, hand dominance verbalisation, use of 'tripod' grasp, writing paper and model placement, right hand as 'helper hand' and use of ICT technologies were employed in the classrooms. Overall interactions negatively and positively affected children's learning and development. Among others, it was recommended that there was need for teachers, learners and parents to collaborate in order to alleviate challenges experienced by left-handers in primary school classrooms for positive development.