Abstract
The reading challenges children face in the lower grades of primary school in South Africa are well-publicised. Children's literature is critical in early childhood education, supporting growth in multiple domains. The study aimed to explore the design and implementation of the Grade R children's literature curriculum at selected early childhood development (ECD) centres in Johannesburg, South Africa. Four Grade R teachers teaching at different ECD centres were chosen as the study's participants. The four ECD centres selected for the study were in demographically disparate areas of Johannesburg. The study can be typified as a generic qualitative inquiry, and data were generated using three methods: semi-structured interviews with Grade R teachers at the selected ECD centres, observations of teachers' lessons, and document analysis. Three themes emerged from the data analysis. Firstly, the Grade R children's literature curriculum's content, design and implementation aim to develop children holistically. Secondly, it was found that Grade R teachers use different methods to teach children's literature. Finally, Grade R teachers were found to pay close attention to their specific classroom contexts when planning and executing their children's literature lessons. The authors conclude that the architecture of the children's literature curriculum at the selected schools is a complex function of various factors. These include the content of the curriculum, the methods used by the teachers in delivering it and the teacher's responses to the contexts in which they teach.