Zelda Barends is a senior lecturer and teacher educator in the Department of Curriculum Studies in the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Her research and teaching spans the broader field of early childhood education (5 – 9 years), with a particular focus on literacy. Much of her research pursuits are linked to, literacy teacher education, reading instruction in the foundation phase, and work-integrated learning in teacher education. Zelda is a member of the International Literacy Association (ILA), the Literacy Association for South Africa (LITSA) and the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD). Her published research papers have highlighted her work emphasising the combination of important professional training experiences to equip beginning teachers with the knowledge and skills needed for effective literacy teaching.