The Spell2read2write programme is the core literacy intervention of A Better Africa Foundation. The programme has been run public schools across the country since 2009. The programme is a structured, fun series of songs, card games, reading drills and comprehension exercises.

CLICK ON THE PICTURE BELOW TO SEE A LITTLE VIDEO (classroom activity)

Based on the fundamentals of play therapy and international best practice, the underlying principles of the programme are:

• Phonemic Awareness: This is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words.

• Phonics: This is the understanding that letters represent sounds..

• Vocabulary: This is the understanding of the meanings of words and the development of a large and diverse vocabulary in order to comprehend written text.

• Fluency: This is the ability to read text accurately and quickly. Fluent readers are able to recognise words and comprehend text without having to stop and sound out each individual word.

• Comprehension: This is the ability to understand and interpret what is being read.

• Writing: This involves the ability to express thoughts and ideas through written language. It includes skills such as spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.

• Motivation and engagement: A child's motivation and engagement in reading and writing are critical building blocks of literacy.

The programme is delivered by young Teacher Assistants or Reading Coaches who are recruited from communities around the programme schools.

The programme is easy and affordable to implement and does not require highly trained personnel or expensive equipment.

The programme has reached over 500,000 learners, teachers, parents and community members since its inception with more schools added each year.