Fonix Literacy Programme

Mother tongue literacy development

Why literacy in your mother tongue is so important...

Studies have proven that the best way to learn English is by being proficient in one's home language. Children gain confidence and enthusiasm when they are taught their mother tongue. From an educator's standpoint, students' ability to internalise and manipulate concepts in their mother language is the foundation for all successful learning. If that foundation is not strong, the most fundamental learning tool is weakened. Your language is how you learn.

The power of the programme is in its ability to teach multi-languages...

This programme is formulated for use with young learners between the ages of six months to seven years. It is a phonetic program that uses all the senses and operates in an informal way making learning incidental and fun. All of South Africa’s eleven languages use the same print symbols that, for the majority of the letters, represent the same sounds. The programme builds letter-sound associations, the first step to literacy and the bridge between languages.

The programme’s playful and concrete approach, has provided teachers with a tool that is fun, easy to use - and above all - lays a solid foundation for fundamental literacy, the basis for all learning. The tool can be integrated into all manner of lessons fostering incidental learning and reinforcing learning throughout the day. 

Should you be interested in sponsoring a literacy kit for a pre-school, or purchasing your own kit, or if you need more information on large scale implementations, kindly contact edumentor@knysnaedutrust.co.za.

Download our latest literacy research data verifying the achievements that children are making in acquiring their mother tongue.