Free app teaches SA to read in 11 official languages

A free app is said to offer a solution to the learning and literacy challenges experienced by learners, teachers and parents alike – especially relevant now, during South Africa’s lockdown.

Bellavista S.H.A.R.E, a division of Bellavista School – a small remedial school centrally situated in Johannesburg – said they have a powerful solution to the country’s literacy crisis with the introduction of Feed the Monster, an app which addresses the basic building blocks of reading.

According to Alison Scott, principal of Bellavista School, one of the key stumbling blocks hindering the development of reading skills in many children is the absence of reading instruction or material in their home language.

“Language instruction is a complex issue in South Africa. The hard reality is that, despite laudable efforts to ensure that all official languages are represented in our curricula, we’re still faced with a lack of resources, from teachers to schools or materials.”

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She said consequently, most children find themselves learning to read in a language they have not yet properly mastered, which detracts significantly from their proficiency. Alison also pointed out this is problematic for many reasons.

“A child who is unable to read properly cannot go on to learn more complex material. At an individual level, this puts paid to any hope of a successful academic career – but, since this is a problem that affects so many of our country’s children, it poses a risk to South Africa’s competitiveness on the global stage.”

She said Feed The Monster presents reading instructions in English, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, Tshivenda, Sepedi, Sesotho, Xitsonga, SiSwati, Afrikaans, IsiNdebele, Setswana and even Swahili in a gamified format, making it easy for readers aged between six and eight to match letters with sounds, understand how those sounds combine to form words, and see how words go on to create meaningful sentences. In this way, children can raise their literacy level to early Grade Two on a CAPS measurement.

“Even if we don’t consider how a lack of literacy will affect our children going into the future, many are facing the more immediate reality that, if they cannot read properly, that cannot work through the distance learning and teaching packs made available by schools during this time,” Alison said, noting that school closures present an additional challenge for children who are illiterate or struggling to read, as their inability to do so impacts on how they handle other academic tasks.

“If there is one positive to have emerged from the coronavirus crisis, it’s the heightened sense of social responsibility that has resulted from a growing awareness of the disadvantages facing so many of our communities, of which illiteracy is one. Promoting Feed the Monster is a chance for people to get involved in solving one of the critical issues that stands to have a long-term effect on South Africa going forward,” Alison concluded.

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