Celebrating World Book Day: The Atlas DigiBus is making reading and literature accessible to South African Townships
At the beginning of the year, Blessing, a reserved Grade 4 learner from Moshesh Primary School, faced a daunting obstacle. Having been taught in isiXhosa, his home language, with minimal exposure to English, the transition to learning in a foreign language was overwhelming. To Blessing, English was a puzzle of incomprehensible words, full of gaps he didn’t know how to fill. Even the simple task of writing or typing his name felt impossible.
Enter the Reading Eggs programme, designed to support learners like Blessing in building a bridge between their mother tongue and English. On his first day in the program, Blessing sat quietly at the computer, unsure of what to do. Patient teachers on the Digibus gently guided him, helping him log in by typing his name for him. The programme’s vibrant interface and animated characters immediately caught his attention. With encouragement from his teacher, he hesitantly began his first activity.
The programme’s simplicity, combined with its engaging design, proved to be a game-changer. Starting with foundational skills such as letter recognition, phonics, and basic words, it made learning approachable and fun. Blessing quickly developed a fondness for the cheerful phonics songs, clapping along as he absorbed each lesson. Every correct answer was rewarded with golden eggs, fostering a sense of achievement and building his confidence.
Over the weeks, Blessing’s transformation became evident. He began noticing letters and words in his surroundings—on posters, in books, and within his environment. By the middle of the year, a breakthrough moment came when he could log in independently—a seemingly small act that filled his teachers with immense pride.
With each passing day, the fear of English lessened. His vocabulary grew, and he began forming simple sentences and reading basic texts at a Grade 1 level. By year’s end, Blessing had not only made strides academically but had undergone a personal transformation.
Though his progress might seem modest compared to peers, Blessing’s journey was extraordinary. Starting from a place where even basic English was unfamiliar, he gained the confidence and foundational skills to embrace learning in a new language. The Reading Eggs programme didn’t just teach him English—it empowered him to believe in his ability to learn, setting the stage for continued growth and success.
