READING HUB
🧒🏾 ECD (Early Childhood Development)
📘 Foundation Phase (Grades R–3)
📗 Intermediate Phase (Grades 4–6)
📙 Senior Phase (Grades 7–9)
📕 FET Band (Grades 10–12)
🇿🇦 South African Languages Focus:
🧩 Cross-Cutting Categories
🔤 Inclusive Education
🏠 For Parents & Families
🎓 For Teachers & Librarians
🌐 Digital + Mobile Platforms
📥 Free, Legal Resources (Covered in Our Chat)
We prioritised sources that:
-
Are OER (Open Educational Resources) or under Creative Commons
-
Are zero-rated or offline-downloadable
-
Feature local or translated content
-
Include audio, interactive, or printable formats
| Phase | Age Range | Key Formats | Content Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECD | 0–5 | Wordless books, audio stories, games | Emergent literacy, play-based |
| Foundation Phase | 5–9 | Early readers, audio-visual, printables | Phonics + meaning, folktales |
| Intermediate Phase | 9–12 | Chapter books, graphic novels | Read-to-learn, multilingual |
| Senior Phase | 12–15 | Fiction, poetry, non-fiction | Identity, imagination, engagement |
| FET Band | 15–18 | Study guides, literature, careers | Academic, literary, civic knowledge |
| Inclusive Education | All | Large print, audiobooks, AAC, braille | Disabilities, neurodivergence |
| Parents | All | Reading tips, home packs, WhatsApp | Home language support, daily habits |
| Teachers & Librarians | All | Lesson plans, LTSMs, training | Moodle courses, club guides, pedagogy |
| Platform | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| African Storybook | PDF, EPUB, audio | Multilingual African languages |
| Book Dash | PDF, print-ready | Free, high-quality, downloadable |
| Nal’ibali | Print, audio, stories | Also supports reading clubs |
| Global Digital Library | Offline, CC-BY | Global + localised books |
| Worldreader | Mobile app | Many African languages |
| Library for All | Android app | Downloadable books |
| StoryWeaver by Pratham | Translatable | 300+ South African stories |
| Siyavula | FET science and maths | CAPS-aligned open textbooks |
| Gutenberg | Literature | English classics, good for FET |
| Internet Archive | Audio, text | Public domain classics |
The scarcest (most under-resourced) languages in South Africa when it comes to written and reading materials — particularly children’s books, school materials, and general literature — are generally agreed to be:
🔴 1. Khoi, San, and Nama languages
-
These are the most endangered languages in South Africa.
-
Very little to no formal written material exists for children or general literacy.
-
Most of the work in these languages is oral, ceremonial, or academic.
-
Revitalisation efforts are starting but materials are scarce.
🔴 2. isiNdebele
-
One of the official 11, but often overlooked.
-
Very few children's books, storybooks, or digital materials compared to isiZulu or isiXhosa.
-
Learners often end up reading in isiZulu due to proximity and overlap.
-
Also under-resourced in terms of mother-tongue readers and CAPS-aligned LTSMs.
🔴 3. Tshivenda
-
Despite being a national language, written content for youth is limited.
-
Few publishers focus on Tshivenda outside prescribed school readers.
-
Quality leisure-reading books, especially modern or digital formats, are hard to find.
🔴 4. Xitsonga
-
Faces similar challenges as Tshivenda: limited publishing focus and few leisure-reading books.
-
Learners often experience delayed literacy due to lack of engaging early texts.
-
Some community radio and oral traditions are strong, but the reading side is thin.
🔴 5. Sign Language (SASL)
-
Although officially recognised, South African Sign Language has almost no written literature — naturally, as it’s a visual-manual language.
-
The challenge here is access to signed story videos, SASL-translated books, or bilingual story formats.
-
The need is not for “written SASL” but for accessible multimedia storytelling — which is still extremely scarce.
🟠 Moderately Scarce (in digital and leisure formats)
| Language | Notes |
|---|---|
| Siswati | Some written content exists, but quality digital material and creative leisure reading are limited. |
| Setswana | Often better resourced in North West, but lacks national scale across platforms. |
| Xitsonga | Already covered — very low general access. |
| Sepedi (Northern Sotho) | Official language, but high learner numbers make the limited materials stretch thin. |
🟢 Relatively Well-Resourced (though still needing more)
| Language | Why Better Off |
|---|---|
| isiZulu | Largest language group, more publishing and media support. |
| isiXhosa | Strong cultural and literary traditions, fair number of books. |
| Afrikaans | Extensive publishing, even for children. |
| English | Overrepresented compared to mother tongue speakers. |
🇿🇦 1. Total Number of Learners in South Africa (2024 estimates)
According to DBE & Stats SA data:
| Phase | Estimated Learners |
|---|---|
| ECD (0–5 years) | ± 2 million (formal & informal) |
| Grade R – 3 (Foundation) | ± 4.5 million |
| Grade 4 – 6 (Intermediate) | ± 3.8 million |
| Grade 7 – 9 (Senior Phase) | ± 3.2 million |
| Grade 10 – 12 (FET Band) | ± 2.8 million |
| Total (Public + Private + Home) | ± 13.5–14 million learners |
🧭 Identity & Purpose
The Reading Hub is described as:
-
“The navel of knowledge” — a central place where stories live, grow, and transform.
-
It forms part of a bigger literacy ecosystem, grounded in the mycelium network metaphor — meaning it’s invisible, all-pervasive, interdependent, and deeply rooted.
-
It's both a physical and digital manifestation of reading promotion — linking schools, homes, libraries, and communities.
-
It connects deeply with the National Reading Strategy (2024–2030), particularly:
-
Pillar 2: Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSMs)
-
Pillar 4: Parents and Community Involvement
-
Cross-cutting: Partnerships, Communication, Research & Monitoring
-