Background

If you want an intelligent child, let them read. If you want a really intelligent child, make them read more.

Albert Einstein once said that the secret to raising a smart child lies in what you feed their mind. But South Africa faces a crisis…

In the latest PIRLS study (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), our country ranked last among all participating nations. The results revealed a sobering truth: by Grade 4, far too many learners still struggle with basic reading comprehension.

📢 The alarm bells are ringing! The question is: how do we turn this around?

The Department of Basic Education has already appointed a task team to find solutions—but we believe the answer is within reach. South Africa has a handful of reading series designed to empower young readers.

💡 Tippie is one of them. With Tippie, learners can discover the joy of reading, build real confidence, and take the first steps toward becoming skilled, independent readers. Because every child deserves the chance to succeed.

Tippie and the Department of Basic Education

If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.

Tippie thinks differently about how children learn. But what does that mean for our curriculum outcomes?

💡 Remember: the curriculum doesn’t prescribe how children should learn, it sets out what they should learn.

Together with the Department of Education, our goal is clear: by the end of Grade 3, children should be able to read a wide variety of texts with confidence and understanding.

How does Tippie help children to read?

A good reading series mirrors the brain, but what do we mean by that? Tippie follows the same sequence and methods that children’s brains naturally use to master reading.

It starts with sounds > connects those sounds to letters > builds patterns through repetition > and gradually moves toward full comprehension.

In other words, Tippie works with the brain’s wiring which is why reading becomes easy!

Tippie in 2026

Tippie’s Afrikaans Home Language and First Additional Language package consists of comprehensive, practical resources designed to support effective teaching and reading in the classroom. The learning materials are developed specifically for the Department of Basic Education, with the teacher’s guide serving as a roadmap for their use. The entire package is designed in line with the CAPS and ATP guidelines.

Click here to download your Afrikaans Home Language Cheat Sheet.
Click here to download your Afrikaans First Additional Language Cheat Sheet.

What's included in the Teacher's Package?

Apart from the graded and core readers, these packages also include additional resources and guides you can use in the classroom. Each package contains:

• 1 x Teacher’s Guide
• 1 x Story Collection: As varke kon vlieg
• 8 x Grade-specific Big Books
• 160 x Flashcards
• 8 x Wall Charts
• 2 x Handwriting Charts
• 40 x Phonics Cards

This will be available in November. 

Help! I have questions...

Teachers often have the same questions, which is why we’ve put together a handy information sheet with facts, questions, and answers. Download it here!