The THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading And
Spelling Skills) phonics programme, pioneered by
British Educational Psychologist Alan Davies, has
been welcomed as heralding the start of a new era in
the teaching of English in Africa. Absa Bank, a
member of the Barclays Group, are corporate
sponsors of THRASS though the THRASS Absa
TalkTogether Project in South Africa.
The primary aim of the project is to increase
literacy in South Africa, through the improved
teaching and learning of English, that will be
achieved by partnering universities, primary schools
and other organisations. The secondary aim is to
provide a platform to celebrate South Africa's
eleven national languages, through free interactive
software and printable calendar charts.
To date, over 5,000 teachers and student teachers in
South Africa have earned the THRASS Accredited
Certificate. Of these Absa has sponsored over 1000
since the TalkTogether Project was first launched in
July 2007.
The THRASS Absa TalkTogether Project has been rolled
out to six TalkTogether schools and their partner
universities:
• Roseneath Primary School and the University of
the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
• Sunlands Primary School and the Cape Peninsula
University of Technology in Cape Town.
• Eendracht Primary School and the University of
Pretoria.
• George Randell Primary School and the University
of Fort Hare.
• Clairwood Boys Preparatory School and the
University of KwaZulu-Natal.
• Greenhill Primary School and Varsity College.
A
- PRESS RELEASES
B - VIDEOS
C - ARTICLES & CUTTINGS
D - COURSE EVALUATIONS
A
- PRESS RELEASES
NOV
27: 2009
THRASS UK’s Innovative Software Helps Children Learn South
African Languages and Get Right into the
Spirit of the 2010
World Cup
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
OCT 7: 2009
THRASS Synthetic Phonics
Programme Achieves Dramatic Improvements in Literacy in
Nigeria
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
SEPT 2: 2009
THRASS Synthetic Phonics
Programme: Helping to Realise Dreams in Zimbabwe
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
MAY 28: 2009
THRASS
British Phonics Pilot in Nigeria
Becomes Victim of Its Own Success
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
APRIL 29: 2009
Zimbabwe Government
gives go-ahead for British Couple to extend Innovative
SING-A-LONG Programme
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
MARCH 12: 2009
Varsity College and Absa
launch sixth TalkTogether school to improve English Literacy
Issued by Absa Bank & THRASS UK
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY 29: 2009
Absa hosts
‘ground-breaking’ annual conference on literacy
Issued by Absa Bank & THRASS UK
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
SEPTEMBER 19: 2008
Varsity College Set to
Join THRASS Absa TalkTogether Literacy Project
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JULY 30: 2008
SMART technology aids
innovative literacy project
Issued by SMART Technologies
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JULY 11: 2008
Children in Botswana and
Swaziland Latest to Benefit from THRASS Synthetic Phonics
Programme
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
MARCH 21: 2008
New THRASS Sing-A-Long Family
Reading Project Set To Have Major Impact In British Schools
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
FEBRUARY
8: 2008
International Sponsorship for
new THRASS SING-A-LONG Family Reading Project
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
FEBRUARY
2: 2008
South Africa’s Absa Bank Intends to Introduce THRASS British Synthetic Phonics
Programme to 1,000 Government Schools
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
FEBRUARY
1: 2008
The THRASS SING-A-LONG Family
Reading Project – a Project for Everyone
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY
31: 2008
THRASS UK Launches its Amazing New
Family Reading Project in Johannesburg, South Africa
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY
25: 2008
The THRASS SING-A-LONG
Family Reading Project – Helping to Develop a Healthy,
Active Life-style
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY
23: 2008
The THRASS SING-A-LONG
Family Reading Project – an Exceptional Project and an
Exceptional Composer
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY
15: 2008
The THRASS Family
SING-A-LONG Project – Bringing Together Singing and
Literacy Skills
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JANUARY
3: 2008
Fantastic
New Resources from THRASS UK Set to Make Major
Contribution to Two New UK Government Programmes
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
DECEMBER 5: 2007
British Government Confirms that
THRASS Phonics Programme Really Does Score 10 out of 10
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
OCTOBER 25: 2007
THRASS UK and I CAN:
Helping to Maximise the Potential of Children with Special
Educational Needs
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
OCTOBER 18: 2007
THRASS Absa TalkTogether
Literacy Project Continues Talking with Launch of Fourth TalkTogether School
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
OCTOBER 11: 2007
THRASS Absa TalkTogether
Literacy Project Moves Forward with Launch of Third TalkTogether School
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
SEPTEMBER 28: 2007
THRASS UK and Barclays
- Teaching New Skills to Thousands of Children in
South Africa
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
SEPTEMBER 21: 2007
THRASS Absa TalkTogether
Literacy Project Moves Forward with Launch of Second
TalkTogether School
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
JULY 23: 2007
South Africa's Absa Bank to fund British
literacy programme THRASS
[pdf/txt/Word/photos/video]
RELATED TOPICS
TalkTogether Conference - 31
January and 1 February 2008
[Text|Resources]
THRASS SING-A-LONG Family Reading
Project
[Text|Audio|VideoStream|Resources]
THRASS in Nambia
[Text|VideoStream]
THRASS Absa
TalkTogether Index
[Text|VideoStream]
South Africa: Phonics Training
for Student Teachers, June 05
[Text|Audio|VideoStream]
including unpublished letter
to British Newspaper
South
Africa: Phonics
Training
for Teachers of the Deaf, March 05
[Text|Photos|Audio|VideoStream]
10 Weeks Reading Progress
in 4
Weeks, Botswana, Jan 05
[Text]
B -
VIDEOS
George Randell Part 1
George Randell Part 2
Holy Rosary
School, Limpopo
THRASS in Zimbabwe
Initial reactions - TalkTogether
Project
THRASS at Penryn College,
S. Africa
Absa Today Programme Feb
2009
TalkTogether
Conference 2009
THRASS IN
KWENA
Farm
School Concert
Klipspruit Combined School Grade 3
class
Klipspruit Combined School
Grade 7 class
C -
ARTICLES & CUTTINGS
10: Farewell to
Nicholas Young
09: THRASS Reading
Grannies (SA)
09: Abacus,
December 2009 (SA)
09: The Mirror KwaZulu-Natal (SA)
09: Phonics & THRASS Guidance (SA)
08: Scotts the
Reading Dog
08:
THRASS Absa Fifth
School (SA)
08:
World Premiere of SING-A-LONG
08: THRASS Absa literacy project (SA)
08: Bedfordview & Edenvale
News (SA)
08: Southlands Sun Newspaper (SA)
July 07:
Sowetan (SA)
July 07:
The Citizen (SA)
Sept 07: A magical journey
begins
Oct 07: A free educational advantage!
Oct 07:
Pupils get an edge (SA)
Oct 07:
Buffalo City (SA)
Oct 07: Reuters
Nov 07: Dispatch Online (SA)
Oct 07: Abacus,
October 2007
Sept 07: Abacus,
September 2007
