Media Release - 7 February 2008 

On 23 July 2007, Absa Bank, announced its corporate sponsorship of the THRASS (Teaching Handwriting Reading And Spelling Skills) phonics programme through the THRASS Absa TalkTogether Literacy Project.  This programme has already been launched with four primary schools - Roseneath Primary School in association with the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg, Sunlands Primary School in association with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Cape Town, Eendracht Primary School in association with the University of Pretoria and George Randell Primary School in association with the University of Fort Hare. Today, a fifth TalkTogether School is being launched; Clairwood Boys Preparatory School - in association with the University of KwaZulu Natal.   

Each TalkTogether School benefits from accredited THRASS training for staff and from the provision of resources for the Foundation Phase classes, including the installation of a SMART interactive whiteboard. The daily teaching of THRASS, and other home languages, is supported by THRASS-trained Foundation Phase student teachers from the associated university who spend approximately two hours a week in the school, teaching and assessing the ten THRASS skills and helping with the learning of home languages. 

The THRASS Absa TalkTogether Literacy Project is a unique educational partnership between THRASS UK and Absa, and is aiming to revolutionise the teaching and learning of language in South Africa through partnerships between primary schools, universities and other organizations. The THRASS Absa TalkTogether Project is an initiative with a vision to increase literacy in South Africa through the improved teaching and learning of English, through improved ‘Teaching, Handwriting, Reading and Spelling Skills (THRASS)’, and the project provides a platform to celebrate South Africa’s eleven national languages through FREE interactive and printable calendar charts, further celebrating our “Rainbow Nation”. 

The programme targets foundation level learners and their teachers. It helps learners develop sound literacy skills from an early age, and creates a strong foundation of English skills using the 26 letters of the alphabet and 44 phonemes (sounds) as well as 120 graphemes (spelling choices) to explain sounds and words.  THRASS “The Phoneme Machine” is a groundbreaking computer program that uses the International Phonetic Alphabet and moving human lips to demonstrate the pronunciation of sounds and a variety of frequently used English words. 

The THRASS SING-A-LONG concept was recently launched on 31 January 2008 and will help learners understand synthetic phonics through the use of music. The project will increase their confidence in identifying the one-, two- and three-letter spelling choices in English words and saying the sounds that they represent, and make it much easier for both children and adults to master the sounds and spelling choices of English.

Nicholas Young, Chief Operating Officer of Absa’s New Business Cluster said: “The transfer of knowledge through sharing the Projects implementation and research experience and distilling it as best practice will be of invaluable help in addressing South Africa’s literacy challenge and improving teachers subject matter knowledge. To this end, the THRASS Absa TalkTogether Project is committed to a significant rollout of THRASS to 1,000 schools in 2008.” 

To date, over 4,000 teachers and student teachers in South Africa have earned the THRASS Accredited Certificate with over 500 having been sponsored by the THRASS Absa TalkTogether Literacy Project.   

THRASS has been implemented in a significant number of government schools, including farm schools in the Kwena Basin, Mpumalanga and township schools in Orange Farm, Johannesburg and also in private independent schools in several provinces, including the largest private schools chain, Crawford Schools. 

The programme continues to evolve with the inclusion of a newly formed concept to support the project, with the introduction of four new SING-A-LONG resources for families and schools in South Africa.    

“We welcome new partners seeking to adopt and include THRASS into their corporate social investment plans or participate in the TalkTogether Project.  We firmly believe that increased collaboration between Private and Public sectors is key to creating sustainable programmes that increase literacy in South Africa, and provide opportunities for all South Africans to achieve their full potential and be the best they can be,” commented Mr.Young.  

Ends  

FAST FACTS ABOUT THRASS (optional)

• THRASS targets foundation level learners and their teachers because this is the key stage for kids to develop lifelong learning skills.
• It is the brainchild of Alan Davies, an educational psychologist with over 30 years experience in education and training.
• It creates a strong foundation of English skills using 26 letters of the alphabet and 44 phonemes (sounds) and graphemes to explain sounds and words.
• In South Africa, THRASS has achieved the following:

o        Since the first course in 2005, THRASS has been introduced in over 120 public and private schools.

o        More than 4000 teachers and student teachers have completed the THRASS Accredited Certificate.

o        THRASS is supported by a growing number of universities with foundation phase education faculties, who have included THRASS as a mandatory component of their curriculum. These include the University of Witwatersrand, University of Pretoria,Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Fort Hare University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Issued by:
Sello Mabotja
Absa Media Consultant
Absa Group Communication & Public Relations
Tel: +27 11 350 7650
Cell: + 27 82 336 0132

For more information, please visit the Absa website: www.absa.co.za.

Source: Absa Bank

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