Reading is the gateway to all other knowledge. If children do not learn to read efficiently, the path is blocked to every subject they encounter in their school years. And yet 40% of children between Classes 2 and 7 in government schools cannot read a simple unseen passage

It is against this background that Akshara Foundation conceived the Accelerated Programme for Reading: the programme aims to enable children to learn to read in a short period of time. Conventional teaching follows a slow progression - from alphabet to word, slowly to simple sentences and finally to paragraphs. The new reading technique practiced by Akshara reverses this process. It starts with 'reading' simple stories- (bordering at imitations of reading, as children do in homes where they are read to regularly) from the very first day. Children imagine and wonder trying to make sense of what they see. They stumble, 'read', guess what the words may be, try and make meaning of it - eventually learn to read and the teachers do not interfere with criticism or over-enthusiastic assistance. They just facilitate the process and ask an occasional question to help the child correct herself.

The technique is neither complex nor does it involve expensive teaching material. A set of stories designed with careful content is all that is required. A fortnightly assessment monitors the child's progress or lack of it. The teaching materials include sets of story cards with illustration, alphabet charts, and a set of alphabet cards.

The programme is run for a period of 45 working days using a set of 45 story cards.

Government’s assessments and Akshara’s own studies reveal a definite gap between school text book content and the actual learning that happens in the class room. It was found that children even in the 4th and 5th standards struggle endlessly with basic concepts in mathematics.

Akshara Foundation’s mathematics programme aims to bridge this gap and be compatible with school curriculum and the minimum learning levels of children, thereby supplementing the existing system.

Many programmes for improving foundational math among children have been conducted in government schools and communities and in the academic year 2007 - 08 a programme, called Nagu Nagutha Ganitha will be rolled out through government school teachers in government schools. This has been designed by Dr. T. Padmini, Emeritus Professor of Education, University of Mysore. This is an activity based method, where concepts are taught using concrete tools like the counting board and number grids, focusing on children and helping them see, do, learn, and hence, comprehend mathematics. It signals a shift from convention. This programme allows the child to imagine and creatively explore different ways to arrive at a solution. Thus learning and progress happen at the child’s own pace.

Akshara will partner with the government to scale up the programme in the academic year 2007-2008 to many schools across Karnataka.