About eTale Africa

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eTale Africa supports to teach every child to read in local languages


Teacher eLearning Africa initiative (eTALE Africa) enhances teachers’ skills to teach literacy in local languages in sub-Saharan Africa by developing a comprehensive eLearning environment.

The eTALE Africa learning environment provides guidance and best practices for teachers on how to teach literacy starting from the basics to more advanced reading comprehension taking into consideration especially children who have difficulties in learning to read. It is a unique tool that supports teacher educators, special education teachers and teachers in their work. The eTALE Africa learning materials can be accessed by various mobile devices and PCs free of charge.

Created to enhance teachers’ skills to teach literacy

The beneficiaries are special education teachers, therapists, teachers, and teacher educators who will acquire evidence based knowledge and
skills to teach literacy in local languages. Children and their parents will benefit from the improved quality of teaching reading and acquired
basic literacy skills.

eTALE Africa key topics: Development of reading and writing skills

Pre-Literacy Skills

• Literacy environments
• Linguistic memory
• Working memory
• Naming speed
• Visuomotor skills
• Vocabulary
• Listening comprehension
• Phonological awareness
• Letter knowledge

Decoding and Spelling

• Reading accuracy
• Spelling
• Reading and spelling fluency

Reading Comprehension

• Inference making
• Taking perspectives
• Critical interpretation
• Assessment

Productive Writing

• Cohesion
• Coherence
• Nuanced and rich language
• Sentences
• Words

Lifelong Literacy Learning

• Adult literacy
• Multiliteracy
• Metalinguistic skills
• Multilinguistic competence

Important Background Factors

• Motivation
• Attention
• Executive function
• Learning skills

Developed through consortium of literacy experts

The joint eTALE Africa project brings together literacy experts from Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Finland.

The partners are:
• Archbishop Mihayo University College of Tabora (AMUCTA), Tanzania
• Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE), Kenya
• University of Namibia, (UNAM), Namibia
• Centre for promotion of literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa (Capolsa) at the
Department of Psychology, University of Zambia (UNZA)
• Niilo Mäki Institute, (Niilo Mäki Foundation, NMF), Finland
• University of Jyväskylä, Finland
• University of Helsinki, Finland

The eTALE Africa project is administered by Niilo Mäki Institute (NMF) and co-funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and Niilo Mäki Institute (NMF).

New project

Timo Ahonen, PhD.

Timo Ahonen, PhD.

Emeritus Professor
University of Jyväskylä
Finland

Pamela February, PhD.

Pamela February, PhD.

Lecturer
University of Namibia
Namibia

Mooya Haatembo, PhD.

Mooya Haatembo, PhD.

Lecturer
University of Zambia
Zambia

Lydia Ntembi Kairanya, MEd.

Lydia Ntembi Kairanya, MEd.

Lecturer
Kenya Institute of Special Education
Kenya

Ritva Ketonen, PhD.

Ritva Ketonen, PhD.

Lecturer
University of Helsinki
Finland

Pia Krimark, MA

Pia Krimark, MA

Coordinator
Niilo Mäki Institute
Finland

Juha-Matti Latvala, PhD.

Juha-Matti Latvala, PhD.

Executive director
Niilo Mäki Institute
Finland

Ilkka Laurinen

Ilkka Laurinen

Niilo Mäki Institute
Finland

Laura Lerkkanen, MA

Laura Lerkkanen, MA

Lead designer
Finland

Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, PhD.

Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, PhD.

Professor
University of Jyväskylä
Finland

Taimi Nghikembua, PhD.

Taimi Nghikembua, PhD.

Lecturer
University of Namibia
Namibia

Juanita Moller, MSc.

Juanita Moller, MSc.

Namibia

Flora Malasi Nyali, MSc.

Flora Malasi Nyali, MSc.

Lecturer, Deputy Academic Registrar
Kenya Institute of Special Education
Kenya

Fraterinus Osward, M.Ed.

Fraterinus Osward, M.Ed.

Lecturer
Archbishop Mihayo University College of Tabora
Tanzania

Miika Pekkarinen, MSc.

Miika Pekkarinen, MSc.

IT specialist
Niilo Mäki Institute
Finland

Previous project

Jacqueline Jere-Folotiya, PhD.

Jacqueline Jere-Folotiya, PhD.

Lecturer
University of Zambia
Zambia

Mwanza Nakawala Maumbi, MSc.

Mwanza Nakawala Maumbi, MSc.

Capolsa, Projects Cooperation Officer
University of Zambia
Zambia

Päivi Merjonen, PhD.

Päivi Merjonen, PhD.

Researcher
Niilo Mäki Institute
Finland

Damaris Ngorosho, PhD.

Damaris Ngorosho, PhD.