Find out more about Sonko Game on Faved.
“The Sonko game is a method of teaching learners of all levels, including the learners with special educational needs, on how to read, spell and write with ease.”
Nameere Mily is a teacher in Uganda who worked to co-develop the Sonko Game practice.
“ When a teacher understands their learners, they can create innovations that address the challenges of the learners. This ensures that the learner feels seen, and they'll actually learn.”
Janat Namatovu was a National Coordinator for Schools2030 Uganda from 2020 to 2023. In her role, Janat worked with teachers to help them develop innovative practices in response to issues they were facing in the classroom.
Janat helped to support Mily, a 4th grade teacher at Bbiina Islamic Primary school in Uganda. Mily’s students were finding it difficult to improve their reading in English, so together, using a game students were familiar with, they created an adapted version starting with the basics of language acquisition to help support students' work on their words and sounds.
The Sonko game is derived from a Ugandan childhood hop and skip game called Sonko. To play Sonko, children draw a box with different shapes and sizes on the ground .The drawings have provisions for a dice that is thrown around the box and the child should be able to skip the box that houses the dice. As the learners hop and skip, they sound and practice using the sound in words and sentences. The game is also used as a form of assessment, as Mily could easily see which students had mastered the topic.
“My learners love this game because it motivates them to learn aseveryone is actively involved. Learners enjoy it because it involves some music, they can also practice it during their free time. We have found that the reading and writing comprehension and skills have improved in class and during exams.”
Nameere Mily, Uganda
Over time learners improved their language skills and confidence, mastering the English language. Lessons were more engaging, as they had moved away from the traditional ‘talk and chalk’. Mily found that the playful, engaging and challenging nature of the game was more stimulating for her students, especially due to the competition element. As well as engaging students, Mily and Janat also found that parents were becoming more engaged in their children’s learning and were encouraging their children to participate and progress.
“Innovation brings excitement into the classroom, as it propels a teacher to think outside the box.”
Janat Namatovu, Former Schools2030 National Coordinator, Uganda
Janat believes that innovation in schools brings excitement to both learners and educators, propelling teachers to think outside the box. She notes that the biggest challenge is ensuring teachers are supported to innovate and are celebrated for their hard work. Janat highlights the issues around access to technology and teachers being able to share their innovative ideas with one another. She believes that Faved is an amazing opportunity for teachers to share about their work on a global platform
After three years developing the Schools2030 programme in Uganda, Janat moved on to work with one of its partners, ‘Smart Girls’, supporting vulnerable young women to learn male dominated skills, like electrical engineering and plumbing. You can find out more about ‘Smart Girls’ here.
Find out more about Sonko Game on Faved.
