More than half of ten-year-olds cannot read a simple text
According to UNESCO and the World Bank, more than half of ten-year-olds in low and middle income countries cannot read and understand a simple text. In many classrooms, writing materials are scarce. When notebooks run out, writing opportunities disappear and children hesitate to make mistakes, because every page counts.
GEEAP-endorsed research, December 2025
Writing is a core component of effective reading instruction
For years, writing was treated as a consequence of learning to read. The GEEAP-endorsed report Reading Instruction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: What the Evidence Shows identifies writing as one of the six key components of effective reading instruction. Reading and writing belong together, and writing should be embedded in early learning from the start.
What Is the Joy of Writing Programme?
Joy of Writing combines reusable writing materials with practical teacher guidance and structured writing routines to increase frequent, purposeful writing practice and support literacy development.
Reusable writing materials give learners space to practise repeatedly, erase mistakes and try again. Teacher guidance helps teachers turn this access into purposeful practice. Engagement, interaction, self-correction and enjoyment help learners participate and keep practising.
Our materials are used as an additional practice tool, replacing paper exercise notebooks, within existing literacy projects, aligned with government policies and curricula.
The programme combines three core elements.
Reusable Writing Materials
Teacher Orientation & Support
Monitoring and Evaluation
1. Reusable Writing Materials
Each student receives a Correctbook writing set: a reusable notebook, a pen, a wipe, and refills. The notebook lets students:
- practise writing again and again
- erase mistakes and try again
- use the book for exercises, rough work, and revision
- continue learning even when traditional notebooks run out
Our materials are produced locally in Africa.
Reusable notebook
Pen & refills
Cleaning wipe
2. Teacher Orientation & Support
Teacher orientation focuses on two areas: using the materials effectively, and developing an effective approach to writing through structured writing routines with Correctbook integrated into each stage.
During onboarding, teachers learn how to:
- keep the materials in good condition during lessons, so the sets last for years
- use the notebook, pen and wipe for different classroom activities and subjects
- clean pages properly using the cloth and store the sets safely between lessons
- create awareness and run practical exercises that make the classroom safer and more engaging
Teacher guidance helps teachers turn access to materials into purposeful practice through clear instruction, feedback and structured writing routines. The approach does not replace the existing curriculum and does not add workload.
How the writing routines work
- 1
Model
The teacher demonstrates the letter, word or sentence and explains the task.
- 2
Guided practice
Learners practise with teacher support.
- 3
Independent attempt
Learners try the task themselves.
- 4
Check & correct
Learners receive feedback, erase where needed and try again.
- 5
Apply
Learners use what they have practised in a word, sentence or meaningful activity.
3. Monitoring and Evaluation
To understand the impact of the programme, schools and partners monitor how Correctbooks are used in the classroom. This helps identify improvements in writing practice and revision, student participation, teacher experience, and learning engagement, supporting continuous improvement and responsible scaling.
Theory of change
- Reusable writing materials + structured teacher-led routines
- More frequent, purposeful writing practice
- Greater handwriting fluency and automaticity
- Less cognitive effort spent on forming letters
- More attention available for spelling, expressing ideas and developing literacy skills
Erasable Workbooks & Activity Books, Aligned With Local Curricula
Beyond blank reusable notebooks, Correctbook develops erasable workbooks and activity books that follow the curriculum used in each project or country.
Example of a curriculum aligned Correctbook activity book
A curriculum page that can be practised a thousand times
An example: Unit 1, Week 2 with the letters a, m and s. Tracing lines, letter formation and picture cues, following the exercises of the national curriculum. Because the page is erasable, one book serves an entire class, year after year.
Proven Impact in Classrooms
child-years of erasable writing material made available in classrooms worldwide.
Impact study, UWS Madagascar
Findings from the Madagascar study
of teachers observed an improvement in writing practice
reported greater student engagement in writing activities
saw a reduction in writing anxiety
Other studies showed improvements in handwriting quality, learner participation, classroom interaction, self-correction, confidence, and attendance.
Results from earlier studies
- 85% of teachers reported improvements in student participation, handwriting, and creativity.
- Before the programme, around 60% of students rarely revised their work; after Correctbook, 85% reported revising daily.
- At one participating school, classes using Correctbook outperformed other classes in end-of-term results.
- Intervention classes showed higher attendance: one of four schools reported 100% attendance since introduction.
- 78% of teachers reported reduced preparation time and increased confidence in their teaching.
How the Programme Works
The Joy of Writing Programme is implemented through partnerships with schools and education organisations.
A Programme Designed for Scale
The programme works in different educational environments and can be implemented through partnerships with NGOs, schools, and education initiatives.
- The model is simple and scalable.
- Reusable materials reduce long-term costs.
- Teachers can integrate the method without additional workload.
- Partners can adapt the programme to local education systems.
Because the materials are reusable, each Correctbook can support learning for multiple years.
children have been provided with erasable school supplies for a year.
Global Reach
Correctbook is based in the Netherlands, Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa, and we run projects in Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana and Madagascar. We can deliver anywhere.
More than 740,000 children have already gained access to Correctbook writing materials for a full year of learning. Through partnerships with schools and NGOs, the Joy of Writing Programme continues to expand to new regions and classrooms.
Work With Us
The Joy of Writing Programme can be implemented by:
- Schools
- NGOs and education organisations
- Government education initiatives
- Foundations and donors supporting literacy programmes
If your organisation is interested in bringing the Joy of Writing Programme to schools, we would love to explore how we can work together.
Let's get in touch