Our Materials
Effective Learning Resources for All
Great tools should be in as many hands as possible. Our classroom materials—including Teachers’ Guides, Student Books, and supplementary reading materials (Decodable Readers and Read Aloud stories)—are freely available.
Luminos developed these resources to support teachers and students in delivering and experiencing joyful, foundational learning. Our classroom materials cover ten months of learning, enabling students to progress through the equivalent of three years of primary school and prepare to transition into Grade 3 or 4 in government school.
Why They Work
Our classroom materials are grounded in the science of reading and evidence-based approaches to foundational learning, and are aligned with national curricula. Carefully designed by our education experts, the materials are typically organized into three phases—building from early phonics and basic math to independent reading, writing, and problem-solving. Importantly, these materials are intentionally created for low-resourced settings where students are often the first in their families to learn to read.
How do we know this works?
More than 30 independent, external evaluations show that Luminos students make extraordinary learning gains.
Developed and refined over a decade of implementation across Ethiopia, Ghana, The Gambia, and Liberia, these materials have been shaped through continuous classroom testing, data on student learning outcomes, feedback from teachers, and iterative revision by our education experts. They reflect what actually works, not just in theory, but in the hands of real teachers working with real children. To access our materials, fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Features of Luminos Classroom Materials
Joyful, interactive lessons that build confidence
Phonics-based with structured progression
Frequent opportunities to experience success
Carefully sequenced and guided by clear goals
Locally rooted and multi-modal
Aligned with national curricula and designed for low-resourced settings
“These materials were never ours to keep. They were shaped in classrooms, tested with students, and carried to life by teachers. In a world where 7 in 10 children in low- and middle-income countries still cannot read a simple sentence by age ten, what works belongs to every child still waiting for it.”
Neha Raheel, Luminos Director of Teaching and Learning
Who They Are For
These materials were originally designed for accelerated learning programs serving out-of-school students; children who missed early schooling and need to build foundational skills quickly. They are equally relevant for government teachers, teacher trainers, and education program designers working in low-resourced settings who want structured, evidence-based materials they can put directly into use.
Effective Implementation
While these materials are freely available, effective implementation requires high-quality teacher training, classroom support, and ongoing coaching. We welcome partnership opportunities with organizations and ministries interested in collaboration, training, and technical assistance. For inquiries, please contact us.
What They Are
Our classroom materials can be broken down into three categories: Teacher’s Guides, Student Books, and supplementary reading materials.
Teacher’s Guides
Detailed daily lesson plans that provide a structure for teachers to follow and the flexibility to incorporate interactive games, stories, and songs.
Sample Day:
Student Books
Complementing the daily lessons in the Teacher’s Guide, Student Books provide opportunities to practice writing, math, and reading skills.
Sample Day:
Supplementary Reading Materials
Including Decodable Readers and Read Aloud stories, our supplementary reading materials are matched with the week’s lesson plan and Student Book.
Sample Read Aloud Story:
Child Protection & Safeguarding Resource: “Your Promise”
At Luminos, safeguarding students’ well-being is our top priority. Not only is it a fundamental right of all children, but it also helps them to learn effectively. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy delineates the protocols we have put in place to prevent and address physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and/or exploitation of our students.
We reinforce our child protection and safeguarding standards in the classroom throughout the year, ensuring students learn about their rights using “Your Promise,” a storybook Luminos developed specifically for them. Topics in “Your Promise” include the right to go to school and learn; inclusive learning and celebrating differences; all children are special: girls and boys; protection from violence, bullying, and unwanted touch; and what to do if something goes wrong.
“Your Promise” has been translated into 10 languages across four countries, with customized illustrations that reflect students’ contexts. All translations can be downloaded through filling out the form at the bottom of this page.
Structured Progression
Typically organized into three phases, the materials enable students to progress through the equivalent of three years of primary school in just ten months through daily instruction, continuous assessment, and targeted support.
Each phase builds progressively—from early phonics and basic numeracy to independent reading, writing, and problem-solving—preparing students to transition into Grade 3 or 4 in government schools.
Available Materials by Country
Luminos Classroom Materials are currently available from the following geographies, with more to come throughout the year. To access the materials, please fill out the form to the right.
The Gambia (English)
Liberia (English)
Ethiopia (Sidaamu Afoo, Tigrinya)
Ghana
Access Luminos’ Free Classroom Materials
All materials are shared for educational, non-commercial use only. They must be properly attributed to The Luminos Fund. Reproduction, adaptation, or distribution for commercial purposes is not permitted.
By entering your email address above, you will be able to download the materials and will be automatically subscribed to our quarterly Spotlight newsletter, where we share Luminos’ latest news, blogs, and evidence on joyful learning.
Latest Teaching & Learning Insights
New Impact Results Show Structured Pedagogy Is Improving Literacy at Scale in Ethiopia
In Sidama, Ethiopia, Luminos scaled a structured pedagogy program fivefold. In Tigray, it introduced the model for the first time. Luminos' newest impact report, published for International Literacy Day, details the results from all 950 classrooms across both regions...
Why Phonics Can’t Be One-Size-Fits-All
In sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of children are taught in a language they might not fully understand. This is one of the most significant barriers to learning to read.
At Luminos, we have long emphasized that effective phonics instruction must be systematic, explicit, and clearly structured. As our programs expand across countries and languages, one thing has become increasingly clear: phonics instruction must also be grounded in language structure and cultural context.
The Error That Isn’t Random: What Students’ Mistakes Reveal About How We Teach
Across sub-Saharan Africa, the learning crisis in foundational education is well-documented, but the conversation has largely centered on literacy. Although that focus is warranted—with roughly 70 percent of children in low- and middle-income countries unable to read a simple text by the end of primary school—numeracy deserves equal urgency.
The challenge is ensuring that students truly grasp foundational concepts—and paying close attention to the common mistakes they make is one of the most powerful ways to improve how we teach.
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The Luminos Fund is a 501(c)(3), tax-exempt charitable organization registered in the United States (EIN 36-4817073).
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