Learn to Read: An Interview with Founder Insiyah Rahim, a Nardagani Partner in India
When schools in India closed during the devastating second wave of COVID-19, millions of children found themselves stuck at home with little access to learning. For many, the only “classroom” was a television screen or mobile device, often filled with cartoons or video games instead of education. In this moment of crisis, one educator saw both a challenge and an opportunity: to help children learn to read while stuck indoors.
That educator is Insiyah Rahim, founder of Learn2Teach, a respected teacher-training program in India. Over the past five years, her organization has graduated hundreds of teachers, focusing on practical training that bridges theory and real-world classrooms. But in the summer of 2021, as COVID restrictions deepened, Insiyah and her team decided to pivot. Instead of only training teachers, they began using The Nardagani Reading Program directly with children.
The results were nothing short of transformational.
The Birth of a New Program
Learn2Teach was never designed as a literacy organization. Its primary mission was to strengthen India’s teaching force, providing training to educators who would go on to impact thousands of students across the country. But as Insiyah explains, the pandemic reshaped priorities:
“With the second wave of COVID hitting India, children found themselves locked up in their homes. With travel restrictions and not being able to step out of their homes, I wanted to offer The Nardagani Reading program to children to help them improve their reading skills.”
Traditionally, the program stretched across twelve weeks, with two one-hour sessions per week. This slower pace gave children time to practice between lessons. But in lockdown, idle time was abundant—and many parents were desperate to replace hours of passive screen time with something meaningful.
So Insiyah tried something new: daily, 60-minute sessions, Monday through Friday, for four weeks straight. It was an experiment. Would children lose interest? Would the material feel overwhelming?
Designing the Summer Experience
Running daily classes required a complete rethink of the format. To keep students engaged, groups were intentionally small—five or six students per Zoom room, each led by a trained instructor. Sessions mixed direct reading instruction with games, interactive challenges, and plenty of personal attention.
The shift worked better than anyone expected.
“The results were phenomenal, even better than before,” Insiyah recalls. “Having class everyday meant the children didn’t forget the symbols. They were constantly in touch with what they were learning. The student and facilitator formed a bond, started sharing with each other, and were able to learn very well.”
This wasn’t just about vocabulary or pronunciation. The children were learning the mechanics of English through the Nardagani symbol system, which simplifies the tricky rules of English pronunciation into a clear, visual guide. Once students grasped these patterns, their confidence soared.
What Success Looked Like
The immediate goal was straightforward: help each child improve by at least one grade level in reading within the month. But Insiyah had a bigger vision.
“In the long term I wanted to ensure the children enjoy reading and fall in love with the books and stories they would read. I wanted the children to be lifelong readers and not just focus on engaging them for 20 sessions.”
By the end of the summer, many children had exceeded expectations. They weren’t just decoding words—they were exploring stories with excitement, volunteering to read aloud, and using new vocabulary in conversations. Parents noticed the difference too: less frustration, more curiosity, and fewer battles over homework.
The program filled so quickly that Learn2Teach had to launch four separate batches. Word of mouth spread rapidly in parent communities, a testament to the program’s effectiveness.
Why This Resonates Personally
For Insiyah, this work is deeply personal. She isn’t just an educator—she’s also a mother who treasures reading time with her own children, nine-year-old Aaliya and five-year-old Rehan.
“The best time of my day is when my daughter, my son, and I spend 30–60 minutes reading before we go to bed. It’s like a family reading time. My son usually asks my daughter to explain some new words he might come across. He learned to read through the Nardagani program and reads above his grade level.”
That nightly ritual reinforced her belief that literacy is about more than academic success. It’s about joy, connection, and confidence. By helping other families discover the same rhythm of shared reading, she sees her work as multiplying the happiness she experiences at home.
Extending the Gift to Adults
The pandemic also created unexpected opportunities. With more time at home, Insiyah decided to teach two of her live-in house helpers to read using the Nardagani method. These women had struggled for years, unable to make progress despite repeated attempts to learn English.
“When I offered them this, they couldn’t believe it! They had spent years trying to read English in vain. In just 8 sessions they were able to read the first two books! They thank me everyday and I feel proud to have empowered them.”
The process was more than literacy—it was dignity and independence. Reading opens doors: navigating signs, filling out forms, helping children with homework, or simply enjoying a novel. For adults who had been excluded from education earlier in life, the chance to learn to read was life-changing.
Why Nardagani Works
The success of these programs raises an important question: what makes Nardagani so effective across ages and contexts?
The answer lies in its symbol system. English is notoriously difficult for learners because spelling and pronunciation often don’t align. Nardagani addresses this problem by overlaying simple visual cues on words, guiding readers through sounds without endless memorization.
This design makes it:
Flexible: Works for children, adults, ESL learners, and even those with dyslexia.
Adaptable: Functions equally well in daily sessions, weekly sessions, online or offline.
Empowering: Builds confidence quickly, reducing frustration and increasing motivation.
As Insiyah observed, the program works whether delivered over months or condensed into daily intensives. In every format, students gain the tools to unlock English step by step.
The Broader Mission
For Learn2Teach, the summer pivot was more than a temporary solution. It pointed toward a future where teacher training and direct literacy support could coexist, reaching children and adults alike.
Insiyah envisions expanding the program across India, especially in underserved communities where access to English education is limited. Each new reader not only improves their own prospects but also strengthens their family and community.
Nardagani’s mission—to make reading accessible for everyone, everywhere—fits seamlessly with this vision. Together, these organizations are showing that literacy can be taught faster, with more joy, and to a broader audience than many ever imagined.
A Closing Reflection
When asked what keeps her motivated, Insiyah returns to a simple truth:
“The frustration is out and confidence is in.”
For a child, that shift can transform school from a battleground to a place of discovery. For an adult, it can mean independence and self-respect. For families, it means evenings spent reading together, building memories as well as skills.
In India, where millions still struggle with English literacy, programs like Nardagani offer a lifeline. They prove that it is never too early—or too late—to learn to read.
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