Dear Bookseller
Dear Bookseller,
Spring is in the air, bringing the renewed energy that we all need to get through the final four months of 2024!
August was a particularly busy month for the Macmillan team. Our publishing and production teams have been working tirelessly to prepare the new materials for the Foundation Phase submission in November.
On the sales front, it’s been equally hectic. We proudly sponsored numerous events such as provincial Teacher Award ceremonies, Spelling Bee competitions, Maths and Science Olympiads, and reading challenges – all essential parts of the third term. Our sales team actively participated in these events, sponsoring trophies, medals, stationery sets, maths sets, readers and more. Amidst these activities, they also made visits to schools and booksellers, as well as TVET college campuses to promote our newly approved TVET titles.
While National Book Week officially runs from 5 to 11 September, Macmillan Education is extending the celebration by dedicating the entire month to the joy of reading and the power of books. We invite you to join us in celebrating this month-long literary festival. Across each province, our sales team will visit three schools with a special focus on reading activities for the Foundation Phase. Each of these schools will also receive a book donation.
And there’s more good news! The Macmillan Book Bonanza for booksellers will run from 1 October to 8 November offering special discounts on CAPS titles, readers and resource materials.
We’re also thrilled to announce the re-launch of the Mental Maths Series for Grades 3 to 6. Although some of you may already be familiar with this series, it has now been customised to meet the specific needs of the South African school market.
As independent schools reopen this week, they will soon begin finalising their booklists for 2025. This is a fantastic opportunity for booksellers to promote products like the new Mental Maths series. Additionally, sharing the Macmillan Learner Resource brochure with them could be an excellent way to highlight our offerings and support their selection process.
The South African Principals Association (SAPA) will host its annual national conference at Emperors Palace from 12–14 September. With over 1 000 representatives from school management teams expected to attend, the Macmillan marketing team is eager to connect with all the delegates – and we have a few surprises for them in store! Meanwhile, the Western Cape sales team will proudly represent Macmillan at the LITASA conference in Cape Town from 13–15 September, ensuring our presence at another significant event.
The upcoming school holiday may be brief, but we hope it provides you with a chance to catch your breath and recharge as you prepare for the upcoming fourth term.
Until the next newsletter when we will tell you more about new exciting products.
Regards, The Macmillan Team
National Book Month
From Macmillan Education!
Macmillan Education has dedicated a whole month to the joy of reading and the power of books to open minds, spark creativity, and foster lifelong learning.
We invite you to join us in celebrating this month of literary fun! There is something for everyone – free reading workshops for teachers, tips for parents on raising a reader, interesting articles about the importance of reading for kids and adults, big prizes to win with competitions and much, much more.
Macmillan Education is going to donate 12 240 Foundation Phase library books and readers to 24 underprivileged schools in South Africa in September.
Celebrate National Book Month with us – Follow us on Facebook and X, visit our website and read our emails.
Featured Article
Why Adults Must Read Every Day
Reading is fundamental for functioning in today’s society. There are many adults who cannot read well enough to understand the instructions on a medicine bottle. That is a scary thought – especially for their children.
Filling out application forms becomes impossible without help. Reading road or warning signs is difficult. Day-to-day activities
that many people take for granted become a source of frustration, anger and fear. A person is limited in what they can accomplish without good reading and comprehension skills.
Reasons for Reading Daily:
Mental stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy.
Stress reduction
No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or in countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax.
Knowledge
Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face. Remember that although you could lose everything else – your job, your possessions, your money, even your health – knowledge can never be taken away from you.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
Vocabulary expansion
The more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to people in higher positions with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem.
Memory improvement
When you read a book, you have to remember a variety of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilising moods.
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you will go.”
Dr Seuss
Stronger analytical thinking skills
Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sort them out to determine ‘whodunit’.
Improved focus and concentration
When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story – the rest of the world just fades away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15–20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute, if you take public transport), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.
Better writing skills
This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work.
Tranquillity
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about inner peace and tranquillity. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.
Reading can help you sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is extremely important to ensure you are ready to face a new day. But sometimes there are a number of factors or worries which make nodding off a little difficult. Reading for ten minutes or so can help you switch off from your daily stresses and relax enough to sleep.
Reading is a great form of entertainment!
A paperback book doesn’t take up much space so you can take it anywhere and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag. You can read while waiting in a queue, while waiting for a friend who’s running late or during a flight delay at an airport.
Build a strong foundation in Mental Maths
Mighty Mentals is a series of four workbooks for learners from Grades 3–6, designed to systematically teach mental computation skills. These workbooks are a valuable resource for teachers, parents and learners alike.
What makes each workbook great
• Structured to be used over the course of the school year
• Each unit is designed for weekly completion
• Can easily integrate into existing lesson plans
• Can be used as supplementary homework tasks to reinforce learning!
Kilayne Pelser
Manager: Agency & Digital Sales
Email: kilayne.pelser@macmillaneducation.co.za
Telephone: 076 994 0985
Nicole Smith
Sales Consultant: Agency & Digital Sales
Email: nicole.smith@macmillaneducation.co.za
Telephone: 082 944 6968
Macmillan Resources
Why choose our learner resources?
• Interactive and dynamic materials designed to make
• Developed by educators and experts to ensure top-quality learning experiences
• Help learners to gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and to achieve better academic performance.
TVET FIRST News
The new NCV course IT and Computer Science with Specialisation in Programming and Robotics Level 4 will be implemented in January 2025 and TVET First has the perfect textbooks for students and lecturers.
Student's Book:
• Covers all curriculum requirements in full
• Includes all prescribed practicals
• Has extra exercises to help students practise their skills
• Provides lots of language support
• Features full equipment lists and guidance for assembling the equipment
• Contains plenty of activities and assessments to help students prepare thoroughly for tests and exams.
Lecturer's Guide:
Is available for each subject and contains comprehensive answers to all Student’s Book activities, step-by-step guides to all practicals, a complete teaching plan and lesson plan templates.
TVET SALES REPRESENTATIVES
You are welcome to contact us if you need any assistance or if you would like to know more about our approved titles.
078 803 9903
071 671 1228
6 Sept Lenteseminaar 2024
Ouditorium, Groenkloofkampus, UP, Pretoria
Dr Linette van der Merwe
Tel: 012 420 5625
Cell: 082 923 1540
Email: linette.vandermerwe@up.ac.za
12–14 Sept SAPA National Conference
Emperors Palace, Gauteng
Seanne Reddy
Cell: 0722329759
Email: seanne@idna.co.za
13–15 Sept LITASA Conference
University of Cape Town
Kgomotso
Email: info@litasa.org.za
14 Sept EduXplore Durban Alternative Education Expo
Grace Family Church, Umhlanga, Durban
Sone Saunders
Cell: 087 231 1644
Email: sone@kragdag.co.za
15–18 Sept ISASA Deputy Heads’ Conference
Parklands College, Table View, Cape Town
Western Cape
Paul Mayers
Email: pmayers@parklands.co.za
5 Oct WC Eden & Central Karoo Education District Innovation Day Conference
Western Cape
Mr Eric Jacobs
Tel: 044 803 8413
Cell: 082 488 6887
Email: eric.jacobs2@westerncape.gov.za
12 Oct EduXplore Cape Town Alternative Education Expo
Sunningdale Sportcentre, Table View, Cape Town
Sone Saunders
Cell: 087 231 1644
Email: sone@kragdag.co.za
MACMILLAN READERS AT A GLANCE
PHASE PRODUCT
ECD & Grade R Here we Go Series
Available in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana
View more information
Grade R Grade R Readers
Available in English, Afrikaans, Xitsonga
View more information
FP Snappy Sounds
Available in English
View more information
FP Alphakids Digital Library
Available in English
View more information
FP Solutions for all
Available in English, Afrikaans View more information
FP African Language Readers
Available in isiNdebele, isiZulu, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati
View more information
FP/IP Thokozani
Available in isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana
View more information
FP/IP Readers are Leaders
FP is available in English, Afrikaans. IP is available in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana View FP brochure | View IP brochure
PHASE PRODUCT
FP/IP Flying Start to Literacy
Available in English
View FP brochure View IP brochure
FP/IP Reading Planet
Available in English View more information
FP/IP Macmillan English Explorers
Available in English View more information
FP/IP/SP/ FET Pan Macmillan titles
View English Primary School brochure
View Afrikaans Primary School brochure
View English Secondary School brochure
View Afrikaans Secondary School brochure
IP Reading Worlds
Available in English View more information IP Literacy Network
IP
Literacy Network
Available in English
View more information
IP/SP Core Readers
IP available in English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho and Setswana
SP available in English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana
View more information
SP Novels
Available in Afrikaans, English, Sepedi, Setswana, Siswati, Xitsonga
View Grade 7 Novels
View Grade 8 and 9 Novels
FET
Approved FET literature titles
ECD/ Grade R/ FP/IP
Available in English, Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivend a, Xitsonga
View more information
Reading corner resources
View more information
ECD & GRADE R KITS
Click on the covers below to download our catalogues
Local and international agencies we represent
Contact us
NATIONAL
Sibonelo Mkhasibe
Head of National School Sales
Cell: 066 474 3793
Email: Sibonelo.Mkhasibe@macmillaneducation.co.za
Antoinette de Vries
Head of National Commercial Sales and Marketing
Tel: 011 731 3455
Email: Antoinette.deVries@macmillaneducation.co.za
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Tel: 011 731 3300
Email: customerservices@macmillaneducation.co.za
TVET COLLEGES
Jayshil Bhula
Senior Sales Representative: TVET Colleges Cell: 076 222 2798
Email: jayshil.bhula@macmillaneducation.co.za
Thantaswa Botile
Sales Representative: TVET Colleges
Cell: 071 671 1228
Email: thantaswa.botile@macmillaneducation.co.za
EASTERN CAPE
Ayanda Nkunzi
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 082 949 9664
Email: Ayanda.Nkunzi@macmillaneducation.co.za
FREE STATE
Peter Ledwaba
Provincial Sales Manager Cell: 076 994 0986
Email: Peter.Ledwaba@macmillaneducation.co.za
GAUTENG
Asheena Patel
Provincial Sales Manager
Cell: 066 138 2746
Email: Asheena.Patel@macmillaneducation.co.za
Phathi Kona
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 060 908 8209
Email: Phathi.Kona@macmillaneducation.co.za
KWAZULU-NATAL
Enerst Muzi Mshengu
Sales and Marketing Manager
Cell: 082 528 3712
Email: ernest.mshengu@macmillaneducation.co.za
Qhawe Gumede
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 067 187 3166
Email: Qhawe.Gumede@macmillaneducation.co.za
LIMPOPO
Mmatapa Moabelo
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 078 804 0612
Email: Mmatapa.Moabelo@macmillaneducation.co.za
MPUMALANGA
Lillian Vuma
Sales and Marketing Representative Cell: 078 803 9918
Email: Lillian.Vuma@macmillaneducation.co.za
NORTH WEST
Mmaabo Modisane
Provincial Sales Manager
Cell: 071 399 1337
Email: Mmaabo.Modisane@macmillaneducation.co.za
NORTHERN CAPE
Liezl Abrahams
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 071 441 9144
Email: Liezl.Abrahams@macmillaneducation.co.za
WESTERN CAPE
Liezl Abrahams
Sales and Marketing Representative Cell: 071 441 9144
Email: Liezl.Abrahams@macmillaneducation.co.za
Tania Zeederberg
Sales and Marketing Representative
Cell: 066 211 4352
Email: Tania.Zeederberg@macmillaneducation.co.za
AGENCY AND DIGITAL
Kilayne Pelser
Agency and Digital Sales Manager
Cell: 076 994 0985
Email: Kilayne.Pelser@macmillaneducation.co.za
Nicole Smith
Agency and Digital Sales Consultant
Cell: 082 944 6968
Email: Nicole.Smith@macmillaneducation.co.za