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South Africa: Ready to Read Targets Young Children
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
3 July 2008
Posted to the web 3 July 2008
Lesego Madumo
Johannesburg
Ready to Read, a programme aimed at enhancing the pre-literacy skills of pre-schoolers, has been introduced at 65 city libraries.
It entails lending books to day-care centres, creches and nursery schools, according to the city's official website.
"Reading is fundamental to the success of the individual and the country," says Cavelle Carmichael, the manager of library programmes and projects.
Together with writing, reading forms the basis of learning in the South African education system, she explains.
It will help the children to improve their language skills and comprehension, and enhance their general knowledge.
"Many of our children come from homes and schools without books and they do not have the attitudes and skills that come from living in a language- and print-rich environment," Ms Carmichael said, adding that the Ready to Read programme will provide such a platform.
It introduces pre-schoolers to the magic of books, "by providing appealing books that teachers and caregivers can share enthusiastically with their children".
The programme guides teachers and parents in the use of reading material.
She believes that for children to succeed at school, they need pre-literacy skills, which the programme will boost.
"Pre-literacy covers far more than a child's ability to identify letters, numbers, or shapes. It entails important skills such as spoken language and the awareness of sounds, including the knowledge of alphabets and an understanding of common print concepts."
Research has found that by the age of five, most children have already learned about 5 000 words, which are predominantly learned through verbal interaction.
Ready to Read has been tailored to help children from disadvantaged communities.
"The programme gives children in disadvantaged communities who do not have access to books a head start in preparation for reading and academic success," Ms Carmichael said.
This is done through providing reading materials; training of library staff so that they are able to guide teachers in the use of the materials provided; and guiding teachers and caregivers in the use of the materials provided through talks and workshops and a manual to support the development of pre-literacy skills.
"It aims to co-operate with teachers and caregivers in order to compensate for the lack of experience of books in some children's lives by providing the books and assistance to ensure that they achieve the necessary pre-literacy skills so that by the time they go to school they are 'Ready to Read,'" she explains.
Books used in the programme target children between the ages of three to six.
They include picture books, dictionaries, poster books, fairy tales and folktales, and are in English and other official languages.
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"Library staff are trained to guide teachers in how to use the books with their children and a manual for teachers offering guidance in the use of the materials is provided," Ms Carmichael said.
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