Programme sparks children’s literacy potential through storytelling
In a community starved for a real and lasting literacy intervention, the launch of a reading programme at the Reiger Park Community Crisis Centre on Saturday, November 4, was welcomed with open arms.
In fact, the initiators are so confident of the success of this programme that they have committed to entering a team in a national spelling bee next year.
The initiative is backed by Nal’ibali (meaning “here’s the story” in isiXhosa), a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading.
The Amazing Graces organisation, which is part of Nal’ibali, also has a big stake in the success of the project and will be instrumental in providing the programme’s leaders with training and support.
The event was launched with storytelling recitals by local children and a quick peek into the classrooms (two containers on the premises).
Teachers from local primary and high schools, the women’s support group and local children shared in the excitement of this new initiative.
The children had the opportunity to design a slogan and logo for the reading programme and enjoyed some food and refreshments.
- Dire situation
This reading programme is a welcome relief, local teachers said.
Tecynte Bell, a teacher at Reiger Park Secondary, said there are Grade 10 learners who cannot read and the community’s librarian, Lydia Simon, said the literacy situation is dire.
“These children come to use the library when they have a project for school, but if I don’t show them exactly where the information is in the book, they would never find it themselves. They then just copy the wording, but have no idea what it means,” Simon said.
Bell said the repercussions of the literacy crisis are that these learners ultimately drop out of school and can’t find employment.
“They then become involved in drugs and crime and it becomes a bigger societal problem.
“A lasting and real intervention is needed and we hope this reading programme will be the start of that,” said Bell.
- A first
Wayne Newton, chairperson of the crisis centre, echoed the sentiment of local teachers about the literacy crisis.
“While the programme is aimed at Grade Three learners, we will assist high school learners when requested to by a teacher. We recognise the problem of literacy extends way beyond primary school, unfortunately, and will never turn a child away,” he said.
He added this reading programme is the first stand-alone programme of its kind in Reiger Park.
“Schools have offered reading programmes, but this is the first independent programme for our community.”
- Donate
Reading programme team leader Samantha Patterson explained the programme will run every second Saturday where the children will take part in all sorts of reading- and writing-related activities.
“We’re very excited at the difference this programme will make for our children, and especially that we’re going to start preparing a team, of primary and high school learners, to take part in the national spelling bee next year.
“Our aim is to grow this programme.
“This is a small beginning, but we are going to make it great. We have to break the cycle of learners falling out of school in Grade Eight,” Patterson said.
The books already in the classes were donated by Nal’ibali, Boksburg Rotary and Finesse Consulting (a Reiger Park company).
Anyone who can donate children’s books to the reading programme can contact Patterson on 071 085 0657 or Elaine Apies, crisis centre manager, on 072 127 9090.
