Today is World Read Aloud Day. BUT, if we really want to get our children ahead we MUST read every day to our children.
As a caring parent, what can you do to improve your child’s literacy skills and enable them to achieve to the best of their ability?
According to readaloud2kids.com: “READ ALOUD TO YOUR CHILD, EVERY DAY, REGARDLESS OF AGE. This one, simple activity can help your child at school like nothing else can and all it requires from you is a commitment of time – just half an hour a day.”
South Africans across the country will today participate in World Read Aloud Day which is dedicated to highlighting the importance and power of reading aloud and sharing stories with children.
The day will see South Africa attempting to break read-aloud record by reaching 1.5 million children today.
Spearheaded by Nal’ibali – this year’s story is “Where are you?” written by Ann Walton. The story can be downloaded in any of South Africa’s official languages.
Nal’ibali (isiXhosa for “here’s the story”) is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading.
According to Nal’ibali, reading aloud is one of the most important things a parent and caregivers can do with children. Not only does it build a strong language foundation, it introduces vocabulary and can help develop empathy, curiosity and critical thinking.
This is more important in South Africa which has identified education as a powerful tool to tackle poverty and inequality.
Education is a powerful weapon, but building blocks like reading and storytelling need to be established.
Celebrated author and activist, Lebohang Masango, will be giving a special multilingual reading for hundreds of children and caregivers at Sandton Library, Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton. – SAnews.gov.za
Alan Straton
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