IN THE old days children would sit around a fire and listen to stories told by their elders.
While modern life is very different to the old days, some things are not so different and must not be forgotten.
Fiona van Kerwel of Words Open Worlds, a literacy development initiative, told SunEducation that parents who read to children boost their intelligence, learning abilities and emotional development. It also shows a reduction in the risk of behavioural problems in school.
Reading to children results in general improvement of academic performance, including literacy and arithmetic.
Researchers believe language comprehension skills are essential to problem-solving skills needed in maths.
“Amid South Africa’s well-documented literacy and maths crisis, it is so important for parents to engage in reading as a fun family event.”
Ideally, parents and schools should be partners in literacy development in early childhood education.
“Words Open Worlds focuses on getting children excited about words, by using them and learning to spell them. The problem is that children do not get enough reading stimulation – six out of 10 South Africans older than 16 live in households without a single book. This is where schools become a critical resource providing literature and other important reading resources.”
This is why schools need well-equipped libraries and other resources.
“We tend to make sure all schools have all the essentials they need. Currently, about 62% of Mzansi primary schools do not have libraries.”
Create your home reading ritual
Start in the kitchen: The kitchen is filled with words and numbers. Get your children to provide the measurements while you cook.
Join your closest library: A library is the best way to find age-appropriate books regularly. Most libraries have kids’ sections and friendly librarians to advise which are the best choices.
The internet: If you can risk the exorbitant data costs, you can find many public domain books available for free online although also remember to be on guard for anything that sounds too good to be true.
App stores also offer free and kid-friendly education apps such as the Khan Academy and dictionaries.
Game time: Get your kids to read, spell and count anything they see, including road signs and billboards.
Critical thinking: Reading skills need readers to be able to analyse what they have read or heard. Ask your child simple questions about the story and debate the answers and opinions.
Explain big words: Explaining what words mean expands your child’s vocabulary. Check the dictionary together.
