Harry Potter creator JK Rowling famously said: “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book”. Never has there been better advice for South African parents, after the findings of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (Pirls) were released late last year.
The 10-year global study on reading and literacy levels among grade 4 and 5 students revealed that almost 80% of South African grade 4 pupils fall below the lowest internationally recognised level of reading literacy.
Out of the 50 countries and 320 000 children who participated, SA was ranked last. With overburdened classrooms and a shaky education system, the onus rests on parents to create a love of reading in their children from an early age, say experts.
What’s the deal?
Maurita Weissenberg, founder and executive director of NPO Shine Literacy, says South African children face a number of challenges that affect their education. “The South African Child Gauge of 2017 highlighted some sobering statistics – poverty, violence, hunger and a lack of educational opportunities continue to compromise the development of our children.“The African proverb ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ will always ring true, but we would like to humbly suggest that, in the light of Pirls, raising a child is not enough – we need to raise literate children.
“With the youth unemployment rate in South Africa at over 50%, reading sets children on a path where they can fulfil their potential. If a child is literate, they are able to make good progress in primary school and are more likely to leave school with qualifications, pursue further education and ultimately find employment.”
And it all starts with books. Jenny da Silva, an educational psychologist from Johannesburg, says reading not only increases a child’s depth and breadth of vocabulary, but opens up a whole new level of imagination that other forms of media do not.]
How can you help?
Today, children are bombarded with a host of things that occupy their time – cell phones, digital games and television can easily fill a child’s day, says Da Silva. “The pressures of schoolwork and extra-mural activities have also left children with less down time to engage in activities like reading.”
And the less a child reads, the harder it is. Children may struggle with school-level reading for any number of reasons, including limited experience with books, a lack of sight vocabulary, comprehension difficulties, speech or hearing problems and poor phonemic awareness, says Da Silva.
But most of these problems can be overcome by simply making reading a part of your child’s daily life. Do this by:
- Making reading a ritual, either at bedtime or naptime during the day, from an early age.
- Reading aloud to children and encouraging them to look at the words and pictures. Even by looking at pictures, children develop an awareness of literacy, says Da Silva.
- Encouraging your children to read aloud. This way, you’ll be able to identify any problems early on.
- Limiting other technology and setting time aside for reading.
- Having lots of books in the house, and reading them yourself. “If parents model reading, children are more inclined to follow suit,” says Weissenberg.
- Teaching your child how to hold a book and treat it delicately at a young age.
- Telling traditional tales or made-up stories. Children also love real-life stories about people they know, and their follow-up questions will teach them to engage with stories.
- Asking your children questions about the book they’re reading, so they not only learn to read, but also learn to comprehend what they’re reading.
If all else fails
Sometimes even a parent and teacher’s best efforts won’t yield results. If your child is falling behind despite their best efforts, you shouldn’t assume it’s your child’s fault or the teacher’s fault, says Weissenberg. Gather information first. “Contact the teacher and ask how you can support your child. But also start asking your child lots of questions, such as ‘was your teacher at school today?’, ‘what was your favourite part of the day?’ and ‘what do you wish you didn’t have to do?’. Build up a picture of how each day is going for your child and try to work out the possible barriers they are experiencing.”
If you still can’t get to the root of the problem, enrol your child at a reading clinic or have them assessed by an educational psychologist to determine the cause of the problem and make recommendations to help your child, says Da Silva.
It’s best to sort out any issues as soon as possible. After all, children must learn to read so they can later read to learn.
Make reading fun
These games and practical tips will help cultivate a love of reading in your child:
Play games
“I Spy” is not only a good way to pass the time in the car, but a wonderful way to introduce your child to phonics. With small children, use the initial sound of the word rather than the letter as the clue. Rhyming is a fun activity to help your child pick up on phonics: simply pick a word and ask your child to think of words that rhyme.
Point it out
Move your finger under the words as you read to your infant or toddler to start making them aware that the symbols on the page tell the story.
Make it entertaining
Using sound effects, exclamations and distinctive voices as you read will make stories more fun and engaging.
Offer choices
Take out a few books and ask your child which one they would like you to read, so they’re part of the activity.
Use technology
Screen time isn’t hurtful when used constructively. Apps such as “Learn With Homer” and “The Big Brag – Dr. Seuss”, available on iPhone and Android, are fun literacy tools for kids aged 4 and up.
Top 10 books for kids and toddlers
Classics become classics for a reason. These stories might be old, but they’re still gold:
Ages 2-5
- The Baby Beebee Bird by Diane Redfield Massie
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss
- The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Ages 4-8
- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban
- Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
- Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Tabak
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Books set in SA
Reading about settings they’re familiar with can encourage kids to enjoy books. Try these books with a South African flavour:
Preschool
- S is for South Africa (World Alphabets) by Beverely Naidoo
- One Child, One Seed: A South African Counting Book by Kathryn Cave
- My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me by Maya Angelou
Primary school
- The Mother of Monsters by Fran Parnell
- Once Upon a Time by Niki Daly
- Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (official picture book) by Chris van Wyk
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