NEWS, VIEWS & OTHER INTERESTING THINGS

help2read recently welcomed Claremont Primary School in the south of Johannesburg as a new partner school for the Volunteer Reading Help Programme to assist struggling learners to improve their reading. To mark the launch of the literacy development programme at the school we gifted all the Grade 2 and 3 learners with a book with the aim to inspire a love of reading and encourage the learners’ appreciation of the wonder and mystery found in a good story.

Each child was given a grade and genre-specific book to read and share the stories with their teachers and friends.

The school currently has four Volunteer Reading Helpers, who assist struggling learners with one-on-one reading help twice a week.

Learners were eager to get tucked into the wonderful stories in front of them.

The Principal was in tears as she thanked help2read for the wonderful work they are doing and for availing such a valuable resource to the community. Books are an avenue to opportunity and children in underprivileged communities do not often get a chance to have books to keep as their own. Her words of wisdom resonated throughout the hall as she inspired the learners to go home and read their books and come back and share the wonderful stories with their friends.

Thuli (Relationship Coordinator) and Ajit (Volunteer Reading Helper) read Hangu’s Big Surprise aloud to the learners. The story is about the African landscape and the importance of friendship.

Mrs Delport, the Languages HOD at the school, echoed the Principal’s words when she said, “Helping a child to read is the window to new possibilities and all the children benefiting from this programme will be able to progress to new heights”. She further reiterated that the learners should not waste this opportunity and they should take care of their books and have a sense of pride in owning a book.

Mrs Delport (Languages HOD) addressing the learners

After the book giveaway, the volunteers and help2read team took a tour of the Reading Room and thanked the school for providing a great space for the children to retreat to where they can learn to read and improve their reading proficiency.

Claremont Primary School Reading Room

We put together a number of relevant reading resources and literacy games for the Reading Room to help create a positive reading environment for the learners and their volunteers. This was truly a delightful and stimulating day for all involved. A foundation has been firmly put in place to build a culture of reading within the learners and the community they live in.

Schools based in Johannesburg that are interested in starting the help2read Programme at their school are invited to contact Gauteng@help2read.org.