Reading brings children and pensioners together

Laerskool Die President’s reading project opens up the world to learners.

Having fun with their story are Christian du Plessis (9, left), a Grade Four learner at Laerskool Die President and Lenus Esterhuizen, a Solheim Retirement Home resident, on Thursday. The pair enjoyed reading the book together.

Reading is a wonderful way to open doors to the world and help power the imagination.

And the principal of Laerskool Die President, Sybrand van Dyk, understands the benefits of regular reading for his learners.

Peter Mills (left), a resident at the Solheim Retirement Home, listens intently to Kayleigh du Plessis (8), a Grade Three learner at Laerskool Die President, as she reads to him on Thursday. Peter was impressed with Kayleigh’s reading talent.

To this end, as well as a way to give back to the community, he came up with the idea of having the youngsters read to local pensioners.

So, every Thursday the young and the not-so-young get together for an hour of reading fun.

The project has been running for about a year and Van Dyk said so far it has been extremely beneficial for all involved.

Mohau Ngobene (9, right), a Grade Four learner at Laerskool Die President loved reading to Helga Lategan, from the Solheim Retirement Home, on Thursday. Helga told the GCN he reads extremely well.

He gives both ‘experienced’ readers and also those who are just learning a chance to read to the pensioners; and the children and pensioners all love the experience.

Help is given freely to the children and they are becoming great readers.

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