Reading aloud and storytelling are integral building blocks of learning, not just education. This is why Nal’ibali, a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign designed to spark children’s potential through storytelling and reading, was founded.
According to Dorria Watt of KC Communications, Nal’iBali an NGO encourages reading from a young age in South Africa, “This year they aim to reach two million children during World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) campaign which takes place on Wednesday, 5 February.”
Head of communications at Nal’ibali Ben Rycroft said it will be the biggest literacy drive in the country, reading for enjoyment. Their first campaign in 2013 reached 13 000 children and in 2019 the story reached 1 559 730 children in a single day.
The NGO commissions a brand-new story best suited for reading aloud to primary schoolchildren – and translates it into all 11 official languages, Rycroft explained.
Caxton Local Media under the Caxton Cares banner has on our websites and papers encouraged reading in our communities.
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In the past, we have joined the campaign to bridge the gap in learners’ access to reading material.
Why reading aloud? Children who regularly read and hear engaging stories, in languages they understand, are well-equipped and motivated to learn to read and write.
The story for 2020 is A Day to Remember, written by well-known local author and early literacy expert, Lorato Trok. Trok wrote the story in Setswana, her mother tongue, after which it was translated into English and all the other official languages.
She said, “I find it interesting that when I’m commissioned to write a story, without question the default language of writing in English. However, for this story, it only came naturally once I decided to write it in Setswana. It made me realise how we underestimate the power of our own language!”
“The story can be downloaded free of charge from our website in any official language, from Wednesday, 15 January,” says Rycroft.
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