Parkview Library and VGR partner for a reading programme
PARKVIEW – Second language English learners from a nearby children's home who attend a reading programme run by the Virtual Reading Gym at Parkview Library have shown great improvement.
It is commendable to see businesses in the communities aid reading programmes within their communities.
The business community supporting a pilot reading programme in Parkview since last year set the best example. The pilot reading programme was initiated by a partnership between Virtual Reading Gym (VRG) and the Parkview Library where they offered an online remedial reading programme to eight challenged, disadvantaged readers from a nearby children’s home, at the library.
Executive director at VRG, Natalia Pereira said the programme makes use of reading volunteers from the children’s home who were trained by VGR as reading mentors. She said the reading session took place once a week for one hour and with six reading mentors for the eight children, each child had a 30-minute session per week for a period of six months.
“All the children reading with mentors at the library had, in seven months, all moved up one to two reading levels and had taken out on average 40 to 50 library books among themselves. The librarians at Parkview engage with the children and have a good understanding of each individual’s reading interests and help them select library books which they know will excite them,” Pereira said.
Librarian Portia Bogatsu confirmed that indeed the children’s approach to reading had improved in that they are eager to read a new topic and excel incomprehension. “When we started with the programme, kids were reluctant, but the programme has stimulated their confidence in reading to the extent that they can borrow a book from the library and read it independently.”
Retired teacher and mentor, Dineo Moatshe said the children had gained more vocabulary, fluency in their reading and independence in using the library as a source of information as well as confidence in using laptops and iPads on their own when reading.
The mentors and children visited Exclusive Books in Rosebank where the children got to select their very own book from a wide variety and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney was a firm favourite for the young ones.
According to Pereira, the pilot programme has been a great success and more children from the community and or their parents, bring their children on Saturdays to read. “We are looking to conduct another pilot for six months utilising the library e-classrooms equipped with internet connectivity. VGR is requesting corporates or business to join us in bringing children back into libraries through this initiative. We are looking for a sponsorship of R 15 000 to launch these pilots and would welcome any donations or volunteering of time.”
Details: For more information, please contact Natalia Pereira of VRG at natalia@virtualreadinggym.co.za
Do you know of any inspirational reading projects in your community? Share by email to naidines@caxton.co.za
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