Centre offers free reading assessments
Being able to read boosts learners’ confidence at school.
Gillian Labelle, who took over the Boksburg Tina Cowley Centre in 2015, believes it is vital for people to learn how to read at a young age because it is essential for their schooling years.
The centre in Libradene offers the Tina Cowley reading and Mikimaths programmes.
Labelle said the cause behind most learners dropping out of school was their inability to read, which made their schooling difficult and forced them to quit.
“I established the Tina Cowley reading programme because I went through the same experience as Tina Cowley. My eldest son couldn’t read, just like her eldest son.
“I only realised he couldn’t read when he was in Grade Four. I couldn’t understand how he had progressed to this grade when he couldn’t read,” explained Labelle, adding she does not want other parents to endure the same experience.
“When I recently read in the Boksburg Advertiser that literacy is a problem for young people in Reiger Park, I thought it was an opportunity to let parents know I offer a free reading assessment service.
“Learners need spatial relation, form perception, sequencing and auditory skills in the foundation phase to achieve in their academic years,” she explained.
“Also, they should be offered reading therapy to sharpen their reading skills. It’s also crucial for learners to know how to break down words into syllables to learn them easier.
“Most learners who cannot read suffer from dyslexia or cross-dominance, which are both manageable,” said
Labelle, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in administration (BBA) with psychology as a major saidparents need to know how their children are performing at school.
Parents wanting to improve their children’s reading ability may contact the centre on 082 576 8475.
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