US Consul General promotes a love for reading among 200 Zululand teachers
Sherry Sykes, Consul General for the US Consulate in South Africa, recently visited Vryheid as part of an English teaching workshop for more than 200 teachers in Zululand.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is quoted as saying, “There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”
In an age of technological wonder and advancement, these words still ring true, perhaps now more than ever, in fact, as we tend to stray from the elementary, yet profound joy and enlightenment that one can obtain from simply reading a book.
Sherry Sykes, Consul General for the US Consulate in South Africa, recently visited Vryheid as part of an English teaching workshop for more than 200 teachers in Zululand and shares Jackie O’s sentiments on this topic.
The role of parents and teachers is paramount in education and at the core of education is literacy and a love for reading.
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“It is vitally important for a child to not just read, but to understand what they are reading,” explains Ms Sykes. “Students must read and be given the opportunity to read in order to gain a proficiency in the English language, which is absolutely vital in opening doors for their future. Teachers need to be equipped with the best skills possible in order to help them to encourage students to not only read to learn, but also to read for pleasure…”
So, in the timeless words of Dr Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
The workshop aims to equip teachers in Zululand with new techniques and skills in order to teach English most effectively and sees seven instructors flown in from Africa and Southern Africa to carry out the essential training over a two day period.
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