Rejoice in delight of reading aloud

Read Aloud Day 2024 was observed recently, and it’s important not only to rejoice in the delight of reading aloud, but also to contemplate the pressing necessity to confront literacy obstacles prevalent in South Africa.

In the diverse fabric of South African education, the skill of reading holds paramount importance.

However, amid the intricacies of the educational landscape, a significant query arises: Have we lost the plot in South African reading education?

Recent research findings from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2023 revealed alarming data regarding the reading proficiency of Grade 4 learners in South Africa.

Among the 50 nations assessed, South Africa ranked last, with a staggering 78% of its Grade 4 learners struggling to read for comprehension.

This suggests that addressing learners’ reading difficulties may be achievable through the adoption of a systematic approach to reading instruction by teachers.

Such an approach involves identifying and understanding the specific reading obstacles faced by students, followed by implementing a targeted process to eliminate comprehension challenges.

We need to move beyond the predominant mode of reading as oral performance, where the emphasis is on accuracy and pronunciation, to reading as comprehension of meaning in text.

Promoting active reading engagement and nurturing a passion for reading in learners from a young age, particularly through parental participation in early literacy activities, lays a crucial foundation for literacy development by the time children enter school.

Reading aloud to learners has the potential to improve their basic reading abilities and their enthusiasm for reading.

When stories are read aloud, it can positively impact listening comprehension, recognition of letter sounds, decoding unfamiliar words, and fluency in reading.

These results indicate that heightened student motivation result from read-aloud sessions, which may contribute to improved skills in understanding text.

*About the author:
Dorcas Dube-Londt serves as the National Marketing and Communications Manager at Citizen Leader Lab. She is a seasoned researcher and scholar known for her dedication to social justice, education and leadership earning numerous accolades and recognition over the years. Dorcas holds a Master’s degree from the University of Johannesburg.

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