Local learners explore unique library experience

Children from Wiz Kids and Phakama Isiswe Day Care Centre had a library experience during a Read-a-thon campaign hosted by Pelican Light Foundation in partnership with Diepkloof Library on September 25.

With an aim of exposing children to the library and teaching them how to read at a young age, the day saw the children split into groups of ten with their day care teachers and Diepkloof Library assistants reading and narrating enticing stories to them.

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According to Diepkloof library assistant, Monica Malala they used the day to correct the misconception that black children cannot read and to instil the reading culture in them.

“We want to teach them from a young age about the importance of reading because in most cases you would find that instead of reading, children are either on their smart phones or watching the television. We also have primary school teachers who battle with learners who can’t read and this shows us that the a lot of work needs to be done from the earliest age,” Malala said.

Malala added that parents and teachers should come up with various techniques that will assist children and learners to comprehend any content they are reading.

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“We also call what we are doing here today Story Hours and we have them on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Fridays. Reading with our children should also be a routine because it also gives them responsibility on their day to day activities.”

“For our youngest library members we have a programme from the City of Johannesburg Libraries where ECD Centres receive books similar to the ones in libraries in order to read for the children.

“This means they will not be exposed to reading when they are only in the library but also in their irrespective places of learning.

“We also encourage parents to come to the library and open access cards for their children so that they will go home with books to read for 21 days.”

The co-founder of Pelican Light Foundation, Daniel Boshomane said they are raising awareness about the importance of reading as well as the library. They are hoping that schools and parents can take charge in assisting children to read.

“Being in the library and reading from a smart device are not the same and today we are encouraging children to use the old and manual way. A child that grows up having access to the library is most likely to become a better person in society,” Boshomane said.

“We chose pre-school children because that’s where an academic life for children starts and we want to keep the momentum going and make them fall in love with these facilities.”