Ministry of Education
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Reading Will Ensure Success in School
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MANDEVILLE (JIS):
Thursday, November 19, 2009
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| Students at the Nain Early Childhood Institution, in St. Elizabeth, performing at the closing exercise of a one year training programme for 21 early childhood teachers, and 14 parents in the parish. The ceremony was held on Thursday (November 12), at the St. Stephen's Anglican Church. |
Regional Literacy Co-ordinator with the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ivoline Fletcher, has said that children should be encouraged to read from an early age to ensure success in school.
"When children become good readers in the early grades, they are far more likely to become better learners throughout their school years and beyond," Mrs. Fletcher said, as she addressed a graduation ceremony for early childhood teachers and parents in St. Elizabeth held recently at the St. Stephen's Anglican Church in the parish.
"Reading at the early childhood level sets the stage for good readers in life," she added.
Urging parents to read to their children, she said that research has long demonstrated the key role that parents and the general community play in children's education. This, she said, has led many educators to promote a partnership approach between parents and the school in order to enhance literacy development.
"Allow your child to see you reading everyday. Ask your child to read aloud to you and share stories and descriptions of incidents or things he/she sees. Play word and listening games to develop his/her listening skills, ask questions that require them to use their senses (in terms) of what they see, hear and how they feel. Encourage them to read signs, billboards, expiry dates on food items, and other form of print in the environment. Encourage them to write notes, lists, and letters, and leave instructions and messages for them in written form," she advised.
She further encouraged parents to involve their children in local parish library activities and to help them to select and view educational programmes on local and cable television as well as video recordings. "View and listen with them when possible," she said.
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