Anglican schools promote literacy

Most of us just assume that our children are mastering the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic while they are at school. But because not every child has an easy time with the three R?s, the Management of Anglican Schools has placed special emphasis on literacy, with considerable success.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

Studies conducted in the nation?s classrooms reveal that hundreds of primary school students go through our school system unable to read and write. Their difficulties become evident in standards one and two as the students struggle, especially at cursive writing, problem solving, reading and comprehension. Some parents make the sacrifice of sending their children to after school tutoring classes, but those families who cannot afford the service must rely on the education system to help their young ones get by. Parents who are illiterate themselves have an even harder time helping their own children with school work. The problem is compounded even more when teachers, lack the proper skills to teach these crucial basics.

Carol Babb, Manager, Anglican Schools

?Literacy is very important. Literacy is the foundation for all other forms of learning. If our children cannot read, they will not be successful in the other subject areas and that is why literacy is our main focus.?

The Anglican School Management has been at the forefront of the literacy drive, holding activities and programs to get their students up to speed. This year they held their first literacy week to encourage parents, children, teachers and the community to make a difference.

Carol Babb

?Some of our children are not in environments where they see a lot of books where their parents read to them, where they have access to books. Another problem that we are experiencing too is that quite a large number of our teachers are not trained to teach reading.?

Manager of Anglican Schools, Carol Babb, says she has been encouraged, however, that since the initiative began several years ago, she has seen improvements in their teachers? presentations and the children performances. Today Babb says their plan of action is to have all students benefit.

Carol Babb

?Well what we are proposing to do in our Anglican schools we are going to teach the children to read from Infant One to Standard Two and we are hoping that they will read to learn onwards and we are doing everything in our power and I must tell you that we have had tremendous success in our Infant one and Infant two over the last year. We have seen a marked improvement.?

Today, a total of twenty Anglican schools celebrated the closing of their special week by attending a one day fair at the Birds Isle. Each school demonstrated what they have been doing to promote reading in their classrooms.

This year, primary and secondary Anglican schools participated in a number of competitions by writing stories and poems.