Bookworm, Goa (India)

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During the workshop, parents were encouraged to think about reasons they believed children do not enjoy reading and reasons why parents would like to encourage children to read. The difference between reading as a skill and reading for pleasure was strongly reinforced to enable parents to understand the emotional link between reading to children, being read to and consequently growing up to enjoy reading.

Parents were handed out a checklist to gauge the print rich environment in their homes to establish the theory that children who are raised in a print rich environment, where reading is fundamentally an enjoyable and valuable activity grow into adults who value reading. Through a Power Point presentation parents were introduced to the 3 stages in reading – 3-5 years, 6-9 years and 10+ readers. What interests and reading styles developmentally captivate these age groups and parents were shown examples of books that could be introduced to children during these ages.

The third section of the workshop involved understanding the main building blocks to reading. Phonological awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary development, Reading Comprehension and Reading Fluency. These areas were explained using activities, reading sessions, games and exercises with parents.

Sujata Noronha (email: bookworm_goa@yahoo.com ) has a Masters in Management and presently pursuing a Masters in Education from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She has 7 years of work experience in an NGO in the area of Child Development and Family Guidance, where she co authored a book for teachers in behaviour management in the classroom. She has closely worked on projects which concerned setting up resource rooms for children with learning disabilities and autism.

Sujata has developed a preschool curriculum for the Nirmala Kindergarten at the Nirmala Institute of Education, Altinho Panaji and piloted the new curriculum for a 3 year tenure. Presently, Sujata and Elaine Mendonsa run their own Not for Profit Company called Bookworm The main focus being to teach children to read and love reading.

Through this company, they run the only children’s library in the State of Goa and lend books to schools (14) who do not have library facilities.
They conduct teacher training workshops to help teachers see the link between reading and learning and link children’s literature to curriculum in the classroom. Bookworm publishes its own Magazine called The Bookworm Magazine – to provide children with a graded reading resource that introduces them to children’s literature at good quality and an affordable price. The Magazine is published 5 times /academic year and an annual subscription is Rs. 75.

SOURCE: http://goasudharop.org/node/259