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Shine Centre Launches Primary School Reading Project in Cape Town

by Bontle on 06 Sep 2010   |   

The Shine Centre began its reading project when it realised that Grade 2 and Grade 3 pupils who travel daily from the townships to Cape Town’s inner city schools may not be getting enough individual reading time.

To help fix this problem, the centre has signed up 250 “dedicated, empathetic, resourceful and passionate” volunteers from all walks of life who spend two hours a week with almost 270 pupils, practising reading.

The centre’s communications manager Kerry White says they also operate book clubs and swap shops, allowing pupils to take books home to read with their parents.

White says the centre partnered with the schools because low-income earning parents from the townships “pay high transport costs to provide their children with what they believe to be a better education”.

• Read the complete article at Sowetanlive

The Multilingual Children's Association Gives Tips for Boosting a Child's Second Language

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 02 Sep 2010   |   

by Christina Bosemark, founder of the Multilingual Children’s Association

Your toddler may think that he or she’s a complete superhero –and when it comes to language acquisition, it’s actually true! As easy as acquiring multiple languages is for small children, the single most important factor in language learning is the quantity of spoken language addressed to the child. So, if you worry that you aren’t providing enough, here are a few tricks to boost your superhero’s inherent powers.

1. Other kids: Join (or start) a playgroup for the second language. Children of all ages will learn from each other; there simply are no better language teachers than other kids. An added bonus will be that you will connect with other parents of bilingual children.

2. Books: Of course you know how vital those precious one-on-one moments are, but remember that they can be infused with language learning also. Books are the most effective tool for teaching language, and so I advise all parents: “Start reading at birth and never stop!” A good way to add to reading time (and make it really personal) is to create a dialogue, encouraging your child’s comments, responses, and elaborations. Talk about what the characters are like and what they might be doing next.

3. The right stuff: From books, add video, television and games. There are a multitude of aides towards fluency. In particular, games that use rhyming will make the most of language memory, but “I Spy”, “Bingo” and “Memory” with picture cards will also playfully build vocabulary.

4. Sing and dance: Children absolutely love music, but don’t rely solely on recorded music; your own singing, even if it is off-key, will still serve to unite melody and words for your child more surely than any professional recording ever could. Melody is also a fantastic memory aid. Think about how much easier children learn their ABCs when they sing them, compared to just reciting them. And, the combination of music with movement and gestures will enliven it all — as well as provide a nice outlet for squirmy toddlers.

5. Tap into their interests: Whatever your child's enthusiasms may be — whether a love of soccer, dance, or horses — make an effort to 'involve' these passions in the second language. “My 3-year old son is a really big “Bob de Bouwer” (Bob the Builder) fan,” says Martin Fredriks. “So now we always watch it in Dutch, and he’s even started speaking in Dutch when he plays with the Bob the Builder toys.”

6. Be creative: The trick is to give the child lots to talk about, so draw out that conversation! Encourage them to make up their own stories, play dress-up and pretend in the second language. Even painting, working with sidewalk chalk, or moulding clay usually creates more vocabulary than art! Older children may enjoy calling or using a webcam for calls overseas (one such free service is Skype).

7. Outside the box: Isabella Vellaccio, a mother in Washington DC, who reached beyond the obvious says, “I wanted my son to hear Italian from someone else than just me, and the playgroups were all during my working hours.” Isabella decided to attend the church coffee after the Italian mass on Sundays. “The older Italian parishioners were thrilled to see him learn Italian.” Needless to say, with that much attention, and Italian cookies, he loved it.

8. Baby sitter: Find a college student who speaks the language, or for something more consistent, try a nanny or an au-pair.

9. Visits: The ultimate language boost is to visit the country where it is spoken. Total immersion for a couple of weeks has an amazing effect. And visits from friends or family also provide a valuable boost.

10. Enthusiasm: While the quantity of spoken language is the most important factor in learning a language, the second most vital ingredient is the amount of positive feedback the child hears. Early on, when a child is struggling to get those first syllables out, resist the urge to correct…it can actually inhibit language skills.

There is a myriad of ways to ensure that foreign language time is “quality time”, but like any other aspect of parenting: trust your judgment, employ your imagination, and listen very, very well. So, these are great tricks to use for children growing up with multiple languages.

• Read the complete article

Johannesburg Theatre Brings Children's Classics to Stage

by Bontle on 02 Sep 2010   |   

The Peoples Theatre once again brings the magic of live theatre to Joburg children in its new production Sleeping Beauty and Other Fabulous Tales, this September and October.

From 13 September to 10 October 2010, Jill Girard and Keith Smith will treat audiences to six beloved and familiar tales in an interactive show filled with humour, adventure and great musical numbers.

Adults and children alike will be bowled over by these creatively staged childhood favourites, brought to you by the team behind the sold-out success of The Jungle Book and Cinderella.

Besides Sleeping Beauty, the energetic cast will be bringing to life the stories of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Little Red Riding Hood, The Brave Little Rooster, Rumplestiltskin, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Elves and the Shoemaker and The Three Little Pigs.

Girard and Smith say the production aims not only to introduce young audiences to the joys of live theatre, but also to encourage reading – gently reminding children that books fire up the imagination and open up a world of wonder.

A cast of energetic professional actors immerse themselves in the fun and fantasy of true children’s theatre, involving the young audience members in the stories and enhancing the theatre experience for them

• Read the complete article at Artlink

Book details

• Sleeping Beauty by Heather Amery, illustrated by Stephan Cartwright
  EAN: 9780746058343
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• Little Red Riding Hood by Nick Sharratt
  EAN: 9780333962176
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• Three Little Pigs by Heather Amery
  EAN: 9780794506094
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Author Tours SA Teaching Children Emotional Intelligence

by Bontle on 01 Sep 2010   |   

Larné Neuland was a suicidal, emotional wreck when she first learned the power of her thoughts. She set herself on a journey, replacing her negative thoughts with positive “pink” ones. She wrote a book, touring the world, talking about her ideas and being called crazy by some media. Along the way, she realised that managing ones thoughts and emotions as a child was never a subject at school.

“I learnt that a child’s mindset and belief system is cemented by the age of about 10. I figured if you could get them early, it would make a difference to their lives.” So, she wrote a children’s book, Let’s Take a Peek at our Thoughts, which now comes with soft toy creatures – a pink “Love” and a grey “Grouch” – to better illustrate an elusive concept.

Neuland travels around the country – at her own expense – giving talks at schools (which she ensures parents also attend) and has started an educational programme that teachers can use to put her thoughts into practice (the lessons can also be found on YouTube).

Neuland doesn’t pretend to be a scientist, however. For her, it is simply a passion she feels compelled to share with others. “In my opinion, this is something we dare not not teach our children. I have often wondered whether I am a good salesman or if this is really working. I am still in the process of measuring my results, but a lot of parents, teachers and psychologists have given me great feedback.”

• Read the complete article at Timeslive

Book details

• Let’s Take a Peek at our Thoughts by Larné Neuland
  EAN: 9780620267878
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!

New project to Pay Leaners For Good Grades and Abstinence

by Bontle on 01 Sep 2010   |   

A new project designed to reduce new HIV/AIDS infections among learners in KwaZulu-Natal will pay learners who abstain. The payment is part of a scientific trial starting next year -which 3864 grade 9 and 10 learners from 14 high schools in KwaZulu-Natal’s Vulindlela district are expected to take part in. The trial is trying to determine whether cash incentives can help reduce new HIV infections among pupils.

Half of those taking part in the project, called Reducing HIV in Adolescents, will form part of the control group and will not receive any money. Reducing HIV in Adolescents is a joint partnership between the KwaZulu-Natal Education Department and Miet Africa, a non-profit organisation and is set to cost over R52-million.

Pupils will receive R150 after their mid-year exam and another R150 at the end of the year if they achieved 50% or more in the overall exams.

They will also receive R200 a year if they provide a letter from a clinic stating that they were tested for HIV.

In addition, they will receive R400 for participating in an after school programme geared towards uplifting the community.

• Read the complete article at Timeslive

Sparkle and Spin Studio Talks Children's Books with Vanessa Badroodien

by Nonikiwe - Editor on 31 Aug 2010   |   

For those of you who are not aware, Vanessa Badroodien who is the former Founder Director of the Cape Town Book Fair has taken on another amazing role of running Sparkle and Spin, a Children’s Literature Blog. Still very passionate about books she has decided to focus on children this time around. She explains it here.

I am the parent of three wonderful children and consciously try and live a meaningful life.In my previous role as the Founding Director of the Cape Town Book Fair, I was fortunate enough to visit book fairs and literary festivals around the world. The beautiful books, the talented illustrators and authors had me forever captive.I love books, well-told stories, and illustrations that serve to enhance and deepen a child’s sense of story.

Today Vanessa welcomes spring with Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. This is what she has to say about it.

I am tired of winter. I want to wear open sandals and floaty tops and enjoy looking at green all around me. I asked a few of the parents who form part of the book group at my son’s school for recommendations on books that deal with the seasons. Numerous recommendations were shared but I am convinced that there are none as beautiful as this one. What can I say about Red Sings from Treetops but lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely and oh yes, lovely. Thank you Shan, for sharing it with me and allowing me to photograph some of the illustrations. Observation, discovery, connection . . . what a beautiful book to bring seasons to life and to introduce children to poetry. Red Sings From the Treetops embodies everything poetry is meant to be. The words of poet Joyce Sidman are fresh even though she is writing about the oldest of concepts. These words combined with gloriously hue-soaked pictures of illustrator Pamela Zagarenski combine to create a poetry book that is both thoughtful and exuberant.

• Visit Sparkle and Spin here

Book details

• Red Sings From Treetops by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
  Ages 5 to 8
  EAN: 9780547014944
  Find this book with BOOK Finder!