A love of reading was sparked in the hearts of thousands of school children from eight Cape Town schools, on World Read Aloud Day (1 February 2023), as they read the same sweet children’s book all at the same time.
Coronation’s Big Read saw the learners across the schools read The Mouse Who Ate the Moon simultaneously at all its sponsored Reading Adventure Rooms. The initiative was coordinated by the literacy organisation Living Through Learning.
At Lotus River Primary the children were entertained by a big mouse mascot in the colourful Reading Adventure Room, while being read the story, making for a cheerful sight as they all celebrated the joy of reading together. The children were given the same snack as the mouse in the story and all received a squeaky mouse toy to take home.
“It’s a great privilege to partner with our schools and our longtime literacy partner Living through Learning to promote a love of reading. It’s incredibly important for children to develop a love of reading early on as it directly correlates with their academic success later in life,” said Mary-Anne Musekiwa, Corporate Social Investment (CSI) chairperson at Coronation.
In the education system, reading for meaning by the end of the foundation phase in Grade 3 is regarded as a key determinant for academic achievement in all subjects in the intermediate and senior phases, as well as the likelihood that the child will finish school one day.
In the education system, reading for meaning by the end of the foundation phase in Grade 3 is regarded as a key determinant for academic achievement in all subjects in the intermediate and senior phases, as well as the likelihood that the child will finish school one day.
Motivated by the pressing need to address the significant deficits in primary school literacy in South Africa, reading is a central aspect of Coronation’s CSI extensive work. They have been supporting literacy in underserved local schools for more than a decade and been running their official education-focused Capsule Programme since 2018.
The programme includes supporting primary school literacy through its Reading Adventure Rooms in under-resourced schools. Coronation also provides ongoing support to teachers and parents regarding literacy through its non-profit partners, and funds the further academic development of school principals.
For 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. The global effort is celebrated annually in over 173 countries and is all about bringing people together through the shared connection of reading aloud in all of our communities.
