In the Philippines, National Reading Month is celebrated every November. The notion of commemorating reading and learning in the country started out in 2011, after former education secretary and Lasallian brother Armin Luistro declared the 11th month of the year as the unofficial month-long celebration. Meanwhile, Pasong Buaya III Elementary School, spearheaded by the School Principal, Mrs. Alona O. Verdad, commemorated the National Reading Month 2020 despite of the global pandemic. Learners were encouraged to read at home and participated in the different fascinating activities that were facilitated and monitored by the teachers online. These initiatives were aligned with then Pres. Benigno Aquino’s Every Child A Reader program.
Reading is the area of literacy in which the greatest gains are made. The two main components of reading are rapid word recognition and comprehension. We read to understand. The more fluently, we are able to read, the more processing capacity is left to spend on comprehending what we are reading.
Reading is essential for a child’s success. All too often, the barriers faced by children with difficulty reading outweigh their desire to read and, without proper guidance, they never overcome them.
Promoting literacy is believed to prepare the youth for success. Beyond the functional level, being literate plays a significant role in transforming students into socially engaged students. Being literate means being able to communicate effectively, being able to understand and keep up with current events, and being equipped well enough for the challenges of life. Reading is the pillar of literacy.
With the digital shift forced upon us by the pandemic, fake news has become prevalent, therefore careful reading and comprehension are now more essential. And because we’re all hostages of the virus, our only means of travel, at least for the time being, is through books.
Books hold limitless knowledge. There is a book for just about anything. There are incredibly insightful learning materials like AA Patawaran’s Write Here Write Now that contains profound and practical tips on the craft of writing, while on the other side of the spectrum, absurd and experimental books such as Italo Calvino‘s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler, which is also about reading.
Now, reading is the one thing we badly need right now. It is our vaccine for ignorance. Our portal to places we cannot visit for a while, or to places impossible to go to altogether. In all likelihood, it is also our doorway to a better tomorrow.
This activity aims to: a. Learn about National Reading Month as a celebration. b. Challenge pupils to join and express their knowledge about the importance and impact of reading through poster making. c. Encourage pupils to participate in different reading activities in the month long celebration.
Activities Undertaken a. Whacky Time! – Share a joke or a riddle b. Readers are Great Leaders – Dress for a job you would like one day c. In Character – Imitate your favorite story character by dressing up like him/her d. Read my Post – Make a poster showing the importance of reading e. Love for Reading – Just read everything you like