Login

Sarah Bradfield

Memories of a Grade 7 Book Club

by
Pile of several reading books

Image credit: Caro Wallis

About two years ago I held a weekly book club with interested Grade 7s at the wonderful Cosmo City Primary 1 library. 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this awkward age group – my usual age to teach is Grade 3s, but I immediately found that I loved the group. 

They ranged from sophisticated teens to cute kids, with about the same number of boys and girls. The book club meetings were, out of necessity, rushed affairs – squashed in between eating lunch and the first period after break. 

It turned out to be the perfect length of time – there was always an urgency in the group with an atmosphere and energy more like that of an auction than a reading group. There were hurried recommendations or rejections from the kids, with a general scrambling for the most popular books before rushing back to class. 

The books they read were as varied as the children themselves and, like the children, some of them have stuck in my mind. There were the old favourites of Roald Dahl, Goosebumps and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Humour was a big hit – they loved anything by David Walliams and Francesca Simon. 

By far the most tatty, and so most loved, books in the library were the Diary of A Wimpy Kid series.

Some of the kids enjoyed non-fiction, and I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai really captured all their imaginations. The teen girls raced through books by Cathy Cassidy and Louise Rennison having moved on from their beloved Jacqueline Wilson and Judy Moody books of earlier grades. The biggest queue of both girls and boys was to read the South African story Whitney’s Kiss. 

So, from my home during lockdown, I’m trying to picture how things will be for this year’s Grade 7s.

There will be no group of kids squashed into the back office of the library for one – and probably the library will remain closed for a while due to the pandemic. 

What the Grade 7s (and other grades) will have though is access to a digital library through Book Village. 

Now, more than ever, there is an urgent need for access to literature and education materials in a digital format.

It may be that only children with their own devices at home will be able to read from the library until we are able to visit the school, but it’s a start. There are some really great books just waiting to be discovered; from learn-to-read to young adult titles in both ebooks and audiobooks. 

I can’t wait to see what the most “tatty” book of the digital library will be.

– Sarah

The 6 Benefits of Reading Aloud With Your Children

by
Benefits Of Reading Aloud - Several Children's Books Laid Out On A Table

As parents, it can be difficult to know whether or not you are doing the best for your child – especially in the midst of a worldwide lockdown. In the past few months, parents have had to play the role of the homeschool teacher, the sports coach, the parent and everything in between.

Thankfully, one of the easiest activities to do with your child is also one of the most valuable skills you can teach them – Reading. Starting with reading to your child.

For a child, there is perhaps nothing better than curling up with mom or dad and being read to – despite whether they are just learning to read or reading on their own already.

And in the midst of snuggles and stories – that are great for both child and parent – some other fantastic things happen too!

So without further ado, here is a list of reasons why reading to your child is one of the best things you can do for their education this lockdown:

  1. Reading helps children to develop word recognition

    Even when your child is very young, if you read aloud and point to words on a page, they will be able to link written words with spoken words. This lays a foundation for learning to read.

  2. Reading helps to improve vocabulary

    When read to, the language children are exposed to is often more complex than that they hear on a daily basis. Studies have shown that reading aloud to your child can significantly increase vocabulary.

  3. Reading helps to teach grammar and sentence structure

    When they are being read to, children are able to hear more complex language and to also see how these complexities of language fit together. In seeing these structures regularly and in varied ways, children are able to develop a better understanding of grammar and sentence structure.

  4. Reading aloud teaches children to enjoy reading

    As a parent, you should make reading aloud a fun and safe space, to allow your children to associate pleasure and interest with this activity. As a result, your child will enjoy reading more and will be motivated to learn to read independently. They will become life-long readers and learners.

  5. Reading helps children to experience more success at school

    With all of the benefits of improved vocabulary, grammar and listening skills; reading helps children to become better learners and active listeners in the classroom. This results in higher academic standards and a deeper understanding at school.

  6. Reading helps to build emotional maturity

    The ability to express oneself emotionally as well as developing empathy is a skill that can be learnt through reading. When reading to your children, discuss themes in the book that may result in these skills.

These are just some of the many benefits of reading to your child, which spill over into multiple domains of their lives.

Want to make a brighter future? Start by teaching a child to read.

Sign Up To Be Part Of Book Village!

By signing up to become a volunteer, you will be among the first to hear when the Book Village app officially launches and have the opportunity to be among the first people in the world to start making an impact through the Book Village platform.