The day serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling, the need for accessible learning materials, and the role literacy plays in shaping a more informed society.

World Read Aloud Day holds particular significance in South Africa, where literacy rates remain alarmingly low. According to recent statistics, 81% of Grade 4 learners in the country cannot read for meaning. Many learners face substantial barriers to literacy development, including language barriers, poverty, and a lack of access to books in their home languages.

“We are aware of our shocking literacy rates. So many of our learners are limited in terms of resources, and they are not exposed to the opportunity to comprehend stories in their home language,” said Zulaikha Goolam, Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Programme Manager at iSchoolAfrica Education Trust. “Celebrating a day like this is very important, particularly for South Africans.”

To commemorate World Read Aloud Day, iSchoolAfrica hosted events in several schools across Johannesburg and other parts of the country. The initiative focused on learners in rural and township schools, where volunteers read aloud to children and encouraged peer-to-peer reading sessions using iPads equipped with digital libraries.

“The reason we use the iPad is because it includes digital libraries, which provide stories in all South African languages and accessibility features for learners who struggle with reading,” explained Goolam. “We are not just focusing on mainstream learners, but ensuring that all learners, including those with disabilities, have an opportunity to participate.”

Literacy development in South Africa is hampered by multiple socio-economic factors. Poverty, crime, and limited access to quality education all contribute to the reading crisis, particularly for children at the developmental stage of learning how to read.

“The importance of quality education is something we need to address first,” Goolam said. “That includes access to quality books in home languages, stories that reflect the realities of our learners, and creating supportive home environments where parents are encouraged to read with their children.”

Reading aloud has numerous cognitive and emotional benefits, particularly for young children. It fosters connection between learners and their parents or teachers, enhances vocabulary, and improves attention spans.

“One of the biggest benefits is the bond formed between the child and the parent or teacher,” Goolam noted. “It also promotes creativity, higher-order thinking skills such as making predictions, comprehension, and social-emotional learning. Many of us learned important life lessons through fairy tales and stories, and this remains true for today’s learners.”


--ChannelAfrica--