I am hardly ever caught without a book when we are traveling, but this weekend I made a conscious effort to observe life through the passenger side window. I couldn’t help but notice how I suddenly felt bombarded with words. Shop names, restaurants, information signs, vehicle registrations, etc. I suddenly remembered a saying that I…
You may be just as disturbed by the term digital dementia as I was. I fortunately enough stumbled upon the term some time back and unfortunately had to accept the fact that what happened to me recently may have very well been a symptom of the very issue. Let me explain: I recently had a…
The winter school holidays have arrived in South Africa, and it’s time for kids to take a break from their studies and embark on exciting adventures. Whether you’re a local or visiting this beautiful country, there are plenty of thrilling and entertaining activities to keep children of all ages entertained during this chilly season. In…
In today’s fast-paced digital era, where screens dominate our lives, it is essential to emphasize the significance of cultivating a love for reading in children. Reading not only equips children with vital language and communication skills but also opens the doors to boundless imagination and cognitive growth. This blog post celebrates the magic of children…
In a recent episode of Carte Blanche and reported in many newspapers, it has been established that South Africa’s grade 4 learners cannot read, according to the Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga. This comes after an international study revealed that grade 4 learners in South Africa had the worst reading ability in the world, with…
We all love to hear “Read this to me, please!” because it means that our children are interested in books. But do you sometimes wonder whether there are ways that you could improve your reading-for-enjoyment times with your children? The most important thing is for you to enjoy yourselves because that way your children will…
One common question I get asked often is: can young children understand what they are reading? This question comes from parents that have seen videos of children reading books at just 3 and 4 years old, and also of videos of other very young children that learned to read early using my Reading Program It’s a legitimate question, because…
Did you know that over 30 million adults in South Africa are considered functionally illiterate? These 30 million adults do not have adequate reading and writing skills to manage day-to-day living and employment tasks that require reading skills beyond a basic level. Worse yet, did you know that 38% of all grade four students have…
There are many words in English that end with a silent e, and sometimes when teaching children to read, parents might scratch their heads and wonder how to explain why an ending is a silent one. There are 5 main spelling rules to be aware of, and knowing these will help you explain most situations….
Many studies have shown that children who cannot read find it hard to study well and, as a result, do not perform well during exams. But have we been teaching them wrong? There is a tendency amongst teachers to teach children sight words and word shapes. What is wrong with this? Children “learn” these words…