Parents Reading with Babies and Toddlers' initiative on at Jamaican public library

Author: Alicia Forrest, Gleaner Writer
Title: St Catherine Parish Library promotes family reading
Date published: Saturday | May 24, 2014
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
URL: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140524/life/life1.html

 

Abstract:

The article reports on the 'We Likkle, but We Tallawah: Parents Reading with Babies and Toddlers' initiative on at the St Catherine Parish Library.

The article reports on some highlights of the event as well as the Librarian, Shana-Lee Coley-Smith, discussing the positive outcome of the programme on the children and parents. Some highlights of the vents reported are:

·         Clarabell Solomon, distinguished secretary of the Kiwanis Club of Linstead, stressing the importance of parents listening to reading

·         A parent presenting on parenting tips, as well as on the Child Care and Protection Act, highlighting the rights of the child and the responsibilities that every parent has towards his/her child.

Also mentioned is the disclosure made by Coley-Smith that the programme has received some support from the Jamaica National Building Society Foundation.

Excerpt:

 

The 'We Likkle, but We Tallawah: Parents Reading with Babies and Toddlers' initiative has been going on at the St Catherine Parish Library since November 2012, and is held every third Saturday. As part of activities, parents of children from newborn to five years old read aloud to their children.


Librarian Shana-Lee Coley-Smith said that she has seen the impact that the programme has had on children and parents. She said: "The children interact more with the books, and they are motivated to read. For the parents, it helps them to help their children." She continued: "We have received testimonials from the parents, and overall feedback has been good."

She disclosed that she expects the programme to continue and get better, given that the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) has received a boost from the Jamaica National Building Society Foundation.

 

Caribbean librarian honoured for contribution to literacy

Title: Library recognises literacy and financial contributors
Date published: Thursday, 21 November 2013
Source: The Daily Herald
URL: http://thedailyherald.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44251:library-recognises-literacy-and-financial-contributors-&catid=1:islands-news&Itemid=54

Abstract:
The article reports on what appears to be Philipsburg Jubilee Library's 90th anniversary celebrations awards ceremony. At this event, retired Caribbean librarian, Blanca Hodge, was honoured for her leadership at Philipsburg Jubilee Library and contribution to literacy. Others awarded at the event included supporters and regular users of the library including St. Maarten Museum Director Elsje Bosch.

Library Director, Monique Alberts is reported as providing attendees at the awards ceremony with a brief history of the library from its opening on November 23, 1923 to the present. The article also reports the name of other important invitees in attendance.

Excerpt:

PHILIPSBURG--Retired Philipsburg Jubilee Library head Blanca Hodge, who made the library's slogan "Reading is FUNdemental" popular, has proven that literacy is a family concern. She and her grandson Yshmael Marcelle were honoured by the library on Thursday evening for their commitment to literacy.

They were among several awardees at the recognition ceremony that kicked started the library's 90th anniversary celebrations.

Hodge, represented by her daughter Moira Marcelle-Hodge, received the 2013 President's Award. She was selected by Library President Chantal Schaminee-Ringeling for her "unflinching commitment to literacy" in St. Maarten and the wider Caribbean. Hodge made the library more than a place to read books and helped to develop the library from its humble beginnings on Back Street to the larger building it occupies now, Schaminee-Ringeling said.

Jamaica Library Services' Literacy Intervention programme

Author: Lorraine McLean
Title: The JLS's Literacy Intervention programme
Source: Jamaica Observer
Date published: Wednesday, June 19, 2013
URL: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/The-JLS-s-Literacy-Intervention-programme_14523529


Abstract:
This article is a letter to the editor of the Jamaica Observer from the Regional Director of the Manchester Parish Library Network, Lorraine McLean, reporting on the Jamaica  Library Services' Literacy Intervention programme. Within the article, information is provided about the Jamaica Library Service, the history of the literacy intervention programme and some of the activities and events under the programme.

Excerpt:

The JLS, in support of the goals and objectives of the MOE, embarked on a pilot project to implement its Grade 4 Literacy Intervention Programme which began in Region 3 and was extended to the other five regions. Region 3 of the JLS comprises 170 school libraries in the parishes of Manchester and Clarendon.

The Literacy Intervention Programme began with two schools in Manchester where children were encouraged to participate in activities related to lessons taught from the Grade 4 curriculum. The activities were practical and so students were excited to share their thoughts in a manner which allowed them to express themselves confidently and fluently.

English was the language of choice, but they were allowed to speak in patois as well. Students were rewarded with small tokens and so they were motivated to work hard.

University youth implements the Read For Life Summer Programme in Barbados

Author: Natasha Beckles
Title: Nourishing a love for books
Source: Nation News
Date published: DECEMBER 02, 2012
URL: http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/nourishing-a-love-for-books/

Abstract:
The article reports on a summer reading programme for children in libraries across Barbados, the Read For Life Summer Programme. In this programme, participants as young as three years old are involved in activities to use their imaginations and creativity while discovering the fun of reading books. A brief biographical background about the founder of the programme, Gillian Rowe, is provided. Rowe  is a 22 year old history student at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus.

The article discusses the outcomes and impact of the programme from Rowe's perspective. Read For Life according to Rowe, has helped to increase the usage of libraries especially during the summer, and has impacted children's personal development over the three years. Parents have also came forward seeking assistance to improve their children's reading.



How the programme was implemented is also documented. In the first year, volunteers went into the community to learn about the reading habits of children from their parents. In the second year, the children themselves were surveyed in order to find out what their favourite books were, who read to them, if they enjoyed reading and if they liked drawing pictures or imagining stories after reading a book. Based on these findings, the volunteers used the third year to locate more books that the children can relate to culturally.


Rowe make suggestions from her research about the development of children book publishing for the region. According to Rowe, children want to read about the stories and issues in their own lives of which they have questions about. Rowe is also reported as stating that there is a shortage of Barbadian and Caribbean children books, despite the quantity of teachers, writers and literary students graduating from the University of the West Indies. Rowe suggests that a publishing platform be established to to purposefully increase the quantity of regional books. Other suggestions are given in order to rectify the problem including using the submissions to the National Independence Festival Of Creative Arts (NIFCA) to discover new ideas for publication.

Rowe also discusses the partnerships that Read For Life has established including referrals of children who need extra assistance to the LITE Remedial Reading Centre. Future expansion in programming are announced, including a plan to launch the pilot phase of its Homework Helper programme which will include three schools and three branch libraries. A bit of information is provided about the homework helper program, where after school assistance will be provided to select students at the libraries who need help with their homework. This programme will be staffed with volunteers at three libraries that will provide one-on-one assistance.Rowe also announces plans for two additional end of year readings on December 22 and 29 at the Bridgetown Library, lasting for two hours, which will enable parents to have their children occupied while completing their shopping.







Excerpt: 

“We encourage children to come and use the resources in library branches for themselves, to help them with their schoolwork, to help them with general knowledge and to help them as they try to find a profession and way of life for themselves,” she said of the programme which caters to those up to the age of 18. 

The non-profit organization is staffed by a number of volunteers, many of whom are former teachers and principals and students who want to become teachers. 

However, anyone who is passionate about encouraging children and helping them to develop is welcome to volunteer since they are trained before being placed in the libraries.

New Jamaican initiative in family literacy aimed to get parent reading to babies

Author: Athaliah Reynolds, JIS Reporter
Title: PM Encourages Parents, Particularly Fathers, To Read with Children
Source: Jamaica Information Service
Date: MONDAY, 19 DECEMBER 2011
URL: http://www.jis.gov.jm/news/opm-news/29481-pm-encourages-parents-particularly-fathers-to-read-with-children

Abstract:
The article reports on a speech by the Prime Minister and Education Minister addressed to parents during a
handing over ceremony of Bookstart Jamaica ‘book packs’, at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Paediatric Clinic, on Monday, December 19. What the Bookstart Jamaica project is about is outlined as well as the objectives of the programme and the vision for it to give parents and families a place in raising the literacy level of future students. Essentially the programme entails Jamaican parents of babies getting books from the government as part of an encouragement for parents to read to their children.


Excerpt:

Bookstart Jamaica is part of the Ministry of Education’s new family literacy initiative, which aims to create a nation of readers and encourage an early start to family literacy activities. Each Bookstart Jamaica ‘book pack’ has a locally developed board book suitable for infants, and information about the Jamaica Library Service, its locations and family programmes, including ‘We Likkle but We Tallawah’ - parents reading with infants and toddlers Bookstart Jamaica companion programme.

Mr. Holness noted that the programme was established as part of the Ministry’s National Literacy Strategy, as it was found that many Jamaican children were entering the school system unprepared.
“This places us at a disadvantage, because teachers now have to do the work that parents should have done as a natural part of their parenting responsibility. When we examined what was happening in the households, we realised that many parents did not understand the importance of early reading with their children,” the Prime Minister said.
He informed that the objective of Bookstart  is to provide parents with books at the earliest stage, “so that when the programme is fully implemented, every Jamaican child born in a hospital in Jamaica will be presented with a package.”

The 'Labour of Love': The Jamaican anti-literacy cultural project

Author: Natalie D. A. Bennett, Contributor

Title: "Confront the anti-literacy culture - Part 1"

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Date published: Sunday, October 3, 2010

URL: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20101003/focus/focus81.html


Abstract:
The author relates her activism and project in transforming Jamaican urban public spaces into centres for the promotion of literacy in Jamaican children.

Excerpt:
Whether we realise it or not, making illiteracy a thing of the past will require far more than big speeches and grand declarations about the importance of knowing how to read. It will take work. The question is: are we ready to do what is necessary?

In August of this year, I created a project called 'Labour of Love' in Kingston and Montego Bay. Part street performance and part activism, I wanted to see what would happen if love - not charity, shame, punishment, guilt, obligation - were the driving force for engaging in intentional, and hopefully, transformative social action in Jamaica's public spaces. In ten days, I did a variety of activities: made sidewalk art, crafted wills, distributed reading material, gave away vegetable seeds, and did bra fittings. And for half of that time, I worked with school-aged children on the sidewalks of downtown Kingston. Armed with rubber-stamps, crayons, pencils, markers, word and math games, and a plethora of worksheets, I tried to tailor each child's activities to his/her abilities and interests. Age was not a useful predictor of any ability, as I discovered. A 'class' of five children quickly grew to a 'school' of over 20 by the end of the week

Jamaican School holds Read-A-Thon: Parents encouraged to read to toddlers

Title: Parents Urged to Develop Children's Reading Skills
Source: MANDEVILLE, Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
Date published: Friday, December 31, 2010
URL: http://jis.gov.jm/education/html/20091231T190000-0500_22394_JIS_PARENTS_URGED_TO_DEVELOP_CHILDREN_S_READING_SKILLS.asp


Abstract

A Jamaican school, Green Park Primary and Junior High School in Sandy Bay, Clarendon, held a Read-A-Thon and Spell-A-Thon. The competition culminated with an awards ceremony where participants received certificates and the top performers received trophies. The article also gives a synopsis on a speech delivered by an educator, Dr. Jean Beaumont, who urges Jamaican Parents to play their active role in development of their children’s literacy skills. Beaumont advocates that Jamaican parents read to their children before school age and get them interested from early in words and letter recognition. This Beaumont declares will serve as the foundation of academic success in adulthood.


Excerpt:

Educator, Dr. Jean Beaumont, is imploring parents to work with their children to develop their reading skills.

The awards ceremony was held to recognise the 40 students, who participated in the school's Read-A-Thon and Spell-A-Thon competitions.

Certificates were presented to all the participants, with the top three finishers in each segment also awarded medals and trophies for outstanding performance.

Jamaican Minister of Education calls for libraries to emphasize reading as a family activity

Author: Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness
Title:HON. MINISTER OF EDUCATION'S PARENT MONTH MESSAGE NOVEMBER 2009
Source Jamaica Information Service
Date: Monday, November 02, 2009
URL: http://www.jis.gov.jm/MinSpeeches/html/20091102T110000-0500_21728_JIS_HON__MINISTER_OF_EDUCATION_S_PARENT_MONTH_MESSAGE_NOVEMBER_2009.asp

Abstract
The Jamaican Minister of Education this month calls for libraries and schools to emphasize reading as a family activity. The Minister of Education in his Parent Month's message for November invites libraries and schools to find innovative ways of getting families to read or work on developing literacy skills in their children. The Minister of Education also outlines some of the plans for the month, including the Jamaica Library Service hosting a National Reading Fair. The emphasis or the aim for this Parent month is to encourage parents to assist schools and libraries in the literacy development of their children.



Excerpt
During this Parent Month, being staged under the theme - Parent the Right Way - Read with Your Child Every Day - we are asking all of our schools, libraries, churches and civic organizations to stress the importance of family literacy. We encourage you to stage family literacy events inviting parents to sit with their children and explore a book together.

We are asking you to encourage families to join the Library Service and make visits to the local library a regular family event. We are asking you to find creative ways to increase the amount of print material available at school and in the community - maybe do a project where inspirational words are printed on walkways. Model reading in school, ensure that parents model reading at home. Create word trees by writing vocabulary words from stories on card paper and hanging them from trees in your yard. At school create class books where each child makes up a line of a story and illustrates their words. Have students read their stories to the other classes. Dedicate a specific time each day or each week to have all members of school staff "drop everything and read." Most importantly share creative reading ideas with parents so that they too can make reading fun for their children at home.

During this month, let us seize the opportunity to bring our parents into the fold and encourage them to make reading a priority in their homes. On Saturday November 28th, 2009, the Jamaica Library Service will hold its annual Reading Fair, we are encouraging Jamaican families to help us make that the National Family Reading Day by making a concerted effort to read with their children.

Barbados Minister defends Barbados Literacy record

Author: (YB)

Title: "Our literacy rating in Top 5"

Source: Barbados Nation News

Date Published: September 9, 2009.

URL: http://www.nationnews.com/story/jones-on-literacy-copy-for-web

Abstract:
Barbados Minister of Education and Human Resources Development, Ronald Jones, boasts that Barbados have the fourth highest literacy rate in the world at a Literacy fair. His comments come despite criticism from various sectors that the literacy rate is falling. In this article, the Minister is quoted speaking of the investment that the Government has been taking in education.

However,the minister makes mention of several areas that he believes could improve literacy in the nation, including transformation of the way reading and writing is taught in schools, as well as the involvement of parents in building the early foundation for literacy.


Excerpt:

BARBADOS has the fourth highest literacy rate in the world.

Mere days after deputy principal of the Erdiston Teachers' Training College, Dr Patricia Saul, suggested the touted 98 per cent literacy rate was a myth, Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Ronald Jones said the country was ranked among the highest in the world.

"In a world where there are still some 776 million adults who are illiterate, and some 75 million children who are out of school, we are proud to say that we have free education from the nursery to tertiary level and our literacy rate is still among the highest in the world - fourth in the world, and that is exceptionally high," Jones said.

Speaking at yesterday's Literacy Fair in Queen's Park, Jones said teachers, principals, parents, students and all those involved in the process needed to be applauded for "keeping us on that edge"

.

Barbados National Library's 2009 Literacy Fun Day and Summer Programme

Author: (DB)

Title: Creative writers in the making

Source: Barbados Nation News

Date Published: September 6, 2009

http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/National-Library-Service-Literacy-Fun-Day-copy-for-web

Abstract:

Article highlights the Barbados first National Library's Literacy Fun Day event as well as the library's summer programmes held across the island. These events featured activities for children that encourage the development of children writers and their literacy development and skills. The events allowed for children to produce 31 books and share their original creative writings through the reading of their work to the public. The Literacy Fun day also saw a puppet show to entertain those who attended.

The article also contains comments by the children service librarian, Jennifer Yarde, regarding the rationale behind the library's events and activities.



Excerpt:

"YOUNG WRITERS came out to show off their creativity and skill at the National Library Service's first ever Literacy Fun Day at Queen's Park, St Michael, yesterday.

Under the theme Literacy Beyond The Vision, librarians from all the departments came out to lend their support to the future writers of Barbados, some of whom were as young as seven years old.

"At the Library we encourage children to read and write, so that they can improve their literacy skills," children's librarian Jennifer Yarde said.

The youthful scribes came out to share their stories and books which they had written at the recently concluded summer programme held at the various libraries across the island."

Jamaican Festival Queens to work with school library and promote reading

Title: Festival Queens foster development
Source: Jamaica Observer
Date Published: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
URL: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Entertainment/html/20090714T220000-0500_155400_OBS_FESTIVAL_QUEENS_FOSTER_DEVELOPMENT.asp

Excerpt:

The Festival Queen 2009 contestants are focusing their grace, talent, intellect and beauty on boosting Jamaica's development. The parish queens are engaged in numerous community projects that foster nation-building across Jamaica. They are tackling issues as diverse as sexuality, marginalised males, and literacy.


Literacy has the attention of Shanna-Kay Williams, Miss Portland and Kelonie Noble, Miss Hanover. Ms. Williams will be working at the Windsor Castle All-Age School library with 'Recovery of the Youth', a book drive and book club to promote reading. Ms. Noble will carry out the "Read to Succeed" project at Escher Primary.

Commentary:
On Monday, 25 May 2009, on this blog, it was posted that a Jamaican Librarian, Kelonie Noble, was crowned parish queen. This post is a follow up to that post, as it covers the national finals for the Jamaican Festival queen competition. Ms Noble, now unto the finals is engaged in a project to promote reading.

For more information on the competition visit http://www.jcdc.org.jm/ms_ja_bg.htm.

For more information about the organising body behind the Jamaica Festival Queen Competition visit http://www.jcdc.org.jm/index.php.

If you are still interested in knowing more about the competition and its rules, visit http://www.jcdc.org.jm/entryforms/2k9_forms/Fest_Queen_Entry_Form.pdf for guidelines.



Abstract:
Jamaican Festival Queens undertake several projects. Among them are literacy and reading promotion projects. One festival queen, Shanna-Kay Williams, Miss Portland, will be working with the school library at the Windsor Castle All-Age in a programme entitled 'Recovery of the Youth'. This project will establish both a book drive and a book club to promote reading.

Kelonie Noble, another festival queen [and Librarian], is involved in the project "Read to Succeed", which targets the Escher Primary school.

A Jamaican School reading programme

Author: Adrian Frater

Title: Gabrielle - Green Island's reading phenom

Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Date Published: Friday | May 8, 2009

URL: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090508/social/social2.html

Abstract:

Article reports on the results of the work and efforts of a teacher and parent to get children involved in reading, and how it has benefited her own daughter and the school that she works for.


Excerpt:

For many, Gabrielle's brilliance is nature's way of repaying her mother for the beyond-the-call-of-duty approach she adopted when the school's reading programme was being developed two years ago. Today she works with a special group of 30 students.

"I try to develop a close relationship with them and try to get them to believe in themselves," said Salmon, who has created an incentive programme for her students, using her own money
.

Salmon, a graduate of Mico Teachers' College (now The Mico University College) has also tried to get parents involved in their children's reading, sometimes including activities for parents in the homework

Civic organization supports Literacy in Jamaican Schools and Libraries

Title: Schools to Benefit from Literacy Support
Source: Jamaica Information Service (JIS): WASHINGTON, DC
Date: Friday, May 01, 2009

URL: http://jis.gov.jm/education/html/20090501T190000-0500_19453_JIS_SCHOOLS_TO_BENEFIT_FROM_LITERACY_SUPPORT_.asp

Abstract:
A civic organization announces its plans to carry out some activities geared towards promoting and developing literacy in Jamaica. This article reports on that organization, the Read Across Jamaica Foundation founded in 2004, summarising its planned activities and mission.


Excerpt:

Some 20 schools and one library across six parishes are to benefit from literacy support as the Read Across Jamaica Foundation pays its annual visit to the island from May 1-9, under the theme: 'Journey across Jamaica.'

Two-day Literacy Conference at Northern Caribbean University, Jamaica

TITLE: NCU Stages 2-Day Literacy Conference
SOURCE: MANDEVILLE, Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
DATE: Wednesday, April 08, 2009

URL: http://jis.gov.jm/education/html/20090408T190000-0500_19127_JIS_NCU_STAGES_2_DAY_LITERACY_CONFERENCE.asp

EXCERPT:

A two-day literacy conference, which is aimed at arming educators and parents with the information and skills to improve reading among children, got underway on April 7 at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in Mandeville.

The conference, which is being held in conjunction with Howard University in the United States of America, targets teachers, parents, administrators and policy makers, providing them with the opportunity to garner information and knowledge on both traditional and emerging methodologies in teaching persons how to read

ABSTRACT:

The article reports on the opening ceremony of the literacy conference. It documents some of the remarks of the Governor General regarding the importance of literacy or reading to the nation. Also mentioned are the remarks of the Minister of Education, indicating his focus on addressing the issue of illiteracy in schools.

Vice President for Academic and Administration at NCU, Dr. Beverly Cameron, is also cited as stating that educators are the most influential persons in promoting literacy to students.