Learning

The Reading Comprehension Interest Group of the Global Reading Network has spent the last year discussing how to ensure children understand what they read. Group meetings focused on teaching reading comprehension strategies and a range of topics including language factors, materials development, social-emotional learning connections, and assessment, which demonstrate how complex it can be to help children read with understanding.

Open Licensing sessions in June and July 2019 drew 56 ministry of education officials from the African and Asian regions of the globe and 40 content creators and publishers of children's literature who are exploring the benefits, possibilities, challenges, and limitations of an Open Licensing business model.

Saide’s African Storybook initiative, launched in 2014, responds to the shortage of local language early reading materials in sub-Saharan Africa through a digital open license publishing model.

Aristarick Lyimo, Training and Curriculum Development Specialist for Reading within Reach, represented REACH at a workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, organized by All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development. Attendees included Africa USAID Missions and representatives of Ministries of Education in Africa.

A fundamental requirement in raising literacy levels is the availability of enough appropriate reading material that is affordable and of a high quality. Quality here refers to material that is culturally relevant and available in local languages. However, in South Africa, books are expensive and families prioritize necessities like food and clothing over books. Our vision is for every child to own one hundred books by the time they turn five.

While an urgency exists to provide all children with access to books so they can develop literacy skills and a love for reading, a balance must be struck between quantity, speed and cost on one hand and quality on the other.

Hear the voices, ideas and research of three reading program implementers who are focused on coaching as one method of sustainability.