Librarians from Town Centre Library had fun with pupils at Imperial Primary School during an event to mark World Read Aloud Day on Friday February 1.
They visited the school in Beacon Valley to celebrate reading and to tell the children about the importance of reading, which helps build vocabulary and can boost their confidence in writing.
The City of Cape Town’s libraries joined forces with Nal’ibali, the national Reading-For-Enjoyment campaign, to bring alive the sounds of storytelling for this year’s World Read Aloud Day.
The event was established in 2010 by the NPO LitWorld and has grown to include more than a million people actively participating in local events in more than 100 countries.
World Read Aloud Day is the biggest literacy drive in the country and aims to draw attention to the importance of reading aloud to children in their home languages.
Zahid Badroodien, mayoral committee member for community services and health, said in media statement that the event was aimed at motivating children, teenagers and adults to celebrate the power of words.
“By participating in the event it creates the opportunity to imagine, learn and experience the magic of books out loud,” he said.
He said reading aloud was one of the most important activities in language development because it built word-sound awareness, memory and stimulated curiosity.
“It also helps children develop a positive relationship with reading and books, and allows for parents and children to bond.
“Reading out loud encourages children to listen and expands their world, helps to instill a love of reading and books, while giving children the wings to imagine and dream. Readers think better and more critically,” he said.