Read-a-thon
creating new
generation of readers
By Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz, Contributor
[see
news clipping]
Posted: 1:07 AM
(Manila Time) | Apr. 29, 2002
Inquirer News Service
UNKNOWN
to many, a reading revolution of sorts is taking place in Grade 4 classrooms
in public schools in an urban center, the city of Marikina, and in a rural area,
Nasugbu, Batangas.
Since mid-January and for one month, every class set aside every day one hour for a Read-a-thon during which students were exposed to some of the best titles in Philippine children's literature today, 20 books in Filipino and 20 books in English.
Making the set of brand-new books available in every participating Grade 4 classroom was necessary for the success of the Sa Aklat Sisikat (SAS) Foundation's literacy campaign. If today's children have not discovered the joy of reading it is because they did not have the opportunity to encounter books other than dreary textbooks, providing the books had to be an imperative. But that's getting ahead of the story, a good story.
Two years ago, book lovers Lizzie Zobel and Margarita Delgado spearheaded, with Nina Lim-Yuson of Museo Pambata Foundation, a multi-tiered reading program for Manila public schools. The repertoire of activities is mind-boggling, including an eye examination program for Grade 1 students, the installation of literary landmarks with the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, book donations for public libraries, a storytelling series at the malls which led to the establishment of the Alitaptap Storytellers Club, Read-a-thon and Battle of the Books.
Nation of readers
Enriched (and perhaps wearied?) by that experience and realizing even more the need to promote the reading habit in the young, Lizzie and Margarita formalized the structure of the SAS Foundation. With the overwhelming problems the nation faces, SAS decided to focus on its vision of developing a nation of readers and concentrate on what is feasible given its resources and capabilities: the introduction of the Read-a-thon in various public schools in the country.
The reformatted literacy campaign was launched in partnership with Petron Foundation. The SAS Foundation board members include, aside from Lizzie and Margarita, Malu Erni of Petron Foundation, Doris Magsaysay-Ho, Genju Lapez, Gregg Marshall, Bobby de Ocampo, RayVi Sunico, Monique Villonco and this writer.
In choosing the city or
the municipality for project implementation, it was decided that the local government
must demonstrate a high level of interest in the project. No extra funding or
requirement is required from the local government unit. It was only expected
to facilitate SAS coordination with the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports, without whose blessing the classroom teachers would not and could not
introduce anything new to the curriculum.
It was hoped that the month-long Read-a-thon would lead both teachers and students
to discover how delightful and useful the habit of reading was. And result in
what may be a revolutionary discovery that students can learn the skills they
are supposed to have effectively, and joyfully, from children's literature.
It was important, however, that the Ang Trip Ko, Libro! Read-a-thon did not add to the burden of the overworked public school teachers.
For without teacher support, SAS knew its good intentions would not go very far.
Thus, SAS committed to the following: two full-day weekend training workshops run by teacher volunteers from International School Manila who were reading advocates themselves familiar with the reading promotion activities of its Children's Media Center; a set of 40 brand-new books for every Grade 4 classroom; colorful Read-a-thon Passports for every student for recording books read; class organizers to monitor the students' reading; glossy reading posters in full color with the likes of Aga Muhlach and Cris Villonco in a reading pose; an Ibong Adarna mural on tarpaulin for every school where children could mount paper feathers for every book read; an Andy Locsin-designed Reading Corner that the school would own after complying with all the Read-a-thon requirements.
SAS was asked: Why Grade 4 and why only the public schools? The grade level is critical in the development of functional literacy. The choice would also allow SAS to monitor if a reading activity such as the Read-a-thon would have any impact on the students. SAS decided to concentrate its efforts on public schools because they did not have as many resources and opportunities for professional development as private schools.
This school year, for instance, the Parents' Council of the Assumption Grade School in Makati successfully piloted a Read-a-thon and the Battle of the Books for two grade levels. The public schools do not have parent reading advocates like Assumption's Lizette Cojuangco, Lisa Periquet and Gianna Montinola.
Much remains to be done, but women like Lizzie and Margarita know that lamenting about the reading nonhabit will lead nowhere. Thus, they have taken the first bold step.