Adults as reading role models
Smangele Mathebula is the Nal’ibali Campaign Driver and a literary activist who enjoys sharing her love of reading through the giving of books. She speaks to us about how adults become children’s immediate reading role models:
Emilie Buchwald says, ‘Children are made readers on the laps of their parents’, and this couldn’t have greater significance in my reading universe. Adults are often great mirrors to…
Julia Donaldson visits Nal’ibali
International children’s author and 2011-2013 UK Children’s Laureate, Julia Donaldson, treated children from Nal’ibali’s Grow Smart reading club in Philippi to a special reading on Saturday 06 February 2016. The visit forms part of Donaldson’s trip to South Africa where she will be performing in a number of theatre shows based on a variety of her books including her award winning book, The Gruffalo, and What…
Once upon a time’ with Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Once upon a time. These are the four words that have forever changed the way I see the world. They were the doorway to an unseen and unknown world for me, taking me on a different adventure every time I lifted up a book; an experience that did not cost me a thing. Indeed, I could travel the world at a flip of a…
Our Story, Your Story: Finding meaning
Lisa Cohen is a storyteller, facilitator, children’s story author, programme developer, early childhood development advocate and creativity sparker. She is currently the Portfolio Manager of Parenting Programmes at Ilifa Labantwana and Programme Manager for the Our Story, Your Story Project with Clowns Without Borders South Africa. Lisa speaks about her own journey with stories and its personal and political meaning:
Story-time with my dad was my…
Video: Nal’ibali calls for more mother tongue books this Mother Languages Day
Highlighting the critical lack of books available in all African languages to children in South Africa, Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, has produced a powerful public service announcement that illustrates the breakdown of books available per language and calls for support for African language reading materials for children. The video has been developed in recognition of International Mother Languages Day on Sunday, 21 February.
“All…
Video: World Read Aloud Day and South African Sign Language
Stories should be available and accessible to all children and adults. That’s why we made sure our World Read Aloud Day story is available for free in all 11 official languages. On top of that, it’s being offered in another language by Sign Language Education and Development (SLED).
SLED collaborated with Story Bosso runners up, Kerrin Kokot and Jayne Batzofin, to produce an amazing video of the story ‘Neo and…
Join Nal’ibali and Yvonne Chaka Chaka on World Read Aloud Day 2016
Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, is calling on the nation to help them pass on the power of stories and set a read-aloud record this World Read Aloud Day, 24 February 2016. Highlighting the importance of reading aloud in children’s literacy development, the campaign has issued a brand new story and is asking adults across the country to join them in reading it out…
Musical storytelling
Nozi Ngomane is a storyteller, writer, mother, daughter, assistant teacher and traditional healer. She is currently a Project Manager for Kwesukela Story Events and Chair of Alexandra Amakhono Project which develops the youth through the arts. This article was written with the support of Patty Akriel.
Since the beginning of human development, there has been storytelling, and music was used to accompany it. Some argue that…
Reading the pictures
How important are visual images for children as they learn to read? Although I am no specialist in literacy, my extensive experience lecturing Illustration to students in South Africa and the UK, along with the picture book workshops I give to hundreds of children in five different countries, inform my view that visual literacy deserves attention.
For illustrators, illustrations do far more than decorate and…
Nal’ibali helps parents bring home the power of stories in 2016
Helping parents establish a regular reading routine with their children, and renewing their own commitment to root a culture of reading in South Africa, Nal’ibali, the national reading-for-enjoyment campaign, has issued its 2016 Story Power Promise.
Designed as a commitment pledge for both parents and children to sign, the promise outlines commitments made by the campaign to help parents and caregivers across the country establish reading…
