Multilingual Story Supplements

In South Africa during August, we honour the role that women have played and still play in building democracy in our country. Here are some reading, writing and drawing activity ideas that you can use to create opportunities for children to think about the influence women have on their lives. Choose the ones that are best suited to your children’s ages and interests.

Reading stories to children is a great bonding as well as educational activity. But did you know that there are other simple things you can do that help increase what children learn from the stories you share with them?

Xitsonga/English: PDF

Have you ever wondered why people say that it is important to read to children who are not yet at school? Well, because it will expand their minds and make their hearts sing! Read with your 3 to 6 year olds regularly and you will witness just how much they learn and what they can do with books! Here are some ideas for sharing books with them.  Each year on World Read Aloud Day, Nal’ibali reminds everyone who lives in South Africa about the benefits of reading aloud to children.

On 6 October 2018, Nal’ibali won third prize at the African Union’s Innovating Education in Africa Expo held in Dakar, Senegal. And guess what? Nal’ibali received this recognition for its bilingual reading-for-enjoyment supplement! Many people know that 14 February is Valentine’s Day, but did you know that Library Lovers’ Day and International Book Giving Day are also celebrated on this date each year? So, this year on 14 February, combine these three days into one celebration of love and reading by doing these things.

This year, children’s author and activist, Lebohang Masango, was Nal’ibali’s World Read Aloud Day ambassador. We chatted to her to find out more about her passion for literacy. "Reading and storytelling can teach people so many things, such as how to use your imagination, how to develop the confidence to speak out and how to be more compassionate to others. Exposing children to these lessons is important because readers become leaders, as we know."

This is a special edition! It’s World Read Aloud Day as well as the 150th edition of the Nal’ibali Supplement. Read about our journey from the beginning of Nal’ibali and get ideas for how to celebrate World Read Aloud Day at home and at your school, library or reading club. Enjoy our special World Read Aloud Day story, ‘Where are you?’ as well as ‘That’s not Thabi’ (Book Dash) and ‘Feleng learns to read’.

It’s a new year and we have tips and ideas on how to make 2019 a story-filled year! Play our special story-building board game to get you in the mood. Our three stories to start the year are: ‘Peggy’s smile’ (David Philip/New Africa Books); ‘The fish that couldn’t swim’ (Book Dash) and ‘Ginger’.

It’s International Picture Book Month and this edition is a celebration of the picture book – from reasons to use picture books to ideas for celebrating them this month. The stories that we feature are picture books, ‘Frederick’ (Jacana with the Little Hands Trust/PRAESA) and ‘Can you?’ (David Philip/New Africa Books), as well as ‘The lion and the monkey’.