Literacy, Read for meaning, Reading Comprehension, Reading Therapy

Illiteracy, the curable “disease”

Port Elizabeth Reading Therapy Cheryl Cupido Gqeberha English Literacy

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. Cancer is the second biggest cause of deaths and in addition to this there is the cost of treating cancer, which runs into thousands of rands. About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries. Over 7 million people are illiterate, but this is not seen.

Illiteracy and poverty often go hand in hand. Illiteracy can limit access to education, job opportunities, and essential information. Without the ability to read, individuals may struggle to find stable employment. They may also struggle to increase their income and escape the cycle of poverty. Conversely, individuals who are literate have a better chance of pursuing higher education, finding employment and improving their economic situation.

Reading and language literacy is a fundamental skill that opens doors to knowledge, information and opportunities. It creates a sense of belonging and greater self-confidence. It enables individuals to access educational resources, understand written instructions, engage with the world around them, and make informed decisions. Literacy is essential for participating in society and advocating for one’s rights. It contributes to the economic development of a community or nation.

When a community has a high literacy rate, it can have numerous positive effects. Literacy empowers individuals to engage and participate in community development, and contribute to social and economic progress. It promotes better health outcomes, as literate individuals can access and understand health information. This leads to improved health practices. Literacy also facilitates communication and understanding among community members. It fosters social cohesion and cooperation. Literate communities tend to achieve better outcomes and they understand the world around them.

Traditional education systems may not reach all individuals due to various barriers such as geographic location, socio-economic factors, cultural norms, or lack of infrastructure. However, reading can be a more accessible means of education. It can be self-directed and available through various mediums like books, newspapers, and online resources. Even in the absence of formal education, literacy can empower individuals to be able to read for meaning. They can learn independently, acquire knowledge, and improve their circumstances.

Over 7 million people worldwide are illiterate . The World Literacy Foundation says illiteracy is costing South Africa’s economy R119.03 billion as about 3 million people struggle to read, write and do basic maths, highlighting the financial cost and social effects of 4.7% of South Africans having low-level literacy skills.   
Ref: https://mg.co.za/education/2023-04-04-illiteracy-

Illiteracy can indeed be considered a curable “disease” that has significant implications for individuals and societies

To explore the possibility of face-to-face Reading Therapy with Cheryl  Cupido in Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth (Walmer Heights /Lorraine/ Sunridge), contact her for a free consultation to discuss how she can assist you.

Learn to read, Literacy, Read for meaning, Reading Comprehension

Tips for parents to help their child read for meaning

read in English reading therapist english literacy remedial reading classes in Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha?

Tips

  • Build your child’s spoken word and vocabulary skills by having regular robust discussions around the dinner table, about a variety of topics, as recommended by LB Literacy.
  • When reading with your child, ask them questions focusing on the 5 W’s (who, what, where, when and why) to focus your child and to check their understanding.
  • Help your child to find answers to these literal questions by looking for clues in the pictures and the words of the text.
  • Ask questions that require your child to link what happened in one part of the story with an outcome in another part of the story (exploring cause and effect).
  • Pause reading midway through a story and ask your child to predict what they think will happen next. Encourage them to base their answer on what has already happened and what they know about the characters in the story.
  • Encourage your child to make inferences based on what they already know.
  • When reading with your child introduce the before, during and after approach recommended by Reading Rockets.

To explore the possibility of Reading Therapy with Cheryl  Cupido in Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth (Walmer Heights /Lorraine/ Sunridge), contact her for a free consultation to discuss how she can assist you.

Literacy, Literacy Support, Read for meaning, Reading Comprehension

How will I know if my child can’t read for meaning?

Reading difficulty reading for meaning literacy Cheryl Cupido

Signs that your child can’t read for meaning

  • My child reads one word at a time in a staccato manner.
  • My child reads in a robotic voice showing little expression.
  • My child ignores punctuation e.g. reads past full stops without pausing.
  • My child cannot remember what he / she has read immediately after reading.
  • My child cannot answer basic questions about the text they have read.
  • My child is unable to connect ideas in a passage.
  • My child is usable to distinguish important information from insignificant details in a passage.
  • My child is distracted when reading passages.
  • My child will stop and talk about something, often completely unrelated to what they are reading, in the middle of a sentence or passage.
  • My child makes many mistakes while reading and makes no attempt to self-correct.

Reading difficulties that affect a child’s ability to read for meaning

Lianne from LB Literacy highlights areas of struggle by asking the following questions.

Does your child…

  • have difficulty recognizing rhyming words?
  • struggle to identify words that start with the same sound?
  • struggle with associations between letters and their sounds?
  • still confuse vowel sounds?
  • have difficulty manipulating the sounds in words?
  • guess words based on the first letter rather than sounding them out?
  • leave out/skip words in a sentence?
  • add words that are not there?
  • struggle to recognize repeated words, sounding out the same words repeatedly?
  • constantly reread words or parts of a sentence even when they are familiar with the words or have read them correctly?
  • occasionally read words in reverse? E.g. ‘saw’ is read as ‘was’
  • make visual errors where they confuse letters such as b, d, v, w, f, t, m, u and n?
  • leave off the endings of some words? E.g. ‘games’ becomes ‘game’
  • add endings that are not there? E.g. ‘play’ becomes ‘playing’
  • struggle to segment the sounds in words? (Segment means to break words up into sounds = spelling)
  • struggle to blend the sounds in words? (Blending means to push the sounds together to form words = reading)
  • make no attempt to self-correct?
  • show signs of resisting or avoiding reading activities?
  • read excruciatingly slowly, one word at a time, sounding out each and every word to the point that all meaning in the sentence is lost?
  • read words in isolation with inappropriately long pauses between each word in a sentence?
  • making advanced phonic errors because they do not know the language code? E.g. Reads

To explore the possibility of Reading Therapy face-to-face with Cheryl  Cupido in Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth (Walmer Heights /Lorraine/ Sunridge), contact her for a free consultation to discuss how she can assist you.

Literacy, Read for meaning, Reading Comprehension

What is reading for meaning?

The term “reading for meaning” has come into the spotlight once again. The 2021 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS)  recently announced that 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning. The PIRLS study assesses reading comprehension and monitors trends and indicators of growth in the reading literacy of participating countries at five-year intervals.

Misconceptions

There is a misconception that children who cannot read for meaning are unable to read at all. This is not always true. Many children are able to read mechanically and to go through the motions of decoding. However, their reading has not progressed beyond this point. This means that although they can read they cannot access the authors intended meaning. This means that despite being able to read they do not do well in comprehension tests. Being able to read and decode simple words is not enough.

Reading comprehension

Reading comprehension is the understanding that we draw from written text. This can be at a literal level as well as an inferential level. It is not just about decoding and correctly pronouncing read words accurately. It is about being able to link information within the text and being able to access the deeper meaning of words within the context of a sentence or paragraph. It is about understanding the subtleties of what the author is trying to convey to us. It refers to our ability to link information, infer things and predict what will happen next, based on what is known and has already been read. 

Comprehension skills continue to grow and develop throughout our lives as we are exposed to information across a variety of topics, in both verbal and written form. The conversations we have within our families, within our communities and the quality of the information we are exposed to through news channels, social media platforms and the groups that we belong to will have an impact on our ability to comprehend the world around us and the challenges it presents to us. Every bit of knowledge we have of words and facts enables us to understand something else a bit more complex. Without the foundation knowledge we are cut off from understanding the next layer of complex information. We can therefore see comprehension as the continual process of adding building blocks to our knowledge and understanding throughout our lives.

Foundation of other learning

Reading comprehension is the foundation of all other learning at school level. Help2Read says that “reading for meaning gives letters and words purpose, unlocking a world of learning” for the reader. If most learners are unable to do so, then as they move up the grades they are limited in the amount of learning that they can access.

Plans for change and improvement

A new report from the 2030 Reading Panel has found that basic literacy among children in South Africa has declined. Fewer primary school children can read for meaning now than before the Covid pandemic, and most children entering Grade 2 do not know their alphabet names or sounds. But despite us being in the midst of a literacy crisis, there is no set out national reading plan, no proper budget, no proper acknowledgement, no accurate reporting, no accountability and no progress on implementing vital interventions. The report finds that these children, who do not know the alphabet by the end of Grade 2, are “perpetually behind and in ‘catch-up’ mode, although they never actually catch up”. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-reading-panel-background-report-7-feb-2023.pdf

The ability to read for meaning is the gateway to other types of learning. Children who are unable to comprehend written text are shut out of aspects of basic education, further education and later on employment opportunities. As an example, in South Africa, employers have been known to point out that potential matriculated job applicants are unable to fully comprehend safety instructions presented in written form. This makes them unemployable in a particular work setting.

To explore the possibility of face-to-face Reading Therapy with Cheryl  Cupido in Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth (Walmer Heights /Lorraine/ Sunridge), contact her for a free consultation to discuss how she can assist you.