LITERACY IS CRUCIAL to the success of individuals in relation to both their career aspirations and their quality of life.
It is more than a basic reading ability, but rather an indication of how people use written information to function in society. It is also fundamental to learning in schools.
All countries in the world should be striving to maintain an average or high literacy rate.
One person aware of all these things is Undine Shorey, president of the Barbados Association of Reading, an association which is fighting to improve literacy in Barbados.
“We are doing our part to make sure that we have events such as open-door conferences, so that we can reach as many teachers, librarians and anybody who is interested in literacy.
“We also have community exposure, where we train members in community groups who in turn can teach the elderly in their communities to read their Bibles.
“We have a Walk For Literacy Day, where we carry around books with placards encouraging people to read and we donate books along the way. We have also been to children’s homes where we would go and do reading and craft with the children at these homes and donate some books as well,” said Shorey.
Students of the island’s schools are future leaders of the country. This is why this week’s WEDNESDAY WOMAN stressed that it was important that “our children” be as literate as possible.
“It is a reality that in every school you might find that some people are not reading as properly or regularly as they should,” said the former teacher at Grantley Adams Memorial School.
The major approach being used in schools is remedial reading programmes, explained Shorey, who is also an education officer with the Ministry of Education.
“Most of the schools in Barbados are doing their best to target and approach children who have reading problems. Some people learn at different rates, so schools would have appropriate programmes to suit the needs of the students they are targeting.
“There has been evidence that the system has been working, and eventually schools will be able to get more trained staff to help in the process.”
She added: “From my teaching experience, I understand that there are children who are late learners.
“We would say that they are not going to [achieve much success], but when I work with them I find that they have managed to achieve.”
