When Einstein said if you want children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales his scientific mind knew reading books to children enhances their cognitive skills, develops language, improves comprehension, sharpens listening, builds longer attention span, and create memories. And when Einstein further said if you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales he knew what all of us have experienced in our lives that stories spark imagination and it is this spark of imagination that we aim to ignite.
For us at TAAL the key word in what Einstein said is read. He did not just want us telling fairy tales, he wanted that children be read these tales to them. And it is this process of reading of stories that we aim to undertake with children.
Reading stories to children require a story book, a reader and children. When all three happen, we call it a Book Reading Session. Book reading sessions are conducted at Book Reading Centres that are located in the community. We plan to establish Book Reading Centres for children in communities starting with a modest target of 4 in 2024 increasing them to 10 by end of 2025 and to 20 by end of 2026.
Children, between 5 to 10 years, are contacted through their parents and are invited to come and listen to stories that will be read out to them. The older children are welcome to join in. There are no entry barriers to children and the time and place for the session is mutually agreed upon with the children and their parents. We call this place the Book Reading Centre. Once the book reading sessions starts in a community, we plan to conduct one session per week at the centre and encourage issue of books for reading at home as in a library.
Book reader is a volunteer who reads the story and ensures the children enjoy the session. By volunteer we mean that s/he conducts book reading session with children and is compensated for the expenses incurred for it. S/he is trained to create a safe and fun filled space for children to listen to stories that are read aloud and encourage children to think and express.
We have had children who have drawn and coloured images from the stories and express their desires to read about their favourite and wide-ranging topics like about cars, space, history, nature, sports, monuments and so on.
We require age-appropriate story books for the Book Reading Centres that we plan to start in different communities. And it is important for children that new books are added periodically to sustain their interest, and to create a space where they start reading books for themselves and for other children.
Over the period of time, we expect children to develop a similar reading inclination towards their academic books and see a positive impact in their learning levels.
This means that we require financial resources for the volunteer expenses, their training and orientation in the conduct of book reading sessions, procuring and safe custody of books and to assess impact on learning in future.
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