2024 has been a year of great progress in the literacy space. It marked the launch of the Reading Riot, surpassing our expectations as a team. Reading Riot’s focus is to involve teachers and students across the entire country in promoting literacy and to create an opportunity for students to showcase their skills in reading for meaning. Reading can be fun, exciting, and competitive, and most importantly, it should be developed and celebrated.
Why is this important?
Consider it: “Reading is the basis of all education, and silent reading fluency is how we learn more things in life.” If you can’t read, you’re limited to what others tell you and what you experience. Learning becomes slower without understanding information and learning materials on your own.
Did you know…
There is a “reading level” for different grades or education levels to measure silent fluency reading skills.
Reading skills, strategies and abilities can improve. If so, how?
Good reading with comprehension will affect a person’s academic career.
There are different reasons why your child might not like school… one of the most prevalent being poor reading and comprehension skills.
Curiosity and Learning
We learn by asking questions because we’re curious. When we’re curious, our brains release dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good. This happens when we explore and satisfy our curiosity. When we enjoy finding answers to our questions, more dopamine is released, making learning enjoyable.
Imagine a room of 30 Grade 6 students learning or reading about a topic they know nothing about. Their brains are still developing, and they might be distracted. If their reading level is only at Grade 3, they might struggle to understand the material. Trying to learn and understand becomes challenging, causing them to lose interest and this can also lead to performing poorly in exams.
Understanding the Root Causes
We need to understand the root causes of students’ behaviour and outcomes. You can’t just tell a student to “like school.” That’s not helpful. Learning any new skill, including developing your reading, involves steps:
Modelling: Seeing how something is done.
Guided Practice: Trying it with help.
Independent Practice: Doing it on your own.
Application: Using the skill in real situations.
The good news is that improving your reading with understanding is like training your muscles; the more you exercise them, the stronger they get. Just as athletes train their bodies, we can train our eyes, improve our skills and develop our minds with reading and cognitive exercises.
Did you know that current data in South Africa shows that out of 100 students starting in Grade 1, only 12 go to university, 6 complete their studies, and 4 graduate from University? These statistics aren’t because of a lack of potential in our country. It shows that we haven’t equipped our students well enough to succeed in their academic journeys. Poor reading and comprehension skills contributes largely to South Africa’s alarming dropout rate of 36% for high school students.
A Call for Change
Thankfully, something can be done. We can enhance almost everyone’s reading and learning capacity. The question is, are we willing to change, or are we just talking? Can we act? Can we make this happen for the next generation? Let’s take hands to empower not only the youngest learners but also give everyone older the opportunity to improve and achieve more.
Our next blog will share more about the National Reading Riot competition, but be sure to check our social media and sign up for our newsletters so you and your students can compete in 2025!
Just like improving physical fitness requires a workout plan and consistency, improving our ability to read and work with information requires practice. We invite all students to take a free placement test on Eyebraingym. Check if you’re at the international grade level, which is 185 Words Per Minute with a minimum of 70% comprehension, for instance, for Grade 6 students. Click the link, create a profile, and follow the instructions to learn more about your reading fitness level.
Even if your school doesn’t have this in its curriculum, you can still access it and benefit from personalised development. See you online!
