Online Reporter
The Herald
11 June 1985
A GROUP of academics, worried about the large numbers of students passing through school without being fully literate, has launched a countrywide project to ensure reading skills are adequately taught.
Members of Project Zimread will try to persuade educators that there is a direct link between the ability to read and the ability to learn.
The aim of the project is to increase reading skills and consequently the country’s academic record by experimenting with methods for teaching reading, helping teachers to teach the skill and encouraging publishers provide more interesting and challenging educational material.
The project, recently launched by the Harare Reading Council, has already received positive reaction from educators and Government officials, one of the initiators, Dr Tom Anderson, said in an interview.
A recent test revealed that the reading skills of roughly half the first year students at the University of Zimbabwe this year were below the standard required by the university, “The fact that many students do not learn to read well is not necessarily an indictment of the quality of Zimbabwean schools but rather a natural outcome of comprehensive schooling where students from diverse backgrounds and cultures meet in common schools and learn about diverse cultures,” he said.
Teachers and researchers have begun to gain some insight into reasons why some students do not learn to read well,” said Dr Anderson.
“Students may not have learned a reliable technique for decoding the written language they never learned to say accurately the words as they are written on page.
“A seemingly circular aspect about reading is that the reader must know a lot about the topic she intends to read before she can learn much from it,” he said.
Lessons for today:
The direct link between the ability to read and the ability to learn is emphasised. Literacy is foundational to all other learning, and improving reading skills can significantly enhance overall academic performance.
Recognising that students come from diverse backgrounds and have different learning needs is important. Tailoring education to meet these diverse needs can help ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed. High-quality, relevant reading materials can stimulate students’ interest and improve their reading skills.
Regular assessment of students’ reading skills and ongoing efforts to improve literacy education are necessary. Understanding the reasons behind students’ reading difficulties can inform better teaching practices and interventions.
