Reading as a Tool to Combat Social Ills
Reach out and Read offers reading programs for kids in schools categorized as lower quantile schools in Western Cape, South Africa.
In our program, we focus on kids in the foundation phase, grades 1-3, and age group 7–9 years old.
According to our initial evaluation, 45-55% of kids in classrooms have a reading disability, which means 180 kids need our help per school.
There is a high rate of children struggling to read due to GBV&F, Human Trafficking and Gangsterism – the trauma that children suffer as a result of abuse including sexual molestation, physical assaults, violence, gangsterism, substance abuse and the use of children as human shields.
By providing kids with a safe place where guidance and recognition are given, we assist in preventing and breaking the cycles of GBV&F,Human Trafficking and Gangsterism.
As per http://How Reading Books Improves Social Skills – Education Connection (education-connection.org)– see below extract…
Reading books (particularly fiction) increases empathy
The ability to step inside another’s mind, to feel what they feel and understand their thoughts, seems an insurmountable concept. Adults have a hard time explaining how it works, so imagine how much harder it is for children. In fact, children are not born with the ability to feel empathy. They learn this skill through social interaction with family, their peers, and society in general. Luckily, books can help with that. Research shows that reading fiction puts us in the mind of another person, allows us to experience every challenge, feel every emotion, and triumph over adversities right alongside our favorite characters. This direct immersion in another person’s mind stimulates systems in the brain,and develops the ability to empathize with other human beings.
Reading books enhances social problem-solving
In addition to learning empathy, books provide an endless supply of social interaction examples from which to learn. Scenes full of character dialogue show children effective – and ineffective – ways to handle conflict in a variety of situations. It allows children to experience a range of moods and emotions they aren’t likely to experience in everyday life. Experiencing these emotions in a “safe” environment allows the child to think about how they might react in a similar situation, preparing them for future interactions. This makes their emotional development more well-rounded and mature.
11 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Reading
- It makes you smarter
- It makes you more creative
- It makes you happier
- It makes you more empathetic
- It takes away your stress
- Protects your memory
- Can help prevent Alzheimer’s
- It can make you live longer
- Improves school performance
- Improves your math skills
- Reading to children improves their vocabulary
https://www.infobooks.org/blog/benefits-of-reading/#11
#read #endgenderbasedviolence #endhumantrafficking #endgangsterism #education #saveourchildren
Co-Author: Dirk Greef-Cronje – Director at Reach Out and Read Co-Author: Hilary Leong – Chairperson at Awareness for Child Trafficking Africa (ACT Africa)