The programmes tend to be free or heavily subsidised and help to boost the kids' confidence.
Ms Febri Wulandari and her children – Fachrul Fikriansyah, seven; Yusuf Fachri Fikriansyah, 10; Farsha Fardilah, four; and Farah Faizia Hazanul Bidhri, nine – all of whom are involved in the Reading Roots reading programme held at MacPherson Community Club.
Through Reading Roots’ programme, her children learnt to read and to enjoy reading. After their weekly class, they often ask Ms Febri to take them to the Geylang East Public Library nearby. The children sometimes make up quizzes based on what they read. If their siblings answer correctly, they get a sweet.“My children are not only interested in learning English, but Malay as well,” she says.
Before attending such programmes, which tend to be free or heavily subsidised, some pre-schoolers may not have known that one reads a page in a book written in English from left to right, according to industry insiders. Some of these youngsters may have undiagnosed dyslexia, a learning difficulty that affects reading and writing skills.
She says: “There is a gap in literacy levels between pupils who attend enrichment classes that teach them phonics strategies for reading, versus less privileged children who may be attending pre-schools, but are not exposed to proper phonics instruction.Phonics is a method for teaching reading and writing to beginners, which involves matching the sounds of spoken English with individual letters or groups of letters.
“This can be attributed to various factors, such as inconsistent attendance during pre-school, limited parental engagement and the misconception that children will naturally develop reading skills upon entering primary school.” EtonHouse Community Fund’s reading programme for children aged three to six from lower-income households aims to do that.
Ms Lynette Lee, manager of special projects and programmes at EtonHouse Community Fund, says: “Every child gets to bring all 20 books home so he or she can enjoy them at home in the hope of cultivating the joy of reading.”
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