Youngsters to upgrade their reading skills at clinic

Sixty boys will benefit from the fifth edition of Babb’s Reading Clinic. The three-week programme which is being held at the Barbados Community College (BCC) will be free to the boys who are challenged by their limited ability to read at the expected grade level. BCC is providing the space for the clinic rent-free, while other sponsors are providing asisstance in various ways.

Speaking during the opening ceremony on Monday morning, coordinator Dr. Astra Babb, said that while there are people who may question just how effective three weeks of instruction could possibly be, that period is equal to 45 hours of immersion with reading strategies such as activating phonic awareness, finding the main idea, summarising, monitoring, clarifying and questioning.

“The young men will be instructed by trained professionals including a counsellor and personnel from the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) who will engage them in team-building exercises.

“All we ask is that you allow these boys to read to you every evening, the stories or extracts they bring home. This will assist with reinforcing the skills taught,” Dr Babb said.

The reading specialist said that as they grow older, boys are primarily visual, spatial and experimental learners, and noted that this is extremely important for teachers in primary school, especially at the infant level, to remember the training they received in how to teach reading and to attend refreshers’ courses.

“No child in Barbados should reach Class Four and be unable to read. By the time the child gets to Class Four, they have already spent approximately five years in school.

“Most teachers present much of their daily content in an auditory format. However, boys desperately need teachers to accompany auditory instruction with visual content, thus appealing to more than one sense.

“Boys benefit from being given the opportunity to present a report by acting out a character, building a model, or creating a video that demonstrates their knowledge of the content, more so, than being asked to write a book report,” Dr Babb said.

Principal Youth Development Officer in the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Development, Andrea Titus, in the featured address, applauded the participants for taking the step to improve their reading skills.

Titus told the boys that although their educational journey may have been challenging, reading will open new doors and provide them with a greater understanding
of the environment.

“Of utmost importance, reading and comprehension will improve your communication with your teachers and peers. It will bring awareness to new words, thus widening your vocabulary. I encourage you to seek the meaning of unfamiliar words, whether it is by using an old-fashioned dictionary or on your modern-day devices,” Titus said.

The Youth Development Officer also encouraged the participants, many of whom are transitioning to various secondary schools, to be aware of the Ministry’s YES Juniors programme which introduces young people to entrepreneurship. Titus said the in-school programme provides training to aspiring businessmen and women.

The Babb’s Reading Clinic is in its fifth year and under the laws of Barbados, is a Registered Charity, number 1410.

Activities such as problem-solving scenarios and educational field trips are also included in the programme. The duration of clinic will be from July 18 to August 5. The sessions will be conducted Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. (AH)