Celebrate World Read Aloud Day on March 4, 2015 with the National Library of the Philippines

Reading aloud helped tremendously when I was teaching my boy how to read. I would sit him on my lap and read to him, while I moved my index finger under each spoken word. I would learn later on that this reading instructional strategy had a name: the Neurological Impress Method. The read-alouds, combined with phonemic awareness techniques, proved effective in developing my son’s language and early literacy. Motito, now eight, reads early chapter books like Stink, Flat Stanley and the Magic Tree House, as well as graphic novels from Papercutz and Marvel Comics. From time to time, we engage in a modified version of read-aloud in which we take turns reading a page from his chapter books. Doing so helps me keep tabs on his pronunciation, decoding skills, and reading comprehension. There are long stretches of days when Motito is not inclined to read, and taking turns reading aloud helps jump-start his reading habit.

World Read Aloud Day is a global literacy movement started by LitWorld.org with the aim of “calling global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.” Begun in 2010 by renowned literacy educator and author Pamela Allyn, World Read Aloud Day is now celebrated in more than 80 countries and reaches over 31 million people through online read aloud activities. The organization’s World Read Aloud Day 2015 site has downloadable kits or packets that people can use to celebrate reading and literacy in the classroom, the community, the home, or place of work.

The National Library of the Philippines celebrates World Read Aloud Day 2015

On March 4, 2015, the National Library of the Philippines will hold storytelling, read aloud and puppet show sessions from 8:30AM to 11:30AM at the Thomas Jefferson Information Center (TJIC) of the United States Embassy in Manila. This event is made possible with support from Vibal Publishing House, the TJIC, US Embassy Manila, and the Philippine Librarians Association Inc. The event will be live streamed through the Quezon City Public Library from NCR, Urdaneta City Public Library from Luzon, Cebu City Public Library from Visayas, and Butuan City Public Library from Mindanao.