By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
To promote the love for reading and to celebrate the diversity of learners and culture through reading, the Department of Education (DepEd) is spearheading the nationwide celebration of the 2018 National Reading Month (NRM) this November.
(photo courtesy of DepEd facebook page / MANILA BULLETIN)
Issuing DepEd memorandum no. 175 series of 2018, Education Secretary Leonor Briones directed DepEd officials at the central, regional and schools division levels as well as school heads in both public and private elementary and secondary schools to undertake and participate in various activities related to the celebration.
The nationwide celebration of the NRM 2018, Briones said, is in line with the DepEd’s commitment “to provide quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all and to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and service for the common good.”
With theme, “Pagbasa: Susi sa Magandang Kinabukasan,” DepEd enjoins all schools and learning centers to hold suggested activities for elementary and secondary learners. However, Briones noted that schools are “encouraged to hold related activities” other those that are suggested by DepEd.
Briones said that the NRM shall culminate with the nationwide synchronized story reading time on November 27, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Philippine Standard Time (PST). Every November 27 of every year has been declared by Republic Act No. 10556 as “Araw ng Pagbasa” which is a regular working holiday, to be celebrated in all elementary and secondary schools in the country.
Meanwhile, Briones directed school administrators, division chiefs, and other DepEd officials to “join the nationwide story reading before a group of learners in their own schools.” Local government officials and other stakeholders, she added, “may be invited to participate in this activity.”
Among the suggested activities for the NRM include the “Mystery Reader” which is considered a national kick-off activity where all school administrators, Schools Division Superintendents and Regional Directors are directed to be the mystery readers of a children’s Filipino story book during the school’s flag raising ceremony.
DepEd has also suggested other activities for the NRM celebration which include the “Literacy Buddies” which is a writing program wherein each learner is matched with an older learner from the school. The “buddies” will then exchange weekly letters about the story that they have read for a month. At the end of the program, each literacy buddy is expected to meet and give each other a bookmark or an art work depicting one of the stories read.
Schools and other learning institutions are also encouraged to put up a “Book Fair” that will showcase story books written by learners and teachers. Also, there’s the “Reading Challenge” all teaching and non-teaching personnel of the DepEd are enjoined to read a book for a week for the month of November and a book sharing activity shall also be organized once a week to share the book read for the week.
The “#Shareabook,” on the other hand, encourages all learners and school administrators to bring their own story books for children. All teaching and non-teaching personnel as well as guests to DepEd conferences are likewise encouraged to share a story book. A drop box is also expected to be displayed for such purpose. Briones noted that the books collected from this campaign shall be used in putting up a library corner among Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS).
Briones also encouraged schools and learning centers to invite parents and other community volunteers to help non-readers and other learners with reading difficulties by adopting a child and help him/her succeed in reading through the “Help a Reader. Be a Volunteer” activity. The “Reading Family,” on the other hand, is a symposium for the parents and guardians on the “importance of reading to their children at home and on helping their children become successful readers.”
While schools are urged to hold the suggested activities, Briones emphasized that the school activities during the celebration of the NRM “must not disrupt the contact time between the teachers and learners.”