The book authored by teacher Julie Weygan Aparato captures a dedicated educator’s decade of experience in teaching literacy-challenged Filipino street children to read.
“This book serves as a guide in establishing a literacy program at the community level targeting disadvantaged children, seven years and older, who are unable or are struggling to read,” Aparato said.
Much of the content of the book is based on actual experiences of the author in leading a community-based literacy program, which has helped at-risk children attain a literacy level that would eventually lead to these children’s improved academic performance.
“Classroom-based day-to-day experiences comprise the ultimate resource and guide to deliver an effective and practical reading system for the literacy-deprived children,” Aparato said.
In the book’s foreword, Dr. Cristina Lim Yuson said: “I believe the best teachers are those who never lose hope and pursue what they see as challenges to the learner.”
Yuson, founder and director of the successful Early Learning Center (1974-2003), concluded after her review that Aparato is “a seasoned mentor who uses the play method might also accomplish more than the regular rote learning.”
“Identifying the kids, assessing their levels of literacy, involving the parents and doing repeated home visits — these are humbling tasks only a committed member would do… If regular teachers just follow these steps, I am sure our school kids would learn to read and enjoy reading for a lifetime,” she said.
For her part, Dr. Portia Padilla commented that “Nakakabasa na Ako! (I Can Finally Read!)” shows poor readers do not always remain poor, or worse, become poorer — thanks to the able leadership and collective effort of people who do what they can, despite and against the odds, whether there is a pandemic or not.
Padilla heads the faculty of Reading Education of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and also serves as the program chairperson of the Language and Literacy Education of UP Open University.
“Both personal and practical, this book invites us not only to read and learn, but more importantly, to act together for the benefit of our children,” she said.
Key contents of “Nakakabasa na Ako! (I Can Finally Read!)” include: Organizing the Literacy Class, Informal Assessment Tools, the Curriculum, Approaches and Activities; Reading and Recommended Techniques, Developing Reading Fluency; and Migration to e-Learning, among others.
Interested readers can course their inquiries and reservations through the publisher at miguelpatolot74@gmail.com.