Songs, skits make reading fun for government school students

Madurai: Reading story books can be fun. But volunteers for the Vasippu Iyakkam project have made it superfun for students between Class IV and Class IX by singing songs and performing skits. The project was launched a month ago by the state school education department on a pilot basis in select blocks in 11 districts. It was implemented in 101 government schools in Madurai west block. A total of 51 children story books and two books of poems were provided for each of the schools. Volunteers of the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme were roped in as resource persons for the project.“The children of different age groups are divided into four groups: nuzhai (enter), the lowest level, nada (walk), odu (run), and para (fly), the highest level. They are given small books based on their level and made to read it in the classroom during school hours with the help of volunteers,” said K Amudha Selvi, coordinator of the project. “Volunteers engage the students, especially primary and middle school students, with songs and skits. This creates an interest among children and help them better grasp the stories. Children are also encouraged to tell the story to their peers in their own words,” she added. M Fayaz Fathima, a Class IV student of Narayanapuram Corporation Middle School, said, “Reading stories is fun and interesting and it makes me curious. I read a book about writing letters and it made me think that I want to write a letter one day about how I love my family so much because they work so hard to take care of me.”Another Class-IV student A Rafeeq said performing skits excite him and he is keen to be a writer in the future.