|
Learn the News presents the news in language that primary school children – and other readers – can easily read and understand. It also extracts educational value from the news through numeracy and literacy worksheets that can be used in the classroom and for homework. Stories are presented so as to cater for readers of different levels of literacy. A story is presented first in bold type and in language much like that of a young child's bedtime story. If necessary, slightly more sophisticated language follows, in italics, for the benefit of older children for whom the worksheet might be written. The "adult" version of the story is next, straight off the news wires. Words children may find difficult are highlighted and explained in a glossary. One story a week is accompanied by a cartoon of Sipho, the roving reporter, going about his job in different parts of the world. Stories are sensitively selected and presented to avoid the horror often found in mainstream newspapers. But creative thinking goes into working out news angles through which to cover important stories, indirectly if necessary. |
Time and again I have been assured that Learn the News fulfils it three main aims: to encourage reading, promote general knowledge and spark an interest in current affairs. Individual teachers, parents and home schoolers have their own ways of using Learn the News. In addition to using the worksheets, some give the newspaper to children who are ahead of others as extra reading; others give it slow readers. Many schools use the quiz questions for quiz competitions. If you feel there's enough work you have to get through, try pasting up the stories around a world map for children to read in their own time. Learn the News started as The Times I Am Living In, back in 2005, when I made a newspaper for my children while I was working as a reporter at the South African Press Association (Sapa). Sapa took on the project and the Open Society Foundation for South Africa provided grant funding to enable it to grow. In August 2011 it became a commercial venture. Duncan Guy Editor |
