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Varsha Seshan

 

A Theme-Based Reading Programme

December 15, 2019 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post for StoryWeaver about a training programme I have been conducting for the last three years for librarians in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, and the ways in which I use StoryWeaver and Pratham Books for the reading programme they implement in schools. I have grown so much through the workshops I purportedly conduct! Working with a range of librarians with limited resources has been an eye-opening experience for me, an experience that I treasure. Each year, I tweak the programme slightly, trying to make it more accessible to every level of learner and easier to implement.

A chart depicting a sad girl with a cloud of trash on her head, examples through pictures on the other side. Text in Marathi
Problem: A cloud of trash over Chhakuli’s head; Analysis: Throwing trash in the garden, on the street and on the school premises

This year, I continued with a theme-based approach, but I chose themes that were clearly linked with the needs of reluctant readers. How delighted I was when I learned about how the librarians took the ideas to their schools!

Linking the reading theme with the overall curricular theme ‘Cleanliness’, the story A Cloud of Trash was selected. For two weeks, the libraries focused on character emotions, then they moved on to identifying the problem in the story, discussed synonyms and antonyms and then tried to discover the solution.

A chart about trash
The problem: A cloud of trash; Analysis of the problem: Throwing a banana peel on the road, throwing a biscuit packet, throwing trash everywhere

And finally, the children were involved in a task that demonstrated their understanding.

  • They presented a skit, trying to imagine what happened next
  • They made a fresh book cover for A Cloud of Trash
  • They made a poster for their school to highlight the importance of cleanliness
  • They made their own stories and comics about cleanliness
  • They created picture books of their own, revolving around the idea of a cloud of trash
A poster that encourages everyone to separate dry and wet waste keep their surroundings clean
Come, let us segregate garbage and keep our surroundings clean!

My next training session with the librarians is two days away and I can’t wait to see what magic they will bring next to their classrooms!

A pop up display of children based on the story A Cloud of Trash
I love angry Chhakuli on the left and happy Chhakuli on the right!

Filed Under: Workshops Tagged With: A Cloud of Trash, D-Mart CSR, Pratham Books, reading, reading programme, Storyweaver

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