The statistics and now even test scores confirm that Belizean students are putting down their books and picking up that television remote.
The Anglican school system doesn't claim to have the solution, but it is at least addressing the problem. The first step is literacy week being held under the theme "genuine caring: literacy learning for every Belizean child." It's a mouthful and includes a week of activities at all Anglican managed schools. This afternoon the spotlight was at their proudest, the Anglican Cathedral College, with a variety show starring noted dramatist John Alexander Watler. And if you are wondering what a variety show has to do with literacy and reading, ACCs drama and Arts Director Joseph Stamp explains.
Joseph Stamp, Drama & Arts Dir. ACC
“I think that it can be interactive. You can always find plays in book and put them on a stage and that way you can promote whatever play you have read in a classroom. And you can see the children have more interest in that. I think it’s more than just reading you know. You can take it on a stage and have them see it live and direct and that way you will get them more interested in reading the books.”
Patrick Faber, Vice-Principal ACC
“We believe literacy is not only just reading. It is reading, it is writing, it is listening, and it is speaking. And in this variety show this afternoon, we certainly are going to see our students speaking through drama. We are going to see them speak out through dance. We are going to see them speak out in a number of different ways. And all of these ways we believe are a part of literacy. Not because you may not be able to recognize words in a book means you are not participating in literacy. Literacy is a whole lot more and this is only an opportunity for students to show that literacy is not just reading and it can be expressed in so many other forms.”
Joseph Stamp,
“This afternoon we have various performances by ACC students and we have invited a well known writer, Mr. Watler, and through that we hope to promote reading using him as an influence. We hope to encourage students to do more reading and stop watching television. Try to be artistic and try to do some reading.”
Literacy week concludes on Friday with a literacy fair at Bird's Isle.