How Can Something as Simple as Reading to a Child Can be So Effective?

Salam everyone. Today's sharing:

We read to children for all the same reasons we talk with children; to reassure, to entertain, to bond, to inform or explain, to arouse curiosity and to inspire. But in reading aloud, we also:

• Condition the child's brain to associate reading with pleasure
• Create background knowledge
• Build vocabulary
• Provide a reading role model

Let's look at how we create lifetime readers. There are two basics reading "facts of life" that are ignored in many education circles, yet without these two principles working in tandem, little else will work in education reform.

Reading Fact 1: Human Being Are Pleasure-Centered

Human will voluntarily do things, which brings them pleasure. Pleasure is like the glue that holds our attention - but only to what we like. Every time we read to a child, we're sending "pleasure" message (glue) to the child's brain. However, there're also the "unpleasures" associated with reading - boring, threatening and without meaning. If the child seldom experiences the "pleasures" of reading and meets only the "unpleasures", then the natural reaction will be withdrawal.


Reading Fact 2: Reading Is An Accrued Skill

Reading is like riding a bicycle, or driving a car; in order to get better at it you must do it. And the more you read, the better you get at it.

From: Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook 5th. Edition

This Holiday, Be With Your Children

School holidays and festive season. Take some time to be with your love ones.

Don't let your child fill their time just like this:



But, together, you can do this instead.

Eid Mubarak! Happy holidays !

Special Read Aloud Session

Assalamualaikum to all friends and visitors.

I'm just going to inform you that RAKB will organize a special read aloud session to fill up our school holiday's calendar. I know, a lot of parents don't know what to do to help their children enjoy their school holidays. So... come and join us!

Here is the detailed information about the session.

Date: 22 November 2008, Saturday

Time: 3.00 pm - 4.30 pm

Venue: Kidz Corner of Dar Nur al-Zahra' Islamic Library, Jln. Telipot, Kota Bharu

Fee: RM5 per pax

Give me a call at 09-7484975 or 019-9403659 and book a place for your child. We have to limit the participation because of our limited supplies and Readers.

Let's enjoy the holiday with some interesting & fun activities with our children.

Yours truly,
KakChik on behalf of RAKB.

New Books at MariBaca.blogspot.com

Blessings of Ramadhan

from ummah.com

All praise is to Allah, Whom we thank and seek for His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and the burden of our evil deeds. Whomsoever He guides, will never be misled, and whomsoever He misguides, will never find enlightenment. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad is His slave and Messenger.

Allah said, what translated means, "O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam" [3:102], also, "Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations) of the wombs (kinship)! Surely, Allah is Ever an All- Watcher over you." [4:1] and, "O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the Truth." [33:70].

The best of speech is the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance sent with Mohammad - peace be upon him. The worst of matters are Bid'ahs (innovations in the religion), every Bid'ah is a Dhalalah [misguidance], and every Dhalalah is in the Hellfire.

Dear Muslim Sisters!

We are hosting soon inshaa'a Allah a unique, a generous and a honorable guest. A guest that visits us once a year and brings with it all sorts of goodness and happiness. A guest that brings with it the wide Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah. A guest that brings with it a smell of Paradise. A guest that makes the believer closer to Allah and His Paradise and away from Shaytan and Hell Fire.

It is Ramadhan, the month of the Qur'an, the month of Mercy, the month of Forgiveness, the month of prayer at night and Suhoor, the month of solidarity and mutual help, the month of all blessings. We are advised in our merciful religion of Islam to be kind and generous towards the guest, so what if the guest is the best of guests over the year? we should exert ourselves in generosity which is in this case good behavior and intense worship.

It is from the immense mercy of Allah upon us that He made us Muslims and believers and that He extended our lives till we reached this Ramadan. It is reported from some of the Salaf (Muslims of the first three centuries of Islam that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, praised in the well known famous hadith) that they used to pray to Allah during the six months before Ramadan to extend their lives so that they can fast Ramadan, and in the 6 months after Ramadan they would ask Allah to accept their fasting of Ramadan. Therefore, we have to be thankful to Allah that He allowed us to witness this Ramadan, so let us please Him during this month.

Why do we fast?

It is from the nature of humans to ask and to wonder why they do things. Muslims do things to please Allah, and they can please Allah only by obeying Him and practicing His religion.

Allah says in the meaning of : "O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it has been prescribed for people before you so that you will (learn how to) attain Taqwa" (Qur'an, al-Baqarah, 2:183)

Ibn 'Umar reports that Allah's Messenger said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles)

• To testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.
• To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly.
• To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) .
• To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca)
• To observe fast during the month of Ramadan. [Bukhari]

Abu Huraira narrates that one day while Allah's Messenger was sitting with the people, a man came to him walking and said, "O Allah's Messenger. What is Belief?" The Prophet said, "Belief is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Apostles, and the meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection." The man asked, "O Allah's Apostle What is Islam?" The Prophet replied, "Islam is to worship Allah and not worship anything besides Him, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay the (compulsory) charity i.e. Zakat and to fast the month of Ramadan." [The narration of Muslim has Hajj as well]. The man again asked, "O Allah's Apostle What is Ihsan (i.e.. perfection or Benevolence)? The Prophet said, "Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not achieve this state of devotion, then (take it for granted that) Allah sees you." .... Then the man left. The Prophet said, "Call him back to me." They went to call him back but could not see him. The Prophet said, "That was Jibreel (Gabriel) who came to teach the people their religion." [Bukhari]. (Note that there are other narrations of this hadith, I took here one from Bukhari)

Since Islam means submission to Allah, we have no other choice but to submit ourselves to Allah and obey His commandments. It is from the mercy of Allah towards us that while He prescribed on us fasting He also showed us the greatness of fasting in this world and in the hereafter to make it beloved to us.

Getting Your Child to Love Reading

Author: Kathryn Perkinson

Helping your children to enjoy reading is one of the most important things you can do as a parent and well worth the investment of your time and energy. Kids will learn reading skills in school, but often they come to associate reading with work, not pleasure.

As a result, they lose their desire to read. And it is that desire - the curiosity and interest - that is the cornerstone to using reading and related skills successfully.

By far the most effective way to encourage your children to love books and reading is to read aloud to them, and the earlier you start, the better. Even a baby of a few months can see pictures, listen to your voice, and turn cardboard pages.

Make this time together a special time when you hold your kids and share the pleasure of a story without the distractions of TV or telephones. You may be surprised to find that a well-written children's book is often as big a delight to you as it is to the kids.

And don't stop taking the time to read aloud once your children have learned to read for themselves. At this stage, encourage them to read to you some of the time. This shared enjoyment will continue to strenghten your children's interest and appreciation.

Simply having books, magazines, and newspapers around your home will help children to view them as part of daily life. And your example of reading frequently and enjoying it will reinforce that view.

While your children are still very small, it's a good idea to start a home library for them, even if it's just a shelf or two. Be sure to keep some books for little children to handle freely.

Consider specially made, extra durable books for infants, and pick paperbacks and plastic covers for kids who are older but still not quite ready for expensive hardbacks. Allowing little children to touch, feel, smell, and even taste books will help them develop strong attachments.

How you handle books will eventually influence how your kids treat them. Children imitate, so if they see that you enjoy reading and treat books gently and with respect, it is likely that they will do the same.

When you read aloud together, choose books that you both like. If a book seems dull, put it down and find one that is appealing. There are, however, so many children's books in print that making the best selections may seem a formidable task.

One approach is to look for award-winning books. There are two famous awards for children's literature made each year by the American Library Association that are good indicators of quality works: the Caldecott Medal for illustration and the Newbery Medal for writing. But these are given to only two of the approximately 2,500 new children's books published each year.

Fortunately, there is a lot of other good help available. For instance, there are lists of books recommended by the American Library Association and the Library of Congress and some excellent books to guide parents in making selections.

The best help of all, is at your neighbourhood library. If you are not familiar with the library, don't hesitate to ask for help. The children's librarian is trained to help you locate specific books, books that are good for reading aloud, and books on a particular subject recommended for a particular age group.

The library also has many book lists, including ones like those mentioned above and probably some published by the library itself.

In addition, your library will have several journals that regularly review children's books, including The Horn Book and Booklist. These will give you an idea of what's new and worth pursuing.

And there's nothing like just browsing through the many books available at your library until you find ones that appeal to you and your kids.

If your children are school-aged, keep in mind that the school library is an excellent source for a wide variety of materials and the school librarian is knowledgeable about children's literature. Encourage your kids to bring home books from their school library - for pleasure as well as for their studies.

Poem: WHEN MOTHER READS ALOUD...

By Unknown Author


A mother's reading to her children.

When Mother reads aloud, the past
Seems real as every day;
I hear the tramp of armies vast,
I see the spears and lances cast,
I join the thrilling fray;
Brave knights and ladies fair and proud
I meet, when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, far lands
Seem very near and true;
I cross the desert’s gleaming sands,
Or hunt the jungle’s prowling bands,
Far heights, whose peaks the cold mist shroud,
I scale, when Mother reads aloud.

When Mother reads aloud, I long for noble deeds to do …
To help the right, redress the wrong,
It seems so easy to be strong,
So simple to be true.
Oh, thick and fast the visions crowd
My eyes, when Mother reads aloud.

(was posted earlier on 16 February 2005)

A Baby A Book!

ABOUT a month ago, I had the good fortune and pleasure of “meeting” a librarian by the name of Rashidah Begum. Like so many first-meetings in this day and age, it happened online when Rashidah emailed me about an exciting programme she is involved in.

“Every Baby a Book” (pic) was launched in July 2007 by the Penang Public Library. It brought together two ideas: to produce a durable children’s book from cloth and to provide every new baby in Penang with a book, in the hope of nurturing a love for reading.

read more...

Source: Sunday Star

MariBaca - Islamic Bookstore for Children: Clearance Sale!#links

MariBaca - Islamic Bookstore for Children: Clearance Sale!#links

MariBaca is trying to clear out all last year's titles in order to stocks new titles. Please have a look at the link and find out about the sale. Who knows, maybe you'll find a good present there. Just click the link.

MariBaca - Islamic Bookstore for Children: Reading Culture in Kota Bharu#links

MariBaca - Islamic Bookstore for Children: Reading Culture in Kota Bharu#links

REPOST: THE READING FATHER (Poem)

by Edwards Steeley
(found in The Reading Teacher 48.8 (1995), page 695)

When I was a child,
My favourite time of every day
Came just before my bedtime
When I found a favourite storybook
And climbed on Daddy's lap.
His whiskers brushed my hair
As I leaned back against his chest,
His strong arms reached 'round me
To open our passport to adventure.
I could feel his deep voice rumble
Against my back as he began to lead us
On our evening journey
Oft' we'd tramp the Hundred Acre Wood
Or go Where the Wild Things were.
We steamed down the Yangtze River;
Stood on the banks of
The great, grey-green greasy Limpopo River.
We joined Fern to watch her barnyard friends.
Dr. Doolittle taught us to talk to the animals.
We cried together when our sled dog died
Just before crossing the finish line.
But no matter how far we had roamed,
We always returned safely in time for bed.

And now I prepare for yet another journey
As my curly-haired toddler climbs onto my lap.

1st posting was on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005

Grow a Reader in Your Home

Dr. Seuss wrote,

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

Start your kids off on their first adventure in books with these suggestions from The New York Times Book Review on Children's Books and Oprah's Book Club!

• Make a field trip to the library. Oprah says, "Make a big deal about getting a library card!"
• Try to get children hooked on a favorite author or series. Oprah loved Lois Lenski while growing up.
• According to the July 2000 issue of Good Housekeeping, 77% of elementary-school students return to school with a reading level below or at the level they had when they left the previous year. Make sure you have books available at home to read.
• Have your child read aloud so you can gauge their progress.
• Set a good example. Children need to see you reading!
• Teach kids that reading is about pleasure.
• Don't measure by the number of books read, but the time spent reading.
• Help designate a special reading spot just for your child.
• Joke books, comics, newspapers, magazines and maps make good reading too.
• Read the same book along with your child — let your child recommend a book to you!
• Check out Oprah's reading suggestions for kids of all ages!

Reading Aloud

Research and practice show that one simple activity — reading aloud — is the best way to prepare children for learning to read and to keep them reading as they learn and grow. Reading aloud helps your children develop the language skills that they will use in school and throughout their lives.

Reading aloud also creates a special time for you to bond with your children. Cuddle together as you share adventures. Laugh at silly characters, root for heroes, and wag your fingers at villains. And do it together. At the same time, you'll be helping your children develop a lifelong appreciation for reading.

Why read aloud? Because reading aloud:

• Is great fun, and it benefits your children's growth as readers and learners.


• Nurtures your children's love of both the written and spoken word.


• Gives you a chance to rediscover favorite stories and find new ones.


• Helps your children develop important language skills that will help them learn to read on their own.

Talk on 'Understanding the aspects of child developments and their implication on the teaching and learning."

Yesterday, I was invited to give a 2-hour talk on the subject mentioned above. As the time given for me to prepare for the talk was quite short (only 2 days), I could not prepare the best that I wished. However, by trying my best, I think I managed to cover the objective of my speech.

The talk was in Malay for more than 50 persons.

Sharing what I know so far about early childhood educations with them makes me realized that there are a lot of others areas that I'm still lacking. I've promised my self that I'll make more research and reference so that, I get more knowledge and my speech would be more realistic.

Anyway, I have one sad thing that I've forgot to do, that was taking some photos during my talk. Usually I'll ask someone from the organizer to help me, but yesterday I completely forgotten. Maybe I'll try looking for some links from Jabatan PASTI Negeri's blog.

Bye for now.

Quote for today

The best book is not the book I like best.The best book is the book that takes you where you want to go.

(Brian Baxter, American bookseller, 12-30.07)

Reading Strategies (Strategi Membaca)

Ada ramai kalangan ibu bapa yang bertanya, "Apakah yang boleh kami lakukan di rumah bagi membantu anak-anak kami minat membaca?"

Sebenarnya, amat penting bagi anda sebagai ibu bapa, membaca buku kepada mereka atau biarkan mereka membaca buku untuk anda dengari. Tunjukkan kepada mereka bahawa aktiviti membaca adalah penting dan sangat menyeronokkan.

Dengan menunjukkan contoh teladan sebegini akan mendorong anak-anak menjadi bertambah minat terhadap pelajaran dan juga pembacaan. Sekiranya anda tidak dapat melakukan apa-apa, doronglah mereka dan pujilah mereka seberapa kerap yang boleh apabila anda melihat atau mendengar mereka membaca.

Maklumat lanjut: www.harrisclasspage.com/readingstrategies.htm

Jom Dengar Cerita (Read Aloud & Storytelling)

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Berita baik! Berita baik! Program 'Read Aloud' kembali lagi dengan nama baru iaitu JOM DENGAR CERITA. Insya-Allah kita akan bermula pada 2 Feb 2008.

Berikut ialah maklumat lanjut program di atas:

Tarikh: 2 Feb 2008

Masa: 10.00 pg - 11.30 pg

Tempat: Sudut Kanak-Kanak, Perpustakaan Dar Nur al-Zahra'

Peserta: 4 - 10 tahun

Yuran: RM5 seorang (makan-minum disediakan) diskaun 10% bagi adik-beradik

Haa... tunggu apa lagi, jemputlah mendaftar sekarang! Telefon kami di 019-9403659 atau 09-7484975 sebelum 1 Feb 2008.

Tahun ini, pasti lebih menarik!