Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), in collaboration with the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University, has launched the ‘Child Reads’ event at the Abu Dhabi Children’s Library within the Cultural Foundation. The event aims to provide children with a reading experience that aligns with the Year of Community, promoting the Arabic language and emphasizing the importance of reading as a daily habit.
According to Emirates News Agency, the initiative hosts around 70 children and their parents, focusing on instilling a love of reading in young minds and encouraging family engagement. The event also aims to equip teachers with tools, strategies, and resources to foster early reading skills. It features immersive reading sessions designed to stimulate imagination, enhance language abilities, and promote meaningful family interaction, highlighting the importance of shared reading in early childhood development.
Fifteen female students from the College of Education are participating in delivering the activities, divided into two groups. Each student leads a storytelling session and guides a related activity in small groups of five children. Each session runs for 45 minutes, with additional time for transitioning between activities, ensuring a smooth experience in an inspiring environment.
The event includes interactive oral storytelling sessions followed by enrichment activities led by students specializing in early childhood education and special education. These activities aim to highlight the importance of reading in daily life, strengthen bonds among children, families, and educators, and nurture curiosity and a love of learning.
The event consists of seven themed stations, each with a different story and a unique setting tailored to its accompanying activity. Visual aids and interactive materials support each story to reinforce its educational and moral messages. After storytelling sessions, children can explore books independently, enhancing visual storytelling skills and enabling them to create and record their own stories using iPads.
The Centre has selected stories by accomplished female authors specializing in children’s literature, including titles like My Trait, Not a Monster, and Where Did the Black Chicken Go? by Amal Nasser; Dad and The Box of Happiness by Reem Al Gurg; and Zack le maniaque, Salom© la press©e, and Cassandre la gourmande by Odile Bailloeul. The latter titles were published by the Kalima Translation Project under the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.
Additionally, the event features a workshop for parents and educators, focusing on guidelines for reading to young children and fostering a love of books. Led by experts from the College of Education, the session offers practical advice and strategies to attract children to reading and establish it as a cherished habit.
