By Oyewale Alabi
When she answered the call to serve her fatherland under the National Youth Service Corps, Damilola Taiwo had a dream: to raise the bar of reading culture in her host community.
So, to achieve this dream, she adopted her book, Basics for Reading Skills as a manual for the campaign.
While other youth corpers were frolicking about, Damilola, who was posted to Patani Local Government Area of Delta State, moved from one school to the other teaching primary school pupils and their teachers the art of reading and secrets of phonics.
To further raise awareness on reading culture amongst children, Damilola organised reading sessions in seven different schools in the Local Government where she was serving. Teachers were also not left out in the scheme of things. They too drank from Damilola’s well of knowledge, as she organised phonics awareness sessions for them.
For her resourcefulness and selfless service to the Patani community, the Chairman of Patani Local Government, Mr. John Wodi, commended the author through a personally signed letter of commendation.
The letter reads: “Your unique ability to craft engaging and educational phonics book has made you standout in the literary community. Your dedication to promoting literacy and a love for reading in children is evident in every aspect of your work, and we have been honored to share your story with our readers.
“We have seen your book distributed at no cost to 7 different primary schools in Patani Local Government, Delta State and have received overwhelmingly positive review of your work. Your book has been praised for its ability to make complex phonics concepts accessible and fun for young learners, and we believe that your contributions to the field are truly exceptional.
“We are proud to recognize you as one of the leading phonics children’s book writers in the industry, and we look forward to continuing to feature your work on our platform.
“Please accept our sincerest appreciation for your outstanding contributions to the field. And your continued support and contributions to creativity world of phonics.”
Truly, Damilola, through her awareness reading and phonics campaign, raised the bar in classroom teaching in Patani. But then, beyond the adulation from the chairman and accolades of the host community, a quick recap of the book will suffice.
The book, Basics for Reading Skills, is a comprehensive children’s book designed to introduce young learners to the fundamental skills of reading.
Published in 2016, this innovative book focuses on the five essential vowels in the English language, carefully selected and presented to provide a solid foundation for early childhood education.
The book’s unique approach to phonics instruction is built around the five vowels – A, E, I, O, and U – which are supported by 21 consonants. This deliberate combination enables children to recognize and blend sounds, developing their phonemic awareness and decoding skills.
Through a series of engaging and interactive exercises, Basics for Reading Skills guides children on a journey of discovery, exploring the relationships between sounds, letters, and words.
The book’s colourful illustrations and child-friendly layout make learning fun and accessible, while the comprehensive teacher’s guide provides educators with valuable support and resources.
By focusing on the essential skills of phonics and decoding, Basics for Reading Skills equips children with the tools they need to become confident and proficient readers. This foundational book is an invaluable resource for educators, parents, and caregivers seeking to provide young learners with a strong foundation in reading skills.
Indeed Basics for Reading Skills is a valuable companion for primary school pupils and young adults. Also, teachers will find the book useful in the teaching of art of reading and phonics.
With Basics for Reading Skills, Damilola has demonstrated that she is a student of Francis Bacon, the English statesman and philosopher,who authored the classic, The Advancement of Learning (1605) and said “writing and reading maketh an exact man”.
In conclusion, I will recommend the book not only for all school pupils across the country, but also for all who crave deep learning and knowledge.