We teach our little ones Pre-reading skills through various educational games & toys

ourstory logo
half sun

Little Readers was born out of a deep love for reading and the fascination and wonder of brain development in young children... As well as the incredible experience of seeing children enjoy learning through play.

Maunette de Kock - Founder & Franchisor Little Readers

maunette

As a qualified elementary phase teacher with 24 years of experience in the wonderful world of small children, I have always been fascinated with LANGUAGE acquisition, and the learning of one of the most important skills – READING!

maunette

As a qualified elementary phase teacher with 24 years of experience in the wonderful world of small children, I have always been fascinated with LANGUAGE acquisition, and the learning of one of the most important skills – READING!

whyhow bubble

Over the years several things caught my attention in this regard and led to me researching the matter extensively:

  • flower small

    The number of adults in South Africa who have never had the opportunity to learn to READ and the sadness of children struggling to READ?

  • flower small

    What causes one child to excel while another is struggling to keep his head above water?

  • flower small

    Why does one child have a love for READING while another is so resistant to READING?

  • flower small

    Why, in South Africa, do we only begin the reading process at around the age of 6 and 7, where in many other developed nations the process commences at the age of 4?

  • flower small

    What difference does the earlier reading experience have and how does it influence the process involved in learning to READ? What effect does it have in creating a LOVE FOR READING in a child’s life?

  • flower small

    How were 3 brilliant little boys in a class of 33 grade 1 Grey College learners able to read before the academic year began? Their self-confidence and academic ability enabled them to be top achievers in their Matriculation class 12 years later. They were never bored or mischievous because they could already read, on the contrary, they were WINNERS with self-confidence and eager to read extra stories during classes. Al three rough-and-tumble-playing boys while still wanting to read and read!!

These were all questions I asked myself. After years of teaching, reading, in-depth research, and keen observation my conclusion was that:

plane sonder wit2

Children, who have an EARLY ENJOYABLE individualized experience with READING, in a SAFE and PLEASANT environment, develop a LOVE FOR READING, READ WELL, and have a definite ACADEMIC ADVANTAGE!

plane sonder wit

On a personal note

Afrikaans

Ek het in ‘n huis grootgeword ryk in boekies en ander leesstof, Biblioteek-uitstappies, en het al my kinderboekies oor en oor gelees. Met beide my kinders het ek van dag een af vir hulle boekies gelees, en selfs as babatjies het hulle self begin om die boekies vas te hou en te blaai. Ek kon nie duur speelgoed vir my kinders bekostig nie, so die Biblioteek was ‘n baie gewilde uithang plek vir ons, en buite speel en mors dinge natuurlik. Dit is by die Bib waar ek ‘n besondere Duitse familie ontmoet het. Ek het heel spontaan ontdek dat my vriendin Cornelia, al van baie vroeg af klankies aan haar “lees-verliefde kinders” voorstel. Dit was die gemaklik en spontane benadering wat my gaande gehad het…

Dit was vir my so lekker om vir beide my kinders die klankies speel-speel aan te leer lank voor hulle in die skool was. Lees was ‘n baie gemaklike proses vir beide, en hulle het boeke gelees eerder as om hulle tyd te spandeer aan al die digitale vermaak wat die meeste kinders as ‘n norm beleef het. Dit is eers toe my eerste kind in die skool was dat haar onderwysers begin navrae doen het oor haar leesvermoë, ryk woordeskat, en akademiese vermoëns. Hierdie terugvoer het my meer vrymoedigheid gegee om ons opwindende resep en metodes met ander mense te begin deel. Ons dogter is tans ‘n vyfde jaar Mediese student by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en ons seun tans eerste jaar Mediese student by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch.

Uit ‘n diep dankbare hart vir die Here se genade wil ek deur ons Little Readers Franchise my opgewondendheid oor ons pro-aktiewe-lees-metode en ondesteunende lees met ons kosbare Franchisees en Ouers deel! Ons glo dat daar nog duisende kindertjies by Little Readers sal baat en hulle ook DOLVERLIEF op lees sal raak. Met oor die 50 Franchises reg oor die land (in al 9 provinsies) sien ons elke dag wonderwerke gebeur; wat ‘n voorreg en geleentheid vir ons almal om met die vernaamstes van die Koningkryk te kan werk! En om hartjies te wen vir LEES!

English

I grew up in a home with plenty of books, reading material, and frequent visits to the library. As a child I read and re-read all my books many times over!

I read books to both my children from an early age. As babies they listened to stories and even held their little books themselves. I could not afford expensive toys, so the library became a favourite place to visit. Playtime always happened outdoors in a natural environment, and books replaced the technological devices that was the norm in so many households.

It was at the library that I met an amazing German family. Cornelia became my friend and I learned from her how she had taught her children, who were passionate readers, how to sound words while they were still very young. Her relaxed, spontaneous approach really intrigued me.

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching both our children the phonetic sounds in a playful way long before they went to school. Later on reading came easy to both.

When our eldest went to school, her teacher began asking questions about her reading ability, her rich vocabulary, and her academic ability. That gave me the freedom to begin sharing the methods I used and the benefits I was seeing with others. Our daughter is currently a fifth-year medical student at Stellenbosch University and our son is a first-year medical student at Stellenbosch University.

With heartfelt gratitude to the Lord, I want to share, through our Little Readers Franchise, my enthusiasm for our proactive reading methods with all our wonderful Franchisees and Parents. We are certain that there are still thousands of little children who will benefit from Little Readers and who will develop a deep love for reading!

Through more than 50 Franchisees across the country (in all nine provinces) we see miracles happening daily. What a privilege and wonderful opportunity for us all to work among the special ones of the Kingdom, while creating a lifelong LOVE for READing!

Dankie     Dankie     Dankie     Dankie     Dankie     Dankie     Dankie     Dankie

dina bubble

Ons storie se eerste proefkonyntjie was Yadine, wat vandag saam met ons Early Birdy stories skryf, help prentjies kies (so tussen haar mediese studies deur) en saam met ons droom daaroor om nog duisende kindertjies verlief te maak op LEES! Dit is so lekker om daai saam speeltye en boekies met ander te kan deel. Dankie 'Dina', jy inspireer ons nog elke dag!

ourstory bubble 2

Pierre en Pappa God was my Helde in hierdie storie!

Pierre bied onbeskryflike ondersteuning, woorde van geloof, en visie. Dankie ook vir gebede vir ons Little Readers “platvorm”, en vir die hoop wat hy saai soos “glitter” uit ‘n Koningskleed.

Pappa God vir Sy openbarende liefde en hart vir klein kindertjies. En vir my persoonlik vir baie onverdiende Genade en Liefde… dankie, dankie.

echard bubble

Echard, Little Readers se tweede proefkonyn! Dit was wonderlik om die vrugte van pro-aktiewe lees in sy akademiese vordering en selfvertroue te kon waarneem. Seuns kan sonder “playstations” groot word, akademies presteer, provinsiale sportmanne wees, EN lief wees vir lees!