The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

STUDENTS at First Step Academy celebrated the school's annual literacy week on Monday, which included a demonstration on Braille and sign language.

The event opened with students and teachers showcasing diversity from various countries such as the Bahamas, Italy, Haiti, Jamaica, Pakistan, Cuba, and China.

Nadine Bowleg, the school's curriculum coordinator, said: "Virgilee Smith, director, promoted student literacy as an annual event to highlight how important it is to read as a way of communication - an interaction between the text and the reader to achieve success."

The literacy week committee chairpersons, Kayla Woodside and Debra Francis, incorporated Braille reading which was demonstrated by a special guest. Stephan Pitt, a blind student, along with his teacher Antoine Munroe demonstrated to the students how to type using Braille reading.

An assembly also included the demonstration of sign language as well as a presentation from Bahamian storyteller and poet Chevette Miller, who brought fun and laughter through dramatisation.

"The event promotes student literacy for the entire student body and all four campuses highlighted literacy week," Ms Bowleg said. "All of the classes presented and depicted a country and its flag. Some of the items also featured were songs, poems, and dance that were illustrated during the ceremony."

Mrs Bowleg continued: "The centre for the blind showcased their way of communicating and also demonstrated reading on the computer.

"The bulletin boards outside of the classrooms are all creatively decorated with hands displaying sign language, reading and literacy quotes in English or native languages of the various countries that the class showcased during the opening assembly.

"Parents were also invited to read to students during the week of activities.

"Students were also allowed to bring their favourite book to read to their classmates. They also were allowed to prepare crosswords and word search puzzles as a morning or afternoon activity.

"We also highlighted this year a sample of a food item or beverage from each grade level representing the country."

The school's literacy week came to an end today with a pyjamas day.