Building a strong culture of reading in Casuarina Primary School

Donovan Ng Jing Ren, a Primary 3 pupil at Casuarina Primary School, has found a solution to not being able to finish reading a book when it has to be returned to the school library by the due date.

- Elisha Tushara

"The novels in my bag, I actually had to borrow them again as they were too long," he told The Straits Times.

"You have to remember which page you stopped at, and the page number. You return it, and then when the library opens again, you borrow it again, and then you flip to the page number. This is exactly what I did."

He is one of many Casuarina Primary School pupils who have nurtured a love for reading, thanks to the school's efforts to promote the activity and provide plenty of reading opportunities for its pupils.

Beyond English language lessons, school-wide initiatives have provided an immersive environment for the school to grow a reading culture.

The school set up a Reading Buddies Programme in March, where Primary 4 and 5 school prefects are partnered with Primary 1 or 2 readers who need more help during pre-assembly reading.

Teng Ian Gripaldo, a reading buddy and prefect who is in Primary 5, enjoys helping his younger schoolmates improve their reading.