Scores of grade one children from the six Government-run Primary Schools were at the Rodney Mac Arthur Rey Auditorium on Monday, February 24, to participate in an innovative, serious, but fun-filled manner in separate literacy performances.
Under the direction of their teachers, the young students presented a variety of adaptations of the comic book fable story, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Their well-practiced presentations not only put across “In living colour” the varied elements of the story, but the serious emphasis of the Ministry and the Department of Education on the importance of literacy as well.
The Literacy Programme was formally launched in the schools of Anguilla in February 2011. Since then there have been a number of commendable, robust and promotional efforts to heighten interest – and to boost the undertaking aimed at improving reading, comprehension and general learning in the primary schools in particular.
One of the six adaptations of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs that stood out was “Shara Proctor, Omari Banks and the [Seven] Scouts and Guides”, a performance which, among other matters, stressed the importance of both youth organisations and the need for youngsters to become involved in their memberships.
Another outstanding adaptation of the fable centered on Black History Month, with a presentation of the Anguilla Revolution by the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School. The performance ended with the revolutionary song: We are out to build a new Anguilla.
Mrs Vanessa Hobson, the Literacy Champion who coordinated the event, spoke to The Anguillian about the literacy performances.
“What we have here this morning is a function called In Living Colour, adaptations of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The grade one students, working with their teachers and parents, have made changes to the original story,” she explained.
“The whole objective is to get students interested in reading and develop within them a love and appreciation for literacy. We have seen where the grades have taken one genre which would be the prose that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was originally written in, and have turned it into a piece of drama.
“One school actually turned the story into a poem. We have had quite a bit of a variety – as many of the students put a Black History Month twist on the story. For example, we have seen Ebony showing up in one of the performances as opposed to Snow White, and we also had Shara Proctor and Omari Banks depicted in another performance.
“It is quite an interesting event and the students seem to be enjoying what’s going on. I must make mention also of our Literacy Mascot – his name is Literate Lincoln and he is actually the host of this morning’s event. Our Mascot is yet another way to try and get children excited and interested in reading and literacy in general.
Asked about the organising of the event, Mrs Hobson replied: “I would say it was organised by the Literacy Unit of the Ministry’s Department of Education.”
It was an event that attracted much applause from parents and other members of the general public who were appreciative of the children’s adaptations and the messages they conveyed. They were also enthusiastic about the stage performance of Literate Mascot, the name assumed by the appropriately attired and disguised MC, Education Officer, Mr Winston Duncan.
