Reading Campaign 2023 for School students under Padhe Bharat

Reading Campaign 2023 is a 100 days Reading Programme and it is a nationwide initiative for creating a joyful reading experience for children under Padhe Bharat Campaign. Let’ s join hands to create a joyful reading culture. Department of School Education and Literacy has launched a National Mission for foundational literacy and Numeracy (FLN) called NIPUN Bharat on 5th July 2021.

The mission aims to cover the learning needs of children from age group of 5 to 9 years. As established by various international researches, foundational learning is the basis of all future learning for a child. Not achieving basic foundational skills of being able to read with comprehension, writing and doing basic mathematics operations, leaves the child unprepared for the complexities of the curriculum beyond grade 5.

Recognizing the importance of early learning, the National Education Policy 2020 emphasises that the highest priority must be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary schools. Further, it states that, the rest of this Policy will be largely irrelevant for a large portion of our students if this most basic learning (i.e., reading, writing, and arithmetic at the foundational level) is not first achieved.

Name of the Campaign	Reading Campaign
Title	100 days Reading Programme
Subject	MoE launched Reading Programme for creating a joyful reading experience for children
Category	Programme
Official website	https://www.education.gov.in/
READ guidelines in Telugu	Download the READ Programme Guidelines in Telugu
Download Reading Programme	Download the Reading Campaign Guidelines
100 days Reading Campaign	Download TS School Education Proceedings Rc. No. 2710
Mana Ooru-Mana Badi programme	Telangana Mana Ooru Mana Badi Programme 2022

READ Program means Read Enjoy and Develop. All the Heads of Institutions are requested to take up the activities with Schools, Teachers and Students to conduct the 100 Days Reading Campaign Program from 05.02.2023. Further, various level educational officers are requested to integrate Reading Campaign with initiative 3Rs program or ABC program and ensure 100% achievement of Reading ability among children to ensure all the schools actively participate in the Reading Campaign Program.

Various studies of learning profiles in India, including National Achievement Survey (NAS), have pointed out that many children are not able to read a simple grade appropriate passage. But, the curriculum and associated textbooks are designed with the expectation that children have acquired grade-level skills and can progress onwards. It is in this context, D/o School Education and Literacy is initiating a Nationwide Reading Campaign 2023 so that each child learns to read and thereafter, can read to learn.

A comprehensive guideline on ‘reading campaign’ with age appropriate weekly calendar of activities has been prepared and shared with States and UTs. The activities can be done by children with the help of teachers, parents, peers, siblings or other family members. In order to make the campaign effective, the activities designed have been kept simple and enjoyable so that these can also be easily conducted with the materials/resources available at home and with the help of parents, peers and siblings, in case the schools are closed.

100-day Reading Campaign ‘Padhe Bharat’

The 100 Days Reading Campaign is in alignment with the NEP 2020 which lays emphasis on the promotion of joyful reading culture for children by ensuring the availability of age-appropriate reading books for children in local/ mother tongue/ regional/ tribal language.

The Padhe Bharat campaign has underlined the importance of reading that children need to develop to ensure continuous and lifelong learning. The habit of reading, if inculcated at an early age, helps in brain development and enhances imagination and provide a conducive learning environment for children.

Reading is the foundation of learning, which motivates students to read books independently, develops creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary and the ability to express both verbally and in writing. It helps children to relate to their surroundings and real life situation. To create an enabling environment in which students read for pleasure and develop their skills through a process that is enjoyable and sustainable and which remains with them for life.

Minister shared the names of the five books that he has picked to begin reading. He encouraged everyone to adopt the habit of reading books and urged all to share what they are reading along with suggestions.

Padhe Bharat campaign Highlights

• Padhe Bharat campaign will focus on children studying in Balvatika to Grade 8.
• The reading campaign will be organized for 100 days (14 weeks) starting from January 1, 2023, to April 10, 2023.
• The reading campaign aims to have the participation of all stakeholders at the national and state level including children, teachers, parents, community, educational administrators etc.
• One activity per week per group has been designed with the focus on making reading enjoyable and build a lifelong association with the joy of reading.
• This campaign has also been aligned with the vision and goals of the foundational Literacy and Numeracy mission (FLN).
• The 100 days reading campaign will also focus on Indian languages including mother tongue/ local/ regional languages.
• It is in this regard, February 21 which is celebrated as International Mother Tongue Day, has also been integrated with this campaign.
• This day will be celebrated with the activity of Kahani Padho Apni Bhasa Main (Reading story in own language) across the country by encouraging children to read in their mother tongue/ local language.
• This will help in promoting the local language and culture of our society.

Hence, 100 days Reading Campaign is envisaged to support and encourage students, along with their schools, teachers, parents, and communities, in every possible way and encourage children to read for a joyful learning experience.

Why reading is important?

Reading is the foundation of learning, which motivates students to read books independently, develops creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary and the ability to express both verbally and in writing. It helps children to relate to their surroundings and real life situation. Thus, there is a need to create an enabling environment in which students read for pleasure and develop their skills through a process that is enjoyable and sustainable and which remains with them for life.

The contribution of reading in improving learning outcomes has been demonstrated in various research studies. It is a step towards developing command over language and writing skills. Unlike speaking, reading is a skill which does not come naturally to humans and needs to be learnt. Reading is an interaction between the text and the reader, which involves not just understanding the meaning of the words but also grasping the multi-layered meaning behind the text. It requires continuous practice, development and refinement.

Reading at early stage comprises of Alphabet Knowledge including naming and identifying the names and sounds associated with them, Phonological Awareness which includes being able to identify, comprehend, or analyze the spoken language, writing letters, vocabulary, remembering and comprehend content of spoken language for a short period of time, Reading Skills Concepts (e.g., reading left right, front back), Print awareness which includes ability to match or discriminate visually presentedpictures/symbols.

Language Learning is an everyday process

The children engage with language in their everyday life without realizing it. In one form or another they make use of language and their knowledge about the language too. They know how to address their elders, teacher. They are listening to conversations, may be radio too, watching television- these are the sources from which they draw their language and use it for communication. There is a lot of written and printed material available at our homes, the house number plate; folk art (Mandha) on the walls of the house; calendar; company’s name on the gas stove, name of the family head engraved on the utensils; name tattoos on the arms; page of newspaper; shopping lists; toothpaste box etc.

What is important is the amount of attention paid to that writing or printed material. Children develop an understanding of reading and writing even before coming to the school. This pre-knowledge of the children can be considered as the foundation of developing their literacy skills.

Understanding Reading and Writing

Children begin to read the written material around them, like on wrappers of purchases such as biscuits and toffees, posters/advertisements on the roadside, wall slogans, newspapers at home, storybooks at home and in school, letters/postcards, etc. As soon as children start holding pen, pencil, chalk, they start scribbling and try to add some meaning or message to them – this is also a part of the beginning of writing. In fact, the cognition of reading and writing also develops like development of oral language in the day-to-day meaningful and workable contexts. Children who read often become better learners, which leads to success in school and other areas of life.

The goal in all reading situations should be Ito understand’. It is imperative that the message that is conveyed in the printed text be understood and enjoyed.

Reading motivates students to read books independently, develop creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary, and the ability to express both verbally and in writing.

Writing is also a process of comprehending the thoughts and sharing it with others. It not only includes the process of joining words together, rather it is a systematic procedure of sharing the knowledge, information and ideas in a coherent manner. Writing enables children to explore, shape and clarify their thoughts, and to communicate them to others. By using effective writing strategies, children discover and refine ideas and compose and revise with increasing confidence and Skill.

Children’s comprehension of their written language mostly depends on their effective use and understanding of oral language. Even before starting their formal instructional training for writing, children begin to interact with the literacy environment around them and start building connections between symbols and their meanings.

How to develop reading habit among children?

• Availability and access to a variety of simple and interesting storybooks that are illustrated with attractive pictures, and particularly comic books and joke books in the children’s classrooms.
• Children need to be provided dedicated time on a regular basis and a comfortable space to read in the classroom.
• Activities to be conducted like read-alouds, shared reading, discussions on books read by them, role plays, word games such as ‘l spy something here that looks like…’ and children come out with the relevant word/s after observing the surroundings, etc., to increase their involvement with books and to develop a habit of reading.
• Make Reading Enjoyable through Activity: In order to inculcate lifelong reading habit amongst the children, it is important that we make reading enjoyable and interesting. Therefore, activity based approach is most effective in making the experience of reading exciting and joyful.

Details of Reading Programme

Target Group: Children studying in Balvatika to Grade VIII will be part of this campaign. They will further be categorised in three groups class wise:

Programme Name	Reading Programme
Group I	Balvatika to Grade II
Group II	Grade III to Grade V
Group III	Grade VI to Grade VIII
Duration of the Reading Programme	The Joyful Reading Porgamme will be organised for 100 days (14 weeks)
Reading Programme Schedule	from January 2022 to April 2022

ABC Program
NIPUN Bharat
Vidya Pravesh
School Preparation Programme
FLN Mission
LEP 3Rs Programme
ABC Programme
45 Days ABC Programme Action Plan

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Implementation of Pado-Bharat and Bade Bharat (Early Reading and Writing with Comprehension and early Mathematics Rrogramme). For implementation of above said programme for classes I and II, the DPOs, the MEOs, School complex HMs and the School HMs of primary Schools and UP schools shall be instructed to undertake the following tasks in every Primary and UP school.

1. Developing reading corners exclusively for classes I and II.
2. Providing print rich material like posters, captions, quotations (simple); visual reading materials; children’s birthday chart, chart of children clubs; charts of stories and poems; daily children routines etc.
3. Providing graded reading series like Vana Chinkulu provided earlier by SSA and other books for self reading to develop reading habits.
4. Story telling by Teacher and well as by the students.
5. Practicing ‘Aaj Ki Baath’ daily for half an hour (morning message) i.e conversing with the children on any child related issues such as good habits, daily routines, children experiences with their friends, family members, their interests; likes and dislikes.
6. Language and mathematical games
7. Local rhymes, stories and songs for reading and for numerical pleasure
8. Exploration of 3-d and 2-d shapes; counting objects; number sense; number operations.
9. Visits to local interesting places like village fairs, post office; police station; diverse religious and cultural institutions; celebration of local festivals
10. Identification of children learning needs and providing additional support or remedial teaching
11. Maintaining children profiles/portfolios; celebrating and showcasing their achievements
12. Use of CCE giving due importance to children free expression; ways of expression; children portfolios/children work; along with performance of children in reading, writing and mathematics.
13. The Resource persons who attended the State Level workshop held in October, 2015 conducted by NCERT shall also be involved in implementation of the said programme for providing resource support at school point and in the school complex meetings.

II) Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyaan: The DPOs shall take up the activities on implementation of RAA in the district

1.  Identification of 10 best schools in the district under RAA project by 20th November.
2.  Identifying Mentoring Institutes to attach to these 10 identified schools in consultation with concerned MEO and HM by 30th November.
3.  Arranging the meetings between identified schools and mentoring institutes in last week of November.
4.  Communicating the earlier orders and related literature of RAA to the identified schools.
5.  Undertaking the activities and programme of RAA in the identified schools with the help of Mentoring institutes.
6.  Preparation of action plan at district level and at Institute level as a way forward of RAA activities in the district and submit the same to the SPO by first week of December.
7.  The Principal and faculty of DIET/ CTEs/ IASE shall be involved in the implementation of RAA activities in the district.
8.  Those schools who wish to take up the RAA activities voluntarily other than ten identified school are free to choose mentoring institute within the vicinity and shall plan their activities.

Ill) Exposure visit of neighboring institutes (as communicated by MHRD)

1. Completion of identification of one school per mandal i.e., Primary I UP school for visiting of High schools I Higher Educational Institutions within the mandal by 251h November, 2015 and sending of list to SPO.
2. The AMOs in consultation with concerned MEO and HM of the identified school shall identify the Secondary school/ Higher Institution for tagging with the identified school. The list shall be finalized and shall be communicated to SPO by 25th of November.
3. The DPO shall arrange divisional level or district level meeting to chalk out the plan of action for one day exposure visit with identified school HM; concerned MEO and the Head of the Institute of concerned visiting Institution. These meetings shall be convened in first week of December, 2015. The consolidated action plan and District action plan shall be communicated to SPO by 10th December.

IV) Organization of Language programme (as communicated by MHRD):

1.  Finalization of  ’10’ schools and languages to be adopted by the schools for implementing Language programme (Knowledge of Language of other State) by 20th November.
2.  Communication of list of schools identified and languages identified for the children Study to SPO by 25th November along with plan of Action for implementation of language programme in the district.
3. One day meeting with identified School HMs and concerned MEOs for evolving school based action plan for implementation of the programme in the respective schools.
4. If any other schools wish to implement this programme voluntarily, they may be permitted to do so. 

V) Swachh School Campaign

1. The DPOs are requested to adhere to the schedule given earlier identification of best schools for implementation of Swachh Patashala programme at mandal level and at district level. Further they are requested to take necessary step to upload the photos and documentation of best practices of these best schools in the official website of MHRD.
2. The list of best schools identified at mandal level at district level may be communicated to SPO, as per the schedule given earlier,

VI) Organization of School Complex Meetings at Primary level and at UP level: For the conduct of school complex meetings at primary level and at UP level in the month of November and December, the focus of activities could be on the following issues.

A. Primary Level:

• a. School-based Plan of action up to February 2016 for improvement of children learning particularly in Reading, writing and simple arithmetic for the children who are lagging behind even after the conduct of LEP-3R’s program.
• b. Implementation of Early Literacy program for classes I and II – ‘
• Pade Bharat – Bade Bharat: Developing of Reading corners; providing Print rich material; involving the children through daily conversation on issues related to child life i.e Aaj Ki Baath (Morning message);
• Pedagogical practices on developing reading, writing skills and simple mathematical concepts prescribed for classes I and II,
• Learning plans for the children who are lagging behind in the first summative test and its implementation.
• Discussions on strategies and live demos on pupil-centered pedagogy i.e discovery approach; activity-based teaching; project-based learning and any other innovative classroom practices adopted by the teachers.
• Evolving teaching plans and its tryout while working with children on multigrade teaching.

B. Upper Primary Level:

• School-based Plan of action up to February 2016 for improvement of children learning particularly in Reading, writing and simple arithmetic for the children who are lagging behind even after the conduct of LEP-3R’s program.
• Learning plans for the children in respective subjects who are lagging behind in the first summative test and its implementation.
• Discussions on strategies and live demos on pupil-centered pedagogy i.e., discovery approach; activity-based teaching; project-based learning and any other innovative classroom practices adopted by the teachers.
• Discussions on way forward for implementation of activities of Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyaan with a focus on the improvement of Science Teaching and Mathematics Teaching through Experiments in Science; Extensive use of science lab; the building of Math Lab in the schools; Projects in Science and Maths; tying up of UP and High schools with nearby Higher Educational Institutions under RAA for mentorship and for guidance in developing projects in Maths and Sciences.
• The DRPs, MRGs who were already identified in the district may act as Resource persons for the conduct of school complex meetings.
• After completion of school complex meetings, the DPOs shall send the report indicating the target, attendance, and achievement of the school complex meetings.

VII) Data Capturing of QMT tools of 1st Quarter.

1. The DPOs shall instructed to take necessary steps to complete the online data of QMT of first quarter by 20th November, 2015. The DPOs may initiate disciplinary action against the erring personnel who fails to complete the task within the stipulated period.
2. After completion of data entry of QMT, the DPOs are requested to generate the reports at the District level and at the mandal level and also to conduct the review meetings at respective levels based on the QMT reports.

VIII) Data of LEP-3 R programme: The DPOs shall instruct the CRPs, MEOs to furnish the data of LEP-3 R programme of pre-test and post-test in the prescribed format by 25th November. Therefore the District Educational Officers, the Project Officers of SSA and the Principals of DIETs I IASEs I CTEs in the state are once again requested to take necessary steps for implementation of said programmes, and in turn communicate the necessary instructions to MEOs, School complex HM’s and the schools.

Further, the DPOs are requested to involve the Principals of DIETs, CTEs and IASEs in the said academic activities to be conducted in the District.

Instructions on Pedagogy Ongoing Activities under Pade Bharat-Bade Bharat