Continuing a long tradition, British International School Doha College made World Book Day an all-encompassing, memorable experience that emphasised the students’ passion for reading.
The day came at the end of an entire week of special activities dedicated to reading, including students sharing their favourite bedtime stories in PJ’s and competitions for students to win House points.
On Thursday, the celebration stepped up a gear as students and staff engaged in book-related activities for the full day. They designed book covers, wrote book reviews and listened to stories told by visiting parents, who read to them in English, Arabic and French. One parent was Kamahl Santamaria (prominent newsreader at Al Jazeera television network), who read from a book written by widely published children’s author Kay Woodward.
Students and staff all dressed up as heroes or villains for the day, and teachers in ‘Foundation Stage’ put on a play based on the book ‘Room on the Broom’ to a fascinated audience.
There was a book fair, book donations, book swap, and ‘buddy reading’ in the libraries, where older students read to their younger peers. A particular highlight of the day was ‘DEAR’ – Drop Everything And Read – which all staff and students did at periodic intervals announced via tannoy throughout both Primary and Secondary schools.
Whatever the activities that best caught the young readers’ imagination, students were certainly inspired to enjoy reading, and understand the lifelong benefits that go hand-in-hand.