This year is the hundredth birthday of the NZ School journal. Around mumble mumble years ago I learned to read using the school journal. No big deal. Probably most of the kids in my generation of Kiwis did the same. But for me there was one big difference. Most early readers were off limits for me – I simply could not see enough to read the print. The large print editions of the school journal, and my wonderful new entrant teacher, were my introduction to literacy, and the whole wonderful world it brings to a young child.
Several years ago I mentioned to a friend in Special Education my few tatty copies, lovingly retained. (In those days you got to keep them.) She said there were no large print editions today. So a while later, when we moved house I couldn’t bear to throw them out and offered them back to SES for the records. Apparently they were the focus of some discussion.
Many disabled people, who are perfectly capable of learning to read, are, sadly, still leaving school barely literate. It seems to me to be a cruel and unusual form of punishment to deny someone, who may already face limited life choices the pleasure a good book, beautiful poem, or simply the daily reading of the news in the paper or on the web can bring, never mind being able to read the bus timetable, instructions for household appliances, study the Road Code, or understand everyday signage. Poor literacy is one way society further disables people.
Happy Birthday School Journal!
