Hasseh

Hasseh

Geographical Location: Hasseh, Isfahan City
Age-group: Preschool and Elementary school, Infant and toddlers
Number of Children: 260
Number of Teachers: 12
Start Date: June 2011
End Date: Summer 2017

The “Read with Me” program began its work in Hasseh area of ​​Isfahan in 2011. For one year, 40 mothers took courses while 30 children aged 6-12 participated in a Reading Aloud class. But despite the very positive achievements of the participants, the program ended after one year because of lack of space.

In 2013 Children and Young Adults Literature Admirers Association restarted the “Read with Me” program by establishing an office in Hasseh area. One of the most important steps of the association was to hold workshops for tutors. In these workshops, the tutors became familiar with Reading Aloud techniques, managing the reading sessions, book-related activities, child-centered creative education, living values ​​along with reading and working with the Learning Farsi through Literature package.

In total, the association has trained 12 tutors for this area. Reading Aloud sessions were held for 134 children twice a week in 2014-2015. The achievements of this program include the development of linguistic, cognitive and social skills in the children of this institution. The children have more self-confidence, peer and peer friendly behavior and group work participation. Their progress in educational achievements was significant. Other activities of the association in Hasseh included holding weekly storytelling sessions for mothers. A small library was set up at the center where mothers and children could borrow books.

Also in June 2015, the Reading with Babies and Toddlers program started in Hasseh. So far, two groups of mothers have participated in this program, in collaboration with the association. Participant mothers receive infants and toddlers’ book packages with the financial support of a number of benefactors. They learn how to use the content of these packages. In this way, they support the all-round growth of their children and make them familiar with the pleasures of reading.

Marit Törnqvist’s Experience in Hasseh

In November 2016, Marit Törnqvist, a Swedish-Dutch illustrator who had traveled to Iran for participating in the first “Read with Me” conference, traveled to Isfahan and held workshops for children. A group of 20 children participated in the workshops and carried out the activities related to “the Red Bird” book. Marit, who was amazed at the children’s grasp of the book, asked each of them to portray their own red birds after drawing a picture of Anna and some birds herself. Then, each of these children responded to the question about the place they wished their red bird took them.