Multilingual supplementsBrowse our archive of Nal'ibali reading-for-enjoyment supplements available in 10 language combinations.
Is reading part of your family's daily life? If not, a great way to get started is to join the Get-Caught- Reading movement during the month of May and help your children discover the magic of books and stories. Books and stories can help us to learn about other people, animals and places without ever leaving home!
Caregivers can play a very important part in helping children choose books that will get them “hooked” on reading and stories. For example, it is very important that books for babies and pre-schoolers are in their home language wherever possible. Reading in your home language deepens understanding, knowledge and the desire to keep reading. Wordless books with pictures give you the chance to tell a story to your child in your own way. Your child can create their own stories too. Wordless books are great for children and adults who speak different languages
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Tshivenda/English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
How often have your children said, “Tell us a story, please?” You may remember what it feels like to be completely wrapped up in a story – it’s like everything around you disappears and you are part of the story! Children love hearing stories, and they are a great way to stimulate their imagination and their use of language. Here are some tips to help you be a magical storyteller for your children.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
This year, the Nal'ibali reading for enjoyment is celebrating its 10th annivesary! In 2012, Nal'ibali was launched as a national reading for enjoyment campaign. Its aim was to spark, and embed a culture of reading accross South Africa so that reading, writing and sharing stories, in all of the South African languages would become part of everyday. To make that vision a reality, Nal'ibali has produced many wonderful stories in all of the South African languages. These stories are shared in our bilingual supplement, as printed books and radio stories, on our website and via social media, so that every child can enjoy a story everyday.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
It’s holiday time! The year is almost over and soon it will be that time of year when most of us are able to spend more time than usual with family and friends. It’s time for that long-awaited end-of-year break. That time of year when we can all slow down a bit, relax and spend time doing more of the things we enjoy.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
November is International Picture Book Month – a time to celebrate those special books that capture our imagination with their carefully chosen words and beautiful illustrations. Picture books introduce our children to the world of literature. They also play a critical part in their development.
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
What we tell our children about girls and women is an important part of building a more equal society. And we tell them about girls and women in lots of different ways. One of these is through the stories we share with them.
Afrikaans/ English: PDF
Sepedi/ English PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Books are expensive and so it is understandable that we want them to last. How can we help our children learn to take good care of books so that they can be enjoyed over and over again?
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Have you noticed how naturally curious children are? Given the chance, they will ask question after question! Use books to help them discover answers to their questions and to explore different topics together – you’ll find yourself asking questions too and you’ll learn things together.
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Between the ages of six and nine, most children learn to read for themselves. So, what can you do to help them develop as readers? Well, the most important thing you can do is to keep reading to them! Here are some ideas for doing that.
May is Get-Caught-Reading Month! It’s the month when we remind ourselves and others that reading is part of our daily lives. Reading for pleasure is something we can do anywhere and anytime!
If you regularly read and write with your children at home, you teach them that reading and writing are important, useful and enjoyable. This helps make literacy learning easier for them. Everyone at home has a role to play in developing young children’s reading and writing. Here are some ideas to make literacy an enjoyable part of everyday family life.
We all have at least one language that we understand and communicate best in, although some of us may have more! People use different labels for this language − like “mother tongue” or “mother language” or “home language” − but it is the language we learnt first. It’s the language we think and feel in, the one in which it is easiest for us to express ourselves and communicate with others.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/ English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Welcome to your special World Read Aloud Day edition of the Nal’ibali Supplement!
World Read Aloud Day is celebrated by people from all over the world who are passionate about children’s books and reading. In fact, it’s celebrated by over one million people in more than one hundred countries! Every year Nal’ibali joins in these celebrations to raise awareness in our own country of how reading aloud supports children’s literacy development.
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Reading and telling stories can be two of the most satisfying activities for children, especially if they are stuck inside to keep safe, or because it is raining or they are sick. The magic of books and stories will let them go on adventures and visit different places without leaving home. Reading to our children shows them that reading can be enjoyable and entertaining. This motivates them to read more and more. And this is how they develop a lifelong relationship with books and reading!
Every day, people reach out to others to bring about positive change. A small act of kindness and love – like taking the time to read to someone or tell them a story – can make a big difference in their life. Stories allow us to make sense of our own lives and to connect with family and friends. Sharing stories helps children to do more than just learn to read; it builds a sense of belonging to their families and communities and also helps them understand others.
As adults we know that being able to share is an important life skill, and part of this is learning to take turns with others. When you regularly spend time reading with your children, not only do you develop them as readers, you also have an excellent opportunity to show them how to share and take turns. Taking turns helps you to create a partnership with your children around books. It means that you can share the power to make decisions about what you will read and how to spend your reading times. And so, exploring books becomes something you really do together!
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, children have not been able to go the library and reading clubs and have been away from school for a long period of time. To support you as you do your best to keep your family safe, Nal’ibali has put together this special edition of our supplement to help you with ideas on how your children can continue reading and writing for enjoyment at home. Some activities can be enjoyed by the whole family, while others have been divided into age groups to give you age-appropriate ideas.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/ English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Have you thought how stories can offer a way of supporting children through some of life’s challenges? There are many wonderful stories about the challenging situations and events that children may face, such as starting school, separation, illness, the death of a loved one, divorce, prejudice, and bullying.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/ English: PDF
Siswati/English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF
Celebrates storytelling of all kinds – stories read aloud from books, stories that are told, as well as stories acted on stages, in movies and in puppet shows.
Afrikaans/English: PDF
Sepedi/ English: PDF
Siswati/ English: PDF
Sesotho/ English: PDF
Xitsonga/English: PDF
Setswana/ English: PDF
isiXhosa/English: PDF
isiZulu/English: PDF