Children and Books

[sheherazade]

We should start children reading early and read with them often. Children learn languages easier and quicker than adults. This is the perfect time to instill in them positive cultural attitudes and Islamic beliefs using the words of the different languages we speak. The positive visual images contained within the books will also help reinforce the text.

 

Lets bombard our children with what we want them to see and learn. If anybody works with community organisations etc, please encourage book reading and book clubs.

 

Here are a couple of links.

 

Bilingual Arabic/English books:

 

http://www.noorart.com/bilingual.shtml

 

Bilingual Somali/English books:

http://amos.shop.com/amos/cc/main/ccn_search/st/somali/sy/products%2C0-20319-20329-25458/ccsyn/22

 

 

This one caught my eye particularly. It's called the 'The Swirling Hijaab'(the Arabic/English version also exists- as do many other combinations):

http://amos.catalogcity.com/cc.class/cc?pcd=7585600&ccsyn=22

 

Here's one for the teens, 'Unload your donkey':

http://www.noorart.com/product19.html

 

I haven't done a thorough search yet but if you do find Islamic sites(other than noorart) selling these books, do post them.

 

Eid isn't that far off. Books make great gifts for our children. Start saving!

 

To be a girl again and discover books!

[Xoogsade]

Sheherazadeh, I like everyone who is blessed with good writing skills for my selfish entertainment or enjoyment.

 

Any tips as to how I can improve my poor vocabulary and avoid using repititive words and sentences? No amount of words I memorize(very good ones which are college level) seem to help me out. Surely, I don't write as impressive as some brothers and Sisters write on SOL. My brain seems to favour the simplest of words that are very common.

 

What do you suggest?

 

Part of the reason I am attracted to online and to forums like this is to practice english and read other people's contributions as well. So far I have taken only Composition 101 and I am serious. So tell me, what is your secret? And sorry to hijack the thread

[OG_Girl]

Good Advice. Thank you.

 

Salam

[sheherazade]

I have no secrets when it comes to writing- only one rule: comminicate clearly and concisely.

 

I do dislike typos in what I write. They're up there in the post I made above gesturing rudely. They by-passed my anally-retentive mind. This time.

 

Vocabularly. You have to love her or she won't love you back- she's a give and take kind of girl. Make the effort to use neglected words in your speech and it will soon follow in your writing. Spend a few seconds memorising the spelling of new words. The more you use your brain in this fashion, the more you use your brain in this fashion and it will pay dividends.

 

Voice. We're attracted to these kind of forums because of the variety of voices we hear. If we all had the same voice, this place would drone dully, like that Physics we all had.

 

Some people are better at projecting their voices through the written word; they have a signature sound which sets them apart. They don't need avatars or usernames. When you read their words, you hear their voice. Find your voice and enunciate clearly, dah-ling.

 

Verbosity: Me prefer 'Me-Tarzan-You-Jane' school of writing. Me no like so much words tangled like jungle. Me like swing from word to word easily, rest here, there on full stop, hang from comma, bounce from exclamation mark, know where come from, where go, like sign-post of bracket, dash, paragraph...not get lost then, achieve good rhythm, style, me Jane, me swing, swing better than Tarzan...remember many, many adjectives no need...give sleeping sickness in word jungle...zzzzz

 

Read all you can about the art of writing and then banish what you've gleaned to the back of your mind, there to wither. Make your own rules and then break them.

[Xoogsade]

Sheherazade, Typographical errors do happen if you type faster and don't use spellcheck for your posts, or you don't preview the piece before the final submission. I don't pay much attention to people's typographical errors so long as I understand the essential meaning of their post

 

Your take on the vocabulary is very nice. So as your take on Verbosity. Funny though how you precisely defined the way you write.

 

 

Verbosity: Me prefer 'Me-Tarzan-You-Jane' school of writing. Me no like so much words tangled like jungle. Me like swing from word to word easily, rest here, there on full stop, hang from comma, bounce from exclamation mark, know where come from, where go, like sign-post of bracket, dash, paragraph...not get lost then, achieve good rhythm, style, me Jane, me swing, swing better than Tarzan...remember many, many adjectives no need...give sleeping sickness in word jungle...zzzzz [/QB]

LOL. Funny indeed. Btw, Aeryn Sun might be reading so I can't say anything that smells of flattery. Last time we were both told to stop adulating each other. Thanks anyway.

[sheherazade]

U're welcome. I always find your words sensible and readable.

 

And thank you.

[Xoogsade]

Sheherazade, Why the name if you don't mind? have you lived somewhere in persia before? Hope I didn't ask very personal question. And as I said before, it is cute so don't think I have asked about it because it sounds strange or anything resembling that line of thought. Just out of curiousity

[sheherazade]

I spent some time in Samarkand in the late 90s. The stories I have to tell of that time..well..

 

..they'd all be make-believe as I'd pluck them from my imagination just like the Sheherazade.

 

I love stories and story-tellers, hence Sheherazade as a choice. Incidently, the word apparently means 'city-born' in Persian. Not quite so cute translated, eh?

[Curly]

Sure Start is big on promoting early learning and we're heavily involved in 'Book Start’, which is set up for introducing children under the age of 4 to books.

 

Many parents from the ethnic minorities feel this is a waste of time and usually do not take part in an of our ‘Book start’ session, which is a shame because as you were saying earlier, reading books from an early age is the best way for children to succeed in education later on when they start school or nursery.

 

There’s actually a national ‘Book Start’ day in the UK next Friday 8th October 2004. So it would be great for people to try and promote this to the Somali community, because it’s sad how our children tend to miss out on great chances because we as a community are too narrow minded to consider what the western culture has to offer us.

 

I think it’s depressing that the majority of Somali parents do not see a need to help their children excel in education, after all this is the next generation and shouldn’t we be trying to give our children that leg up the other children have?

 

I know had I been given the same opportunities as a child, I wouldn’t have found it so hard to catch up with the other children my age when I entered nursery and even later on in the school system.

[Thinkerman]

There’s actually a national ‘Book Start’ day in the UK next Friday 8th October 2004. So it would be great for people to try and promote this to the Somali community,

 

Well you can only do what you can.

 

Perhaps if you get the chance you could post any details about the national book start day here on s.o.l.

[Xoogsade]

Sheherazade, I can imagine the stories you have to tell of that time, make-believe or not, can be interesting. I am not a story teller but more of a good listener and an avid reader. Who doesn't like to listen to a good story from some gifted story teller? or Getting immersed in a good book that takes them through journeys of great Adventures huh?

 

Okey, does "City-Born" mean "Born in a city"? Sounds like "Civilized" to me. Some people have the tendency to associate good character and civility to being born and growing up in a city. That is why when they praise someone and speak of his good civil manners, they say "Hebel is reer magaal" meaning "That person is a city person" meaning "civilized". So, if that is what Sheherazadeh stands for, I say it is still CUTE You just have to accept one time a petty flattery and set aside the "nay" personality when it comes to small praise lol.

 

Alright, not in my best shape today really, weather changes get to me, so, sorry if I am not clear and take care. Gotta run Sis.

 

 

PS: What of sheherazade? The Story I mean?

[sheherazade]

Sullen Sue, you sound like u're involved with Sure Start. I once applied for a job there many moons ago. I don't remember what the job was, the concept got my attention but I didn't get their's! Perhaps I shopuld have written them a story instead of sending in my CV. Oh, well.. If you do work with them, perhaps you could send some information to various Somali community centres etc or spam them with informative emails. Why not?

 

Reading and early reading particularly may not be on the top of Somali families' priorites but if a community centre were to run some kind of reading scheme for children- well organised, publicised and convincing- I think it would get the attention of many parents.

 

Do post information here if you can. I found their website easily enough:

 

www.surestart.gov.uk

 

Spreading the word here is a good way to start, however, Admin moving it to the Student Talk section baffles me(though not entirely) and pushes this issue away from the eyes of the majority.

 

Xoogsade, I would hope city-born refers to being born in a city and nothing more. The notion of being civilised only when city-born/city-dwelling is common(something else we're to stay away from!). I'm as civilised as the one-camel town I was born in.

 

You're determined to make a stroy-teller of me. So I'll do what all self-respecting novices do and cheat. This is a version of Sheherazade's story:

 

http://www.wic.org/artwork/shehera.htm

 

Since Sherrazde's story is one of a thousand and one stories within a story, it is only fair to provide a link to some of her stories. We all know of the adventures of Ali Baba, Aladdin and Sinbad but what of the other stories?

 

http://www.bartleby.com/16/

 

I have also come across a story which is of another Sheherazade but as you're a sucker for words, you'll like it well enough:

 

'Prince Omar and Princess Sheherazade'

http://childhoodreading.com/Edmund_Dulac_and_Gus/Omar_and_Sheherazade.html

 

The genies' names had me chuckling.

 

Read one story per night. Sheherazade wouldn't have it any other way.

[Xoogsade]

Sheherazade, Looks like I am busted! I thought I wasn't that obvious in wanting to make you tell the stories you had to tell lol. But there will be another chance to bring that cute Me-Tarzan-You-Jane english of yours out again

 

I will read the links and report back inshallah in due time. Thanks again Sis.

[-Serenity-]

Interesting links - thanks. Enjoyed reading a few of the 1000 and 1 nite stories. Hope they werent meant only for Xoogsade

[sheherazade]

Only for Xoogsade? Nope.

 

The stories will keep him and the rest of you off the streets for one thousand and one nights.

 

Good deed done.