ESG News

Reading with the Eyes, and with the Heart
Yunlin Rural Area Reading Program – June Course Report

In the scorching June heat of Yunlin, our classrooms offered students not just cool relief, but also nourishment for their minds—through picture books and stories, we sowed seeds of thought and reflection.

Lower Grades Reading Class｜Reading Details within Images (by Teacher Jia-Shi)

Once children learn to read, their focus often shifts to “understanding the text,” while the emotional clues and details hidden in illustrations are frequently overlooked. In this lesson, we practiced “reading with our eyes, thinking with our hearts.” Together, we read Look at You, What a Mess You've Made Here, Tidiness, and The Messy Little Brother. Through contrasts in visuals, placement of objects, and the meaning of “tidying up,” the children began to transform images into sentences and feelings into words:

• “I want to tidy my desk because it’s as messy as if a typhoon just passed!”
• “I want to clear up my mind because it’s a little messy inside, like yesterday’s pile of toys.”

This class was not only about reading with the eyes and listening with the heart, but also marked the starting point for children to better understand themselves and the world around them.

Middle & Upper Grades Reading and Writing Class｜“If I Won the Lottery” (by Teacher Shi-Ya)

We began with a true story of a lottery winner in Japan, prompting students to reflect:

• “What would I do if I won the lottery?”
• “Would I tell anyone? Who would I tell?”
• “How would I use the money? What’s the right age to win?”

The children’s essays were full of surprises—some wanted to open an animal hospital for strays, some dreamed of buying a spaceship to explore Mars, while others wrote:

• “I want to save the money until I grow up and truly understand what happiness is, then use it little by little.”

Each essay was a seed of dreams—blossoming with imagination and blended with reflections on reality. The students’ writing became increasingly concrete and layered, and they learned to contemplate life’s choices through stories.

The Value of Reading and Writing

Reading is not only about recognizing words, and writing is more than just putting sentences on paper. By supporting rural children through reading and writing, we guide them toward a broader world.

This program demonstrates Novatek Foundation’s commitment to social responsibility by bridging educational resource gaps in rural areas, fostering equal learning opportunities, and nurturing holistic growth for children. Through sustained action, we create social value and promote inclusive development.