Aussie $1 million initiative to improve literacy

Aussie $1 million initiative to improve literacy

AUSTRALIA – A new $1 million initiative launched recently will help improve literacy outcomes for all Tasmanians – from birth to adulthood.

Announcing READ FOR LIFE at Glenorchy Library, the minister for education, David Bartlett, said the exciting, three-component initiative would address a range of literacy issues.

“In the first year of the three-year-roll-out, every child at four months, 12 months, 18 months and 31/2 years will receive a DVD, a book, a parent sheet, booklist and a library bag.

“The first component aims to encourage parents to have fun reading aloud to their young children and to help develop a love of books.”

Mr Bartlett said READ FOR LIFE would help address research that has found that children who have not developed literacy skills by school age are unlikely to catch up with their peers.

He said the other two components included new early childhood literacy resources for city and branch libraries worth AU$250,000, and more resources to extend support for Reading Together and adult literacy development costing AU$75,000.