General News
9 July, 2023
The write way to help children learn to read
Sitting close to little ones, showing them books, turning the pages from right to left, reading and explaining the pictures and words is something that comes naturally to most parents. But not all. Children are born to learn, but some who start...
Sitting close to little ones, showing them books, turning the pages from right to left, reading and explaining the pictures and words is something that comes naturally to most parents.
But not all. Children are born to learn, but some who start school without developing basic literacy skills from birth to age five, fail to catch up.
This can have long-term effect. Statistics show that 46 per cent of Australians over 15 lack the necessary literacy skills needed to meet the demands of everyday life.
A Let's Read program, which started in Australia in 2014, distributes a free a bag of books to pre-school children through maternal and child health centres.
Parents receive the books when their child has compulsory check-ups at three months, six months, 12 months and at three and a half years.
Horsham Local Learning and Employment Network compiles and disrtributes the bags.
Program co-ordinator David Crooks said the program was proving a valuable learning tool for parents.
"They are not means or asset tested in any way," he said. "It's a free program for all parents."
Mr Crooks said Horsham Sports and Community Club had also donated $3000 annually for the past eight years through its annual grants program towards cost of putting 12,000 books into the hands of Horsham parents.