Practice

Community groups, local community members, schools, libraries, employee volunteers, businesses, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Yorkshire Evening Post, book-stores and publishers working together to ensure that children start to see their whole Community as a place for learning and for developing an interest in literacy. In school, at home and in local Community venues children see people who care about their learning and who are willing to work together to support it. Over 3,500 children (5-13) are now members of ‘Read It’ and there are four community based ‘Read It’ sites where volunteers work alongside children to support their reading. Over 40 employee volunteers go into schools to do the same. Each year there is a week long ‘Read It’ event at which we have over 600 children attending. In 1996 this was “Read It Goes to the Circus.”

Voices

“I always have a book in my hand and I’ve won enough prizes. Thank you very much for putting my future on the right track. My parents are very pleased with me joining ‘Read It.’” Sophia Bi.

“I would like to thank you all for the things you have done for us. You have changed my life. I’m the same boy who hated to read and write. I was more interested in songs and TV programmes…. Now I just love reading and writing and sometimes I’m not interested in songs.” Israr Ahmed. (Israr’s family of 8 brothers and sisters have sent in over 200 letters, ‘Read It’ cards and Activity Books. They won a special prize for the most active family in 1996).

“A shot in the arm for reluctant readers.” Sue Goodman, Primrose High School.

“It is almost unknown in business to find oneself spiritually uplifted, but “Read It’ Goes to the Circus” had that effect.” Martin Young, Waddington ptc.

Family and Adult Literacy

Theory

“Basic skills will have to be a cornerstone of lifetime learning …. we’ll need more programmes that allow people to strengthen basic skills as part of economic and community regeneration; strengthening that will allow people to take more control of their lives and of the future. And we’ll need programmes that build on the desire of every parent to make sure that their children get a good start in education.” Education Today and Tomorrow. (Vol 48 no 3 Autumn 96). Author: Alan Wells OBF, Director – The Basic Skills Agency.

Practice

All Leeds Education 2000 programmes are underpinned by a belief in the importance of’ literacy as a key component of lifelong learning. Family and adult literacy programmes are supported, in partnership with the local FE college, within a flexible and responsive model that starts from the needs of local people. Examples are family literacy models often involving multi-lingual families; drop in sessions for adults where they work on activities that are important to them and informal adult literacy session supported by local employees trained to help as volunteers in their local communities.

Voices

“Coming to the English class has helped me a lot, I feel more confident in myself and in my reading and writing… In the future I would like to get another qualification in English and do a bit of Maths.” Anna at ‘Brush up Your English.’

“I started the English class at Ebor Gardens Primary School in April. My daughter goes to the school and I saw a poster advertising the class. I went along and spoke to Trudie in the APPLE project. I also go in on a Tuesday. I have been learning how to use a Computer, it was hard to start with but now I really enjoy it…The English class has helped my reading and writing…These classes are local and easy to get to with childcare for my daughter.” Annette.

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