Put
Babies on the Road to Reading
Did you know that children learn more in
the first five years of their lives and that the first two years are extremely
important to developing language skills?
Did you know that if every parent or
adult caring for a child read aloud at least three stories a day to their
children then illiteracy could be wiped out in one generation?
Children who read from an early age learn more sounds and words and
develop important listening skills and imagination that sees them become
lifelong readers.
If you’d like to play a part in
achieving this then why not support the Great Lakes Bookstart program?
Bookstart originated in Britain in 1992 and involved 300 babies.
By 2001 this had grown to over 1.1 million British babies and it has
become a worldwide initiative.
Bookstart is a simple project where bags with a book (suitable for reading to a baby)
and information on library services, childrens’ story programs, literacy and
numeracy and whatever else the organising group considers appropriate to
include are given to new parents to encourage them to read to babies and young
children.
And it works.
Research has shown that Bookstart babies are “clearly ahead in both
literacy and numeracy upon entering school.”
Along with the Great Lakes Library
Service, organisations such as the Forster Bowling Club, Community Health, the CWA and the Friends of
the Great Lakes Library Service (FOGLLS) have all got behind Bookstart and are
aiming to provide every newborn
child in the region with a Bookstart bag.
All the bags made for the project will be hand sown by local residents.
But we always need help.
If you want to help fight illiteracy and have a lasting impact on the
community, then please consider supporting the Great Lakes Bookstart program.
If you're interested please contact Kim on 6591 7342 at the library.
There are a few ways you can help.
Our Bookstart Program was launched by Rosemary Sinclair
August 2006 |
Helen acted as The very hungry caterpillar as the
Mayor, John Chadban read
the story to a very attentive crowd. |
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Some of our |
Bookstart Graphics |
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The Great Lakes Bookstart program is Sponsored by:
