Children living in poverty are less likely to be able to read well at school than their classmates. 1 in 5 children from poor families in Scotland leaves primary school unable to read well, a level four times as high as that of pupils from better off households.
Organisations including Save the Children, Scottish Book Trust and Scottish Business in the Community have launched a national mission to ensure every child is reading well by the age of 11.
Not reading well can cut short children’s chances in life and make Scotland less fair and less prosperous. Until we succeed in giving every child the basic skill of reading, thousands of children will continue to have limited opportunities to learn and succeed. And, it will make it harder for Scotland to close wider inequalities in education.
Reading well is a skill that unlocks opportunities for children at school and in life. It is essential to support children to escape poverty. Coming together – parents, childminders, teachers, government, business and communities must commit to this goal – we can make this happen!
We need to celebrate the joy of reading; supporting early language development; providing the right support to help children learn to read well at school and in homes: supporting families to help their children’s reading.
The latest report from Save the Children sets out the issue and emphasises the need to a concerted effort from all corners of society to address this reading gap.
Read the report here.
And don’t forget, Book Week Scotland is not too far away and there are lots of ways for you and your minded children to
get involved and encourage more youngsters to enjoy stories and reading from an early age.
To celebrate Book Week Scotland, the Scottish Book Trust has teamed up with Cineworld cinemas and Harper Collins for some very special screenings of Paddington on Sunday 30 November 2014.
Cinemas in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Glasgow will hold an extra special Bookbug session before the film for parents and children to attend, featuring stories, treats and goodie bags.
Find out more.