 |
|
Welcome
In this month's newsletter we interview Jean Gross, Communication Champion, update you on the School Library Commission report and ask for your views on what we should submit to Government ahead of the autumn comprehensive spending review.
With plans for a full spending review underway, how can we campaign to ensure that literacy is a priority?
In this month’s viewpoint, Policy Adviser George Dugdale discusses the forthcoming spending review and asks how we can campaign to ensure that literacy is a priority. Read more
A book of their own: how owning books affects children's literacy
National Young Readers’ Programme Project Manager
Lizzie Poulton, looks at our recently released statistic that more children own mobile phones than books and examines if this is a cause for concern. Read more
Please feel free to post comments on any of our blogs. We are always glad to have your feedback.
|
News |
Vote for Literacy update
Before the election we asked you to consider literacy as a key issue when you voted. We now need evidence of your support to ensure that literacy, and those who support literacy, are firmly on the Government’s agenda and not overlooked in the face of potential spending cuts. We will be making submissions to Government as part of the ongoing process of spending review, recommending that it prioritises literacy and funding for schools, libraries, early years and adult basic skills. We would also like your views on the key areas affecting literacy in order to ensure we reflect as many of the professionals we work with as possible. Please tell us your ideas
and pledge your support for Vote for Literacy
|
Celebrating the success of our speaking and listening project
Students and business volunteers gathered to celebrate the success of Words for Work, the NLT’s project that works to unlock young people’s speaking and listening skills for future employability, at the LOST Theatre company in Vauxhall last Monday. The event featured displays that the young people from Rosedale College in Hayes and Bishop David Brown School in Woking had developed with the volunteers from Woking City Council, McLaren Automotive Group, Mansell Construction, GSK Pharmaceuticals and Mears, including branded team t-shirts and a Ready Steady Cook recipe for successful communication. Read more about the success of Words for Work
|
Literacy experts pledge their support for Tell Me a Story campaign
Communication Champion Jean Gross and literacy expert Pie Crobett have pledged their support for our Tell Me a Story campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the right of every child to enjoy stories and develop vital literacy skills and to raise funds to work with children in disadvantaged areas. Read more and pledge your support for this campaign
|
School Library Commission update
The School Library Commission, chaired by Baroness Estelle Morris, is a joint initiative between The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the NLT. In March of this year we asked you to submit your views and ideas for lines of enquiries and received nearly 100 submissions. Further information was gathered through a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders, focus groups for headteachers, teachers, school librarians and pupils, plus a survey of 17,000 pupils. The final report will be released on 15 September 2010 after schools and Parliament have returned from summer breaks.
|
Other news in brief
Death of Lord Peter Walker
We were very sad to learn of the death of NLT supporter Lord Peter Walker.
The Bookseller reveals findings from annual survey
The Bookseller magazine has published the findings of its third annual survey, Reading the Future. The survey investigates consumers' reading habits.
Government to review Early Years Foundation Stage framework
Children’s minister Sarah Teather has announced a review of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework.
|
Resources, events and inspiration |
Interview with Jean Gross, Communication Champion
This month’s interviewee is Jean Gross, who was appointed Communication Champion last October and, with the support of The Communication Trust (which includes the NLT) she will be delivering a year-long campaign which will focus on developing children’s communication skills in 2011. In her interview Jean tells us more about her role and plans for the campaign. Read more
|
New report on local support for literacy
The NLT’s Partners in Literacy survey 2009 provides a baseline of how those that work with local families support literacy. It gives a snapshot of the barriers and opportunities to supporting families, the reasons why families are signposted to literacy support and it highlights opportunities for extending partnerships across local services. Find out more about how literacy is being supported in other areas.
|
Get our early bird price for Talk To Your Baby conference
Bookings are coming in from all over the UK for Talk To Your Baby’s Smile, Talk and Listen conference on Monday 18 October at Church House, Westminster. Communication Champion Jean Gross will be outlining some of her plans for the forthcoming National Year, there will be a presentation of research about what is happening in baby rooms, and Leicester and Devon will be among the authorities sharing their early communication strategies. Find out more information and how to book your place
to take advantage of early bird discounts.
|
Writing competition for children and schools
Reading for Life, the NLT’s social marketing campaign which promotes the benefits and enjoyment of communication, has teamed up with magazine Take a Break to support the Young Fiction Writer of the Year competition. The competition is open to children and young adults and is the perfect opportunity for them to develop their storytelling skills, see their name in print and win some exciting prizes. Furthermore, their school could win £1000 in books. The closing date is 23 July 2010.
Full details and writing tips
|
Primary school conferences with Pie Corbett
On 24, 25 and 26 November the NLT will be rerunning the Talk for Writing conferences that took place last month in York, Birmingham and London respectively. The conferences entitled, "Talking for Learning and life: Developing 'Talk for Writing' to fulfil potential across the curriculum", are led by the inspirational Pie Corbett, aim to improve school standards through the renowned Talk for Writing approach. The London conference is almost full already, so book early to avoid disappointment.
Further details and booking
|
Success story |
Our Reading The Game initiative has used the excitement surrounding the 2010 football World Cup to get more children reading with a World Cup toolkit for teachers and librarians and a daily episodic story by popular children’s author, Tom Palmer.
The toolkit and story have had huge success with teachers across the country. A teacher from a primary school in Northamptonshire has praised the toolkit and story, saying that it has engaged the more reluctant readers and writers in her class.
Read more about the success of the World Cup Toolkit
|
Support our work |
JP Morgan Chase
Over 50 of the team from NS&I ran the JP Morgan Chase Challenge, a 5.6km run held in Battersea Park, London, to raise funds to support the NLT. If you feel inspired, visit our website to find out what you can to do raise vital funds to support the NLT.
|
|
|
