What is ‘A Read A Day’?
The ‘A Read A Day’ campaign aims to encourage children to read more regularly, tackling the shortcomings in child literacy that currently cost England an estimated £2.5 billion a year. With recent studies showing that children prefer eBooks, its anticipated that the GoBook could help the lowest achievers improve their literacy by enticing them to get ‘A Read A Day’, by reading engaging content on a ‘cool’ grown-up gadget.
Also launching at the London Book Fair today is the ‘A Read A Day’ campaign, encouraging parents and children to ensure that they have dedicated part of their day to reading. Prime Minister David Cameron recently urged parents to read to their children every night no matter how busy they are, and appealed to every mother and father to encourage their children to love books.
“Its in the public mindset that we all need to get our ‘5 a Day’ of fruit and vegetables to have a healthy body, now its time we make sure our children have ‘A Read A Day’ to have a healthy mind.”
We want children to be able to read fluently, to interpret a book’s meaning and to be able to enjoy more complex books” However “Even when young people do wish to read, the exam system does not encourage them,” he said. Gibb also claimed children in England were “falling out of love” with reading, statistics showing that the UK ranked at 47th for the number of children who read for pleasure.
– Schools Minister Nick Gibb
The state of the Literacy problem in England
Over a third of London primary school children reach the age of 11 without being able properly to read and write, and 20 per cent are still having serious difficulties by the time they leave secondary school. For children who fall even further behind there is ‘Reading Recovery’, however, with a cost of approximately £2,600 per child, this is seen by many as both expensive, and too little, too late. In the incredibly competitive employment market nowadays, employees with poor literacy skills can expect to earn 11% less than average.
A recent Ofsted report found that there has been no overall improvement in primary pupils’ English learning since 2008.
The most recent PIRLS survey showed the urgent need to help improve key skills as the UK slips down the global ‘league tables’ for literacy, with England down to 19th and Scotland to 26th. An analysis of these results showed that children were spending more time using computers and less time reading for fun.
A recent study showed the importance of installing strong literacy skills from an early age, estimating that every pound spent tackling literacy difficulties before children reach the age of seven will generate a “return on investment” of between £11 and £17 over their lifetime. In contrast, it said, failing to address these issues costs the UK public purse up to £64,000 per individual – primarily due to lost job opportunities and the related cost of the welfare system.
The problem continues throughout later life, as it’s estimated that literacy difficulties costs England £2.5 billion a year. Evidence suggests that poor literacy and numeracy skills can result in a huge cost to industry, with firms of 1,000+ employees potentially losing up to £500,000 per year.
The importance of reading on a child’s development
Language and communication skills are vital to a child’s emotional and personal development as they develop a sense of self and their relationship to others. Exposure to stories helps to enrich the imagination and provide knowledge of a range of experiences that a child can draw on to give them confidence in their daily life.
Advances in neuroscience show that reading stimulates the growth of a young child’s brain. New brain imaging technology shows that literally, in a matter of seconds, thousands of brain cells burst into action when you read to a child. Some brain cells are turned on, some are strengthened, new brain cells are formed; adding more definition to the intricate circuitry of the brain.
Experts now believe that success is influenced 20 percent by IQ and 80 percent by various factors that make up a person’s character and personality, or their “emotional intelligence.” Furthermore, they have found that emotional intelligence can be learned, and reading books can help develop it.
Nick Gibb, Schools Minister says “I am passionate about wanting all children to develop a real love of books and of reading for pleasure. Children should always have a book on the go. The difference in achievement between children who read for half an hour a day and those who don’t is huge – as much as a year’s education by the time they are 15.”
Lets Get Reading – Introducing GoBook & A Read A Day
GoBook
Today at the London Book Fair, ‘Go’ officially unveiled the 8” GoBook™ Imagine, and 8” GoBook™ Surf, eReaders that aim to engage children and encourage them to read more regularly and of their own accord. With vibrant 8” colour displays (roughly the same size as a paperback) and touchscreen interfaces, the GoBook’s are a next generation product, for the next generation.
The very nature of a book is changing as the technology advances. However, its not necessarily the fact that eBook stories can be more colourful, animated or enriched that engages children better, but more the fact that children are more attracted to a gadgety, more futuristic device to read the stories on.
A recent study shows that given the choice between reading eBooks or print books, children prefer eBooks. The study also shows children who read eBooks also retain and comprehend just as much information as when they read print books and a report published this month found that those who read eBooks are more avid readers and read more often. Of 2,000 children surveyed from ages 6 to 17, the majority indicated that they would read more frequently if they could read eBooks.
“GoBook is a grown-up gadget, for young readers. Its designed to be child friendly and straightforward to use, but it doesn’t look like a toy. Children love to emulate older children as well as their parents; and with GoBook they can sit side by side a feel like a real grown-up, while reading content that both appeals and engages them. If children are more likely to read using a GoBook rather than with a printed book, then the battle to get kids reading is already won.”
“TV programmes, cartoons and movies are great fun for kids, however all the detail is provided for them on a plate. The genius of reading a good story is that GoBook unleashes the amazing power of a child’s imagination, to conjure up larger-than-life characters, fantasy scenes and experience powerful emotions.”
“Boys lag behind girls in both reading ability, and enjoyment of reading. However, in general, boys enjoy using gadgets more than girls, so its anticipated that we could see GoBook helping the lowest achievers improve their literacy and having the most impact on their interest in reading.”
Lets Get Reading will release free eBooks over the next year to young readers of all ages. These original and classic titles will be ‘drip fed’ every month to readers to ‘make the bookshelf more manageable’ and allow improved interaction with readers, encouraging ‘A Read A Day’. The GoBooks support DRM ePub and PDF, and are not ‘locked’ to any download site so users are free to download books from any bookshop they like, whether that be Horrid Henry or Harry Potter to Alice in Wonderland or A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
A Read A Day Campaign
The London Book Fair also sees the launch of the “A Read A Day” campaign, encouraging parents and children to ensure that they have dedicated part of their day to reading.
The Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently urged parents to read to their children every night no matter how busy they are, and appealed to every mother and father to encourage their children to love books.
“Its in the public mindset that we all need to get our ‘5 a Day’ of fruit and vegetables to have a healthy body, now its time we make sure our children have ‘A Read A Day’ to have a healthy mind.”
“Its hoped the ‘A Read A Day’ campaign gains support from the book industry, parents, schools and the Government as we strongly believe a simple frame of mind that can have a huge impact on child literacy, now and in years to come.”
A Read A Day Advice to Parents
Every parent should aim to encourage their child to have A Read a Day, whether that’s being read to, reading alone or reading together. Parents should show an interest in their child’s reading, showing support and motivation when they are struggling and encouragement when they are excelling. Spending a 15-30 minutes a day reading with your child will make a big difference!
