Salvos literacy program fostering a love of reading in children
It’s a sobering reality. Australia has a reading problem. One-third of our children can’t read proficiently. But there’s good news. The Salvation Army’s STeP123 Literacy is transforming children’s lives one step at a time through an exciting program initiative that fosters a love of reading, enhanced literacy skills and positive relationships. As Salvos Online journalist LERISSE SMITH discovered, it’s working a treat.
It was an exceptionally poignant moment that left a lasting impression.
When a young second grader excitedly picked up an enchanting book with his STeP123 volunteer to immerse himself in yet another captivating story, he went to turn the pages ... but couldn’t. His small fingers simply could not handle the task due to underdeveloped fine motor skills.
The experience became a significant and touching chapter in the volunteer’s mission to support young children in developing their literacy skills. It also highlighted that not all children have access to books or are used to reading and that many today are glued to screens rather than books.
However, there is great hope.
Thanks to The Salvation Army’s STeP123 Literacy’s Reading Together program, initiated in Tasmania, many primary school children are turning the pages of much-beloved books and opening their world up to the enchantment of stories.
“You certainly can’t beat a beautiful, illustrated book with an amazing story,” said Suzanne West, STeP123 Literacy Program Coordinator.
“A story that can captivate a child to be caught up in and create a passion for reading.”
Since its inception a few years ago, the program has gone from strength to strength. About 120 primary school students aged six and upwards are involved with the initiative, plus 30 volunteers across nine primary schools in the Derwent Valley, Huon Valley and Northern Suburb communities of Southern Tasmania.
It was launched with the concept that STeP123 would collaborate with teachers to identify and assist children in developing their literacy skills.
Currently, the children are engaged in the weekly program across these communities, allowing them to read alongside and converse with an adult volunteer mentor.
With National Literacy and Numeracy Week upon us, Reading Together plays an important role in children’s lives by encouraging them to read, develop their literacy skills and build positive relationships.
“The idea is to get the children to enjoy reading and develop their enthusiasm for reading and conversation,” Suzanne said.
“Many children these days don’t have adults who read with them at home due to many factors, and the subsequent conversation is crucial to increasing the ability to read. Reading Together is valuable for children and volunteers to nurture positive relationships together.
“Volunteers are paired with a child, and the feedback received is that self-esteem and confidence in individual reading skills has risen dramatically.”
Positive adult mentor relationships are established between the volunteer and the student, promoting trust and self-worth built on and reinforced over the school year.
The volunteers from the local community sit and read with a child one-on-one each week for about 20 minutes, providing consistency and continuity for the students involved to develop their literacy skills and value in themselves. They usually read to at least three children in a session.
“They feel that they are making a positive and important difference in the life and future of the child they are sharing with in the Reading Together sessions,” Suzanne said.
“They will say they can notice great differences in the levels of the reading and their literacy development and their comprehension. Over the years, since the program’s inception, teachers have reported they are seeing positive results with individual children's literacy development in their classes.”
One of the volunteers, Jacq, has been volunteering in the program for eight months.
“It’s the highlight of my week,” she said. “From kids hiding under tables, or reluctant to read, to having them jump up, book in hand as soon as they hear the knock at the door, is a massive win for literacy.”
And the massive win for literacy is indeed needed.
One-third of Australian children can’t read proficiently, and in a typical Australian school classroom of 24 students, eight can’t read well, according to The Grattan Institute’s Reading Guarantee report released this year.
Furthermore, the report stated that every child we failed to teach to read missed out on a core life skill, and Australia missed out on their potential. For those students in school today who are hardest hit by poor reading performance, the cost to Australia is about $40 billion over their lifetimes.
With Reading Together making great inroads into helping to tackle the literacy issues facing Australian primary school students, schools involved with the program have also reported great results from the initiative.
Grade 2/3 schoolteacher Kayla said staff had seen a noticeable progression in the children’s comprehension and reading skills, who were consistently reading with their volunteers.
“The children love the volunteers and are also excited when they come in,” she said. “They jump at the opportunity to read with them.”
Additionally, a vice principal remarked that she was “very appreciative of the program, and it had become very valuable to the school.”
With teachers having a lot on their plates and many students in their classes, some children slip under the radar and do not receive the required support.
So, helping provide the volunteers with extra support for the teachers is important for Suzanne in her coordinator’s role. She also said it should not be taken for granted that there is a lot of respect for Reading Together from the participating schools.
“The children love the volunteers and are also excited when they come in. They jump at the opportunity to read with them.”
Also not taken for granted is the power of creativity.
Encouraging volunteers to be creative is a key priority. They are encouraged to connect with each child to discover and ignite their passions and interests and to bring in resources from picture books, non-fiction children’s books, atlases and National Geographic magazines to car magazines, books of photographs, and the popular Where’s Wally? book.
The primary aim is to stimulate the children’s imagination and engage them, and it’s proving to be highly effective.
One volunteer discovered a Grade 6 child had an interest in dirt bikes. So, she went to a local op shop, bought dirt bike magazines for 20 cents, and encouraged the student to read a little bit of them at the end of their reading session.
“It filled him with so much joy and interest that this helped him increase his literacy levels,” Suzanne reflected.
“He went from level 5/prep level reading skills at the start of the year, and then over the first couple of terms, to about level 12. He then set himself a goal: to be at level 25 by the end of the year with independent reading.
“And he achieved that goal through the combination of the teacher, the teacher’s aide and the volunteer supporting him and encouraging him to keep moving forward. So, there are many positive stories from the children, a light bulb moment, or just a connection and conversation they have had with the volunteer.”
Another example was a soon-to-be 80-year-old volunteer who struggled to bond with a young boy due to his lack of engagement in conversations until a book featuring a pizza sparked a significant breakthrough.
Discussing their favourite pizzas opened up a dialogue and helped build a connection. Gradually, this interaction broke down barriers and fostered trust. He even revealed that he had read Harry Potter to his grandmother. And the outcome? The volunteer walked home from the session with a beaming smile, her heart uplifted by the joy of the breakthrough.
“I think more and more people are realising that low literacy is a problem, it is an issue, and they want to be involved.”
Suzanne does not underestimate the importance of the voluntary service provided by local community members and how it positively impacts the children’s lives.
“They feel connected to the community and feel like they’re making a positive and important difference in a child’s life, and often this gives renewed purpose in life,” she said.
“We know children come from so many different walks of life and family situations, which then, in turn, leads to their low literacy levels. So, by having this person come in consistently every week to show care and encouragement, we believe that helps the children develop value in themselves.”
With those involved in the voluntary service coming from all different walks of life, some have re-entered the workforce from their experience with the Reading Together program, including gaining Teacher’s Assistant roles – an achievement that makes Suzanne proud. Additionally, they can gain purpose, connections, new skills and self-confidence in their lives.
Donations of educational resources have been of benefit to the Communities for Children program, providing books to the program volunteers.
The Tasmanian Government also has a strong focus on literacy this year.
“They are really throwing a lot into the schools with a lot of emphasis on literacy development,” Suzanne said. “So, I feel that our program is hugely supportive of this renewed focus that they're having in our state.”
When asked about the primary beauty and appeal of reading a book, her response focused on the magic that lay behind the pages.
“I think it’s being able to hold a tactile book in your hand, and just opening the book and not knowing what the story is going to end with,” she said.
“And just getting caught up in the beautiful illustrations and where that journey of reading will take them, and the unknown of where it will transport them to in the story.”
Moving forward, Reading Together has a promising future.
The aim by the end of the year is to have more schools on board and further expansion next year, especially in low socio-economic areas, with an ultimate desire of having the ability to have the program in every Tasmanian school – if they had the capacity.
“It’s wonderful to see people out in the community looking to be involved in something like this,” Suzanne said.
“I think more and more people are realising that low literacy is a problem, it is an issue, and they want to be involved. They want to support children, and they want to give the children the opportunity to be the best that they can in their own literacy development. So, it’s great to see people putting their hand up to volunteer their time.
“It really makes so much difference in a child’s life.”
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