A very nice initiative to improve the reading levels and achievements of Indigenous Australians has been launched.
A voluntary, not for profit group, the Indigenous Literacy Project looks for recommendations of Indigenous Australian youngsters who could benefit from their program. After an initial assessment of reading levels, participants will be loaned a Kindle. If, at the end of a six month period, reading level measurements indicate that the participant’s reading level has improved, they will get to keep the Kindle. As described on their website, the program is simple and targeted:
Our project aims to improve the reading achievement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We target kids who want to read but don’t have access to books.
We loan them a Kindle e-reader. We monitor their progress over time and if they significantly improve their reading frequency they get to keep the Kindle.
With such frightening statistics as those detailed by NAPLAN, this initiative really is very worthwhile.
A very nice write-up in The Age newspaper: “Intervention kindles a love of reading” (December 29th, 2012) describes the initiator of the project, Canberra public servant, Daniel Billing, who decided he wanted to ‘make a difference’. Early results of the impact this program is having on participants are really very inspiring. Opportunities to either donate or get involved in the program can be found on Indigenous Literacy Project’s webpage.
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