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It’s time literacy and sport receive equal resourcing in our schools

Nov 03, 2018

Passionate about childhood literacy, Karen wants us to be aware of and support the Students Need School Libraries campaign

According to a recent article in The Guardian, “Researchers reveal having more books at home when growing up, even if you don’t necessarily read more, improves educational outcomes,” A joint study by the Australian National University and University of Nevada in the US showed that people who left school relatively early, Year 9, but were raised in a house filled with books had the same standard of literacy as adults with university educations, but fewer books in their homes.

Further, the study found “the number of household books at age 16 had a direct positive relationship with literacy, numeracy and IT skill in later years – independent of how much tertiary study a person did, or how often they read as an adult.” It seems logical that a home library should be supported by a school library, wouldn’t you think?

“No-brainer”, I hear you say yet the School Library Coalition has found school libraries so underresourced that they have “developed the Students Need School Libraries campaign to advocate for the resourcing of school libraries around Australia”. The campaign “seeks to highlight the importance of having school libraries be run by qualified staff; ensure that all children have access to quality school libraries; and to empower children with the skills and knowledge to be digital and information literate.”

Seriously? I can’t believe that in this day and age, such a campaign is necessary, yet checking with a few teachers, I learned that library facilities in many schools are not only totally inadequate but often there is more importance placed on having good sporting equipment than on having a good library! Isn’t it time to give literacy and sport equal importance in our schools? Shouldn’t they support each other not compete for funds? What do you thnk?

I know many of my book loving friends are also strong supporters of childhood literacy and so I’m asking you as grandparents to support the Students Need School Libraries campaign. Ask at your grandchildren’s schools what you can do to help with this campaign. As for me the Minister for Education (Australia) the Hon. Dan Tehan. My state Minister for Education and Local Member will all hear from me. Tell governments that children and literacy matter to us.

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Congratulations to Michael Connelly winner of the 2018 Diamond Dagger awarded by the UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) The Diamond Dagger is awarded to an author whose crime writing career has been marked by sustained excellence, and who has made a significant contribution to the genre. Michael Connolly is probably best-known as the author of detective novels featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch and criminal defence attorney Mickey Haller. For the full list of CWA Awards click here.