This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Reading Champions
01/03/2004
Avid readers at Aberdeen's Hanover Street Primary were
preparing for World Book Day when Education Minister Peter
Peacock dropped in today.
The school is an enthusiastic supporter of the
Executive's Home Reading Initiative, Read Together, which
aims to improve literacy by encouraging parents and carers
to read with their children.
During his visit, Mr Peacock appointed three P7 pupils
as Reading Champions, joining the growing band of
politicians, celebrities, authors and book lovers who back
the campaign.
Mr Peacock said:
"Encouraging children to enjoy reading isn't difficult -
and it's also great fun. Just spending a few minutes each
day reading a book with your child can help to develop
their literacy skills which will benefit them for the rest
of their lives.
"The pupils at Hanover Street are passionate about
reading and I am sure this is something that will stay with
them in years to come. It's also great that they are so
keen to spread the word about the pleasure reading can
bring."
Hanover Street Primary received a £2,500 grant from the
first round of the Scottish Executive's home reading
initiative small grants scheme. The school is now
recruiting its own reading champions - who come into the
school and read with the children - and plans to set up a
reading bus to take books to people who might not
traditionally use a library.
To coincide with World Book Day (March 4), the school's
reading champion scheme is going global and attracting
international reading champions, initially from the USA and
Ghana.
Head teacher Helen Maitland said:
"The aim was to encourage a love of reading and
enjoyment of books. We have been particularly targeting
boys and the enthusiasm from all the children - boys and
girls - has been overwhelming. The Reading Champion scheme
has really captured their imaginations and every reading
champion has brought something different to the school,
opening up a world of books for the children."
The Home Reading Initiative encourages parents and
carers to read with their child from a very early stage.
The dedicated website offers ideas about reading and
recommended books, alongside encouragement from Reading
Champions of all ages, from all over Scotland:
www.readtogether.co.uk.
The leaflet, Read Together, is given to children
throughout Scotland in their final year at nursery
school.
Reading Champions are being sought from all over
Scotland to join existing Reading champions, including the
authors JK Rowling, Aileen Paterson and Scoular Anderson,
as well as celebrities David Sneddon, Richard Wilson, Fred
Macaulay, Nick Nairn and Sandy Lyle. A full list can be
found on the Read Together website.