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National Year of Reading

2008 is the National Year of Reading

Launched by Alan Johnson as part of Every Parent Matters

Alan Johnson published Every Parent Matters which sets out the vital role of parents in improving their child’s life chances and educational attainment and how the Government can best help them achieve this.

Part of this document is a National Year of Reading in 2008 to promote reading for pleasure in the family and beyond and help to build a nation of readers.

Alan Johnson says;

“Traditionally, parenting has been a “no-go” area for governments. But now more than ever government needs to be supportive of parents who are themselves increasingly seeking help.

“One of the most important things a parent can do to boost the educational chances of their children is to read to them. Simple yes - but in a busy world it doesn’t happen enough. 30 per cent of parents don’t read regularly with their young children - a vital but missed opportunity to boost their children’s development. We watch an average of four hours television a day. If we read to our children for just a tenth of this every day, we’d give their chances a massive boost.

“That’s why I’m announcing that we will have a National Year of Reading starting in 2008 – ten years on from the first Year of Reading - which I hope will bring about another step-change in attitudes to reading for purpose and pleasure.”

The National Year of Reading will be aimed at everyone from toddlers to grandparents, from avid readers to those who are less enthusiastic.

During the last Year of Reading, in 1998, teachers, school librarians and governors organised thousands of reading events in schools including author visits, book festivals and reading clubs. Schools also benefited from a significant increase in the number of businesses committing employees to reading volunteer schemes. National businesses already involved in literacy projects stepped up their activities and other businesses got involved on a local basis.

Encouraging everyone who can make a contribution to help make the National Year of Reading a success, Mr Johnson said:

“Reading opens up a world of opportunities and books are the foundation on which we can build other learning. Reading should be a source of pleasure in itself, as well as an essential support for increasing the life chances of children. In this year I want to enable young people and families from across the country to step into the world of written words. Books, magazines, comics - the reading matter is less important than children learning to love reading. This is about far more than a book at bedtime - we want to make reading an integral part of everyone’s lives.

“The success of books like the Harry Potter series shows that reading can be made accessible and attractive to young people – we need to build on that. For example, to help get boys reading we will put a boys’ bookshelf in every secondary school library in the country containing positive, modern, relevant role models for boys. We will soon be calling on organisations concerned with education and parenting we well as businesses to come forward and tell us what contribution they can make.

“Involving the whole of society in a wide-ranging national campaign to encourage and promote more reading will help provide the impetus to put reading at the top of everyone’s agenda. I want to encourage the public and private sectors; charities and voluntary organisations; schools, colleges and libraries; those concerned with parenting; publishers and booksellers – everyone who believes in the importance of reading - to come forward and tell us what contribution they can make. Only by working together in partnership can we truly make this new National Year of Reading a success, and build a nation of readers.”

Every Parent Matters is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/everyparentmatters.

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