World Book Day: O'Dowd Encourages Reading Among Children

Education Minister John O'Dowd has taken advantage of World Book Day 2013 to encourage reading among children.

The Minister said: "The ability to read and write effectively is something that many of us take for granted, but sadly it is a skill that some people struggle with and this can have a negative impact on their lives. Recent studies have shown that the literacy skills of our primary school pupils are significantly above international standards and that is very encouraging. The performance of our school leavers also continues to improve. However, we still have far too many pupils not achieving the required levels in both literacy and numeracy and work is ongoing to tackle that."

The Minister continued: "Last year I launched the 'Education Works' campaign which is aimed at raising the value we as a society place on education. The campaign highlights the vital role parents can play in helping their child do well at school and improve their life chances.

"We have many, many excellent teachers in our schools, dedicated to teaching the children in their care and ensuring they reach their full potential. However, teachers need to be supported in this by parents and guardians. Research has shown the powerful influence parents can have on their child’s achievement. A recent study of 15 year olds, for example, showed that those whose parents had read to them often in P1 did much better at school than those whose parents had not. This same study found that the more books that young people have in their home, the better their assessment results.

"So today, on World Book Day, I urge parents to do what they can to encourage their children to develop their reading and writing skills. That may involve reading them a bedtime story, encouraging them to read out loud to you or perhaps for older children encouraging them to put the computer games aside for a while and picking up a book instead.

“The message is clear. Parental involvement and encouragement, no matter how small, can have a direct and long-lasting effect on a child’s educational achievements."

(IT)