District Literacy Chair -
Nea Stewart-Dore - Rotary Club of Yeppoon
Email: 0708literacy@rotary9570.org
District Literacy Resource Group Goals
1. Raise awareness, knowledge and understanding of literacy among Rotarians and the communities they serve.
2. Continue existing, or plan new literacy projects to meet the needs of identified groups.
3. Improve, or embark on a literacy project that serves either an Australian, or an overseas community.
Additionally, it is hoped that each Club in D9570 will appoint a Literacy Resource Group liaison person to help generate interest in literacy matters at the Club level and to foster support for embarking on, or extending on a literacy project of worth. Do email Nea for ideas and support if you need.
Special Dates
March 2009: Rotary Literacy Month
Literacy Link - New Information April 2008 follow the link
Australian Literacy Educators’ Association (ALEA): www.alea.edu.au
ALEA Local Council contacts in D9570:
Rockhampton area (Postcodes 4696-4734):
Dawn Haynes d.haynes@ceo.rok.catholic.edu.au
Mackay area (Postcodes 4735-4805; 4891-4999):
Grant Webb grantwebb@bigpond.com
Gladstone area (Postcodes 4650-4695):
Leanne Ibell libel1@eq.edu.au
Other areas: Nea Stewart-Dore, colnea@byterocky.net.au
International Reading Association: www.reading.org
Rotary International Literacy Resource Information: www.rotary.org/
PP Lex McAulay ( Rotary Club of Maryborough)
presenting at the ALEACQ / District 9570 Mini Literacy Conference
To support the RI President’s notion of “sharing Rotary” literacy interest and expertise, we can participate in a range of literacy activities. Many D9570 Clubs do that, very successfully. For example,
- Bundaberg East: Bundaberg Rotary Readers volunteer to read to children, one-to-one in a local school. This project is modelled on Hervey Bay’s Volunteer Readers-in-Schools project
- Gladstone: Tutorial Centre support
- Biloela: Books for Babies project
- Walkerston: Donations to Mirani High School Lighthouse Project
- Rockhampton North: Support for RGS Literacy intervention
- Rockhampton East: Collection of used books from local schools for overseas distribution
- Blackwater: “Stroogle Packs” comprising a ‘Stroogle Book’, audio tape and plush toy is presented to child care centres / special education units.
- Yeppoon: International Literacy Day Community Awards Program
FACTS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY (ILD),
8 September
- UNESCO founded ILD which was first celebrated on 8 September, 1967.
- Since 2002, Rotary International has observed ILD as a Partner of the International Reading Association.
- ILD aims to focus attention on promoting worldwide literacy.
- It’s estimated that 860 million adults in the world cannot read or write: two thirds of these are women, and more than 100 million children do not have access to schooling.
- UNESCO and the International Reading Association sponsor Literacy Awards for exemplary community literacy projects, worldwide.
- The Australian Literacy Educators’ Association, a National Affiliate of the International Reading Association, conducts a “Books for Babies” project to celebrate ILD annually. This involves the presentation of a book to the parents of babies born on 8 September to encourage early reading to, and with, the youngest of children. Clubs interested in supporting this initiative are invited to contact me: colnea@byterocky.net.au
- All Clubs, worldwide, are encouraged to celebrate ILD as indicated in official RI documents. For further information, go to:
www.rotary.org/aboutrotary/president/wilkinson/literacy.html
Ideas for celebrating ILD have been forwarded to all D9570 Clubs together with information about the Federal Government sponsored National Literacy and Numeracy Week, 3-9 September. I look forward to receiving from Clubs, reports of how they celebrated this worldwide event.
Assistant Governor Group 2 PP John Tate
( Rockhampton South Rotary Club ) delivers a lecture on Literacy at the
ALEACQ - District 9570 Literacy Mini Conference,
Also pictured in red is PP Lyn Foley ( Rockhampton Sunrise Rotary Club)
Lyn is the Regional Director of Education for Central Queensland
IDEA STARTERS for Literacy Activities and Events
• See www.rotary.org for “Every School a Star.” This idea list for literacy projects for IRA and Rotary will be online in September 2007
• Conduct a book fair.
• Stage a Fun Run for Literacy and provide donated books to participants.
• Invite a guest who has lived another part of the world to read a story from that country.
• Ask an adult learner involved in a literacy program to give a testimonial.
• Brainstorm ideas about how to make the community more aware of literacy issues and
how your Club could contribute to such awareness raising.
• Conduct a read-a-thon to raise money for community literacy programs.
• Create a partnership with a television or radio station, or newspaper to support a
specific project related to literacy.
• Ask a business in your region to help heighten awareness about a reading or literacy
topic by displaying posters or adding a literacy message to their ‘Specials’ catalogues.
• Invite a publisher to discuss how books are developed.
• Ask a local bookstore to donate books to disadvantaged children or for use as prizes for
a reading contest.
• Initiate an annual contest or award. Hold a writing contest for students or senior
citizens, or a film contest for the best home video about reading.
• Organize local businesses to raise money to purchase magazines and books for area
schools.
• Recruit sponsors and mentors who will ensure that all children have school supplies and
an adult to read to and with them.
* Ask a public librarian to talk about how libraries promote literacy development in the
community.
• Hold a press conference to publicize literacy issues in the community.
* Sponsor a local teacher to attend a Literacy Conference