Meet Timera. In 2013 she graduated from Warburton Playgroup, where our Foundation runs an early literacy project called Book Buzz. For four years, during the daily storytime at playgroup, Timera and her mum enjoyed looking at books together - books like Dear Zoo, Where’s Spot, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. These and other board books have been translated into Ngaanyatjarra, the Aboriginal language of the area.
Timera is in year one now and she’s beginning to read. In Warburton this is quite amazing.
There is no question that children in remote Indigenous communities face some of the most challenging conditions when it comes to learning to read. Figures from the 2014 NAPLAN report show the enormous gap between the results of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, with children in remote Australia scoring even lower.
However these figures do not show the children's potential. The strong, funny, shy, playful children who speak 3-4 languages before they learn English. These children deserve the same opportunities afforded to Australians living in cities.
Our programs are helping them have the same access to books. Our early literacy project is putting books into the hands of children like Timera and their families and translating them into first language where possible. Our publishing projects give the children and communities a sense of pride as they see their own stories in print.
Donate to our End of Financial Year appeal and you will receive a tax deduction. More than that – you will help us make a real difference in the life of a child in a remote Indigenous community.
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation works as an initiative of the Australian Book Industry with the support of:
The
Indigenous Literacy Foundation is registered with the ACNC and is a Public Benevolent Institution with DGR1 and TCC status.
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