Fostering Love of Books Key to Literate Society

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Prime Minister and Duffy Books in Homes general manager Linda Vagana with Omana kindergarten children.

Media Release
29 June 2007

FOSTERING LOVE OF BOOKS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD KEY TO CREATING LITERATE SOCIETY

A successful literacy programme which has been breaking the cycle of ‘booklessness’ among low-decile primary school children is now turning its sights to kindergarten children as well.

The Duffy Books in Homes Early Childhood Education Programme will see books put into the homes of children from 45 low-decile kindergartens taking part in the pilot programme. The programme will be opened to other eligible Early Childhood Education (ECE) centres throughout New Zealand in 2008 following the results of the trial.

The launch of the initiative, announced today at Omana Kindergarten in South Auckland and attended by the Prime Minister, signals Duffy Books in Homes’ continued quest to reverse some of New Zealand’s damning literacy statistics.

Nearly half the workforce in New Zealand (46%) cannot read well enough to work effectively in a modern economy. As the availability of low-skilled jobs diminishes, the high concentration of adults with poor literacy skills will become increasingly vulnerable. In addition one in four New Zealanders are functioning below the level of competence required to meet the demands of everyday life.

Linda Vagana, Duffy Books in Homes general manager said the best way to create an employable, literate society is to foster a love of reading in children, and the earlier the intervention begins the better.

“The philosophy is simple. Kids who can't read become adults who can't communicate. We aim to change that by putting books into the homes of New Zealand children who, through no fault of their own, don’t have any.

“Our goal is to inspire a love of books and of reading in children. The programme encourages parents and whanau to recognise the fundamental role they play in their child’s literacy and language development by telling stories, reading to, listening to and talking with children. It is by doing this that we are also promoting family literacy.”

Duffy Books in Homes is the brainchild of well-known author Alan Duff who realised that failures in adult life often stem from childhoods spent in bookless homes. Since it was established in 1995, Duffy Books in Homes has distributed over four million books to more than 95,000 students from 495 low-decile schools throughout the country.

Results to date have shown a 35% increase in reading skills by children on the programme in one year. In addition schools on the Duffy Books in Homes programme (Duffy Schools) have experienced less truancy and greater involvement in school life by parents and the community.

Tanya Harvey, general manager of the Auckland Kindergarten Association said the 45 kindergartens in the pilot programme were selected based on their equity rating and proximity to Duffy Schools.

“Learning to read and write is critical for success in school and throughout life,” said Tanya Harvey. “By starting early, we recognise learning to read begins long before a child enters school.”

Duffy Books in Homes ECE Programme will involve book offers at the beginning of terms two and four where the child will take home two books at each offer. There will be a wide variety of books on offer to meet the needs of families from diverse backgrounds. Books in Homes will be calling for other ECE centres who meet the programme’s eligibility criteria to participate from August this year.

ENDS

Kindergartens on the trial programme include:
KINDERGARTEN LOCATION
1. Akarana Avenue 19 Akarana Avenue, Mt Roskill
2. Aorere 43 Chantelle Place, Papatoetoe
3. Avondale 195 Rosebank Road, Avondale
4. Bairds 4 Edward Avenue, Otara
5. Ellerslie 122 Celtic Crescent, Ellerslie
6. Favona Wakefield Road, Mangere
7. Flat Bush 329 Bairds Road, Otara
8. Fort Richard Road 27 Fort Richard Road, Otahuhu
9. Glen Eden 3 Clayburn Road, Glen Eden
10. Glen Innes 71 Taniwha Street, Glen Innes
11. Henderson 1a Henderson Valley Road, Henderson
12. Hillsborough 668 Richardson Road, Hillsborough
13. Idlewild 67 Idlewild Avenue, Mangere
14. Kingsdene 62 Mascot Avenue, Mangere
15. KiNZ East Tamaki 69 Otara Road, Otara
16. KiNZ Sandringham 27 Shorwell Street, Sandringham
17. Kotiri 1 Beryl Place, Mangere East
18. Mangawhai Insley Road, Mangawhai
19. Mangere Bridge 36 Lindis Place, Mangere
20. Mayfield 20R Pearl Baker Drive, Otara
21. McNaughton 14 McNaughton Avenue, Mangere
22. Morningside 31 Taylors Road, Mt Albert
23. Mt Albert 24 Mark Road, Mt Albert
24. Mt Wellington 10 Hamlin Road, Mt Wellington
25. Murdoch Park 43 Chestnut Road, Papatoetoe
26. New Lynn 1 Totara Avenue, New Lynn
27. Northbridge 36 College Rd, Northcote
28. Omana 42 Omana Road, Papatoetoe
29. Onehunga Cuthbert 17a Cameron Street, Onehunga
30. Orakei Cnr Coates Avenue and Grace Street, Orakei
31. Oranga 48a Waitangi Road, Onehunga
32. Otahuhu 51a Hutton Street, Otahuhu
33. Owairaka 6a Dunkirk Terrace, Owairaka
34. Papatoetoe 53 Wilmay Avenue, Papatoetoe
35. Pt England 130B Pt England Road, Pt England
36. Roskill South 1327 Dominion Road Extension, Mt Roskill
37. Sandringham 2 Kenneth Avenue, Sandringham
38. Sunnyvale 31a Kaikoura Street, Henderson
39. Tamaki 49 Howard Hunter Avenue, Glen Innes
40. Te Atatu South 66a Divich Avenue, Te Atatu South
41. Turangi Hinerangi St, Turangi
42. Waterview 10 Herdman Street, Pt Chevalier
43. Wellsford Hazelmere Street, Wellsford
44. Wesley 26a O’Donnell Avenue, Mt Roskill
45. Yendarra 31 Crown Crescent, Otara

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