There are many ways to contribute to the goal of "Reading for All Children."
Individuals can help by volunteering in schools, tutoring children who are having difficulty, and writing letters to encourage government officials to give schools and teachers the resources they need.
Communities can create "literacy campaigns" to highlight the importance of reading, help repair and maintain schools, and work with government to gain resources for schools.
Businesses can adopt schools, organize special programs for their employees' children, encourage employee mentoring and volunteerism in poor schools, donate books, and partner with government to improve the quality of education.
More on how you can make a difference in your home >>
More on how you can make a difference in your community >>
More on how businesses can make a difference >>
How you can make a difference at home
Read to your children
This is one of the most important things you can do to introduce your children to the joy of reading. For English-language tips on reading aloud to your children go to: www.rif.org/parents/readingaloud/default.mspx.
Have books in your home
Children discover the delights of reading through the magic of books. Create a reading corner in your home. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy; it’s just a comfortable spot where children can find books, newspapers or magazines to read.
Tell stories together
Talk with children about the stories they are reading and ask questions about how they relate to experiences in family and community life. You also can nurture creativity by making up stories together.
Write with your child
Provide a comfortable space and materials for your children to write. Help them get started by sitting with them. Also, encourage children to write stories, jokes, rhymes, poems, or even just a paragraph on something special or fun that happened that day.
Contribute money
The Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training are making a tremendous difference in children’s lives. But there is still much more work to do. Help CETT to reach more children by donating now.
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How you can make a difference in your community
Go to your school
Talk to your child’s teacher and ask how your child is doing in school. Most importantly, ask the teacher and the school principal what you can do to help improve your child’s education.
Volunteer to help children read
Approach teachers in your community and offer to help with tasks such as preparing learning materials or tutoring children in the classroom. You could serve as a tutor for children that need special attention to learn to read, or you could help organize book donations in your community.
Talk with people around you
Talk to family members, friends, and other parents about the importance of reading. Make them aware that if children do not learn to read and write, their future is in jeopardy.
Organize "Literacy Campaigns"
Work with teachers, parents, schools, local organizations, and companies to organize a “literacy campaign” to highlight the importance of literacy. This could be a community gathering at a school or other public facility where children read out loud and share what they’ve learned. Encourage participants to commit to helping children learn to read by volunteering time, contributing resources (especially books) or, for parents, committing to read to their children every day.
Talk or write to government officials
Ask your government officials what they are doing to make sure that children in schools are learning to read and write. Let them know that the quality of education is an important issue that you care about. For information on the status of education in your country or region go to: www.preal.org/Progreso.asp.
Contribute money
The Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training are making a tremendous difference in children’s lives. Help CETT to reach more children by donating now.
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How businesses can make a difference
Participate in policy dialogues
Businesses are well positioned to become champions in the fight against child illiteracy. Engage in policy dialogues with government on the importance of improving education, and its impact on economic competitiveness and national prosperity. Support organizations that are working to improve educational quality. Become more informed about the quality of education in your country or region by reading education report cards at: www.preal.org/Progreso.asp.
Partner with CETT
CETT believes that education is everybody’s business. Private sector partnerships have been critical to CETT’s success. Thanks to partnerships with Scholastic Books, Sesame Workshop, and DHL, nearly half a million books have been made available to children in CETT schools. Other companies, such as Air Jamaica and ProQuest, have provided valuable in-kind resources.
There are many ways to partner with CETT – from forming long-term alliances to donating classroom libraries, to sponsoring trainers in schools. Contact us to explore partnership opportunities.
Organize volunteer programs
Facilitate your employees’ involvement in literacy education by organizing a volunteer program within your company. Sponsor seminars to raise awareness among your employees on the importance of children learning to read and write. Donate a few hours of your staff’s time so they can help teachers in classrooms teach children to read, or work with organizations seeking to improve educational quality.
Sponsor stay in school programs
Give employees incentives to keep their children in school – by donating school supplies, providing school bonuses, and giving parents time to engage in their children’s education. Also, encourage parents to visit their children’s schools and talk with teachers about their children’s progress.
Contribute money
CETT is making a tremendous difference in children’s lives. Companies’ direct cash donations have made it possible to expand the number of children reached by the CETT program. Help us reach more children by donating now.
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