|
|
Summer Reading Program Gearing Up!
One of the most important summer learning programs for students and schools, the Statewide Summer Reading Program, is gearing up for 2008. More than 1.3 million students participated in 2007, and more are anticipated for 2008. Studies have shown that library summer reading programs raise student learning levels, and this program has become an important part of the efforts to close the achievement gap.
The themes of the 2008 program are Catch the Reading Bug (children's theme) and Metamorphosis @ Your Library (Teen theme). A web site and other materials for 2008 are in the works and will be ready for educators and school administrators to view in March. Some information is currently available and can be accessed by going to the New York State Library web site at www.nysl.nysed.gov and pointing to “Statewide Summer Reading.” Watch for more information next month.
International Literacy Day is September 8th, 2008
On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. According to the UNESCO site, despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.
Please visit UNESCO for news and information about this annual event.
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=53299&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html