September 8 is International Literacy Day, a day that has been recognized by UNESCO since 1965 and which is supported by the World Literacy Foundation. With them, we recognize that literacy is a fundamental human right. But it’s also a topic that may be closer to home than many of us may realize.
As we navigate the world, we rarely stop to think about literacy – the ability to read, write and interpret signs – and we take its contribution to our own lives for granted.
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We live in a world with limited resources. For non-profit literacy organizations, that often means choosing between supporting early readers and writers and developing complex literacies in adults. The good news? These aren’t mutually exclusive goals. In celebration of International Literacy Day, we bring three examples that demonstrate one key fact: helping adults grow offers untold benefits to their families, too.
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When we began a Books@Work program with the Chautauqua staff in January, we were excited to partner with an organization whose mission is so aligned with our own. The opportunity to speak about Books@Work in the context of Chautauqua’s 21st Century Literacy theme provided a moment of reflection and a chance to revisit our observations about the relationship–and the future–of literature and literacy.
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Reading, writing and discussing poetry has the power to open windows in life-changing ways, giving readers the freedom to tell their own stories and view themselves as capable learners and contributors. Our current partnership with the East Cleveland Municipal Court and From Lemons to Lemonade (FL2L) bring Books@Work to a group of single mothers and other women whose lives rarely afford them the opportunity to read, let alone reflect.
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New research appearing during Banned Books Week shows a correlation between challenges and a particular title’s diversity in authorship and subject matter. Because such books are rarely afforded placement in the traditional literary canon, participants rarely consider them when they tell us that they want to “read the classics.” By teaching Toni Morrison and Salmon Rushdie alongside William Shakespeare and Nathaniel Hawthorne we have an opportunity to signal the importance of creating a new canon for the twenty-first century.
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Summer offers an opportunity to read widely and deeply – not only because reading is illuminating and invigorating, but because we may even find more time to dig into a longer or more challenging book. Without good summer reading, we face the possibility of a summer slide. As fall officially descends later this month, let’s commit to continuing reading substantive, challenging, thought-provoking books every season of the year.
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In order to realize our mission of more engaged reading as a community of learners and thinkers, we need greater investment in building basic literacy skills. That is why basic literacy programs – including efforts to support grade level reading and early childhood intervention – are so important. Basic literacy is a gateway for lifelong learning and the expansion of educational and economic opportunities. We honor and celebrate this work on International Literacy Day.
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What can you do to help improve literacy? The Literacy Cooperative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy rates in Northeast Ohio has launched – today – a campaign: the Top 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Literacy in the Greater Cleveland Area. Books@Work is honored and excited to be included in the Literacy Cooperative’s Top 10. The campaign is both hands-on and holistic, recognizing that there is a great need for literacy education for both children and adults. Together, we can make a difference.
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Research shows that sharing books with children helps them learn about peer relationships, coping strategies, building self-esteem and general world knowledge. Our new Deputy Director, Jamie Simoneau, reflects on these ideas as she shares her own excitement about sharing her passion for reading with her young son.
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