Let's Read Campaign eNewsletter

April 2013

Let’s Read campaign public launch in Canberra

The Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Peter Garrett launched the Let’s Read campaign at Lyons Early Childhood School in Canberra, along with early childhood expert Professor Frank Oberklaid. At the launch, Garrett said that “The Gillard Government knows how important it is to give young kids the gift of reading at an early age, which is why we’ve provided $1 million in funding for the Let’s Read campaign.”

Read the Minister's media release

Watch footage from the launch

See photos from the launch

Read more about the campaign

Stay tuned for news about Let's Read campaign events across the country!


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Let's Read campaign launch event

Children, families and early childhood professionals came together to celebrate the launch of the Let’s Read anywhere anytime national campaign at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, on Tuesday 9 April 2013.

Launching the event, Director of The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health Professor Frank Oberklaid, referenced current research that tells us that not all children arrive at school ready to take advantage of its learning opportunities, and that almost half of Australian adults do not have the basic literacy skills to meet demands of everyday life and work. Professor Oberklaid said that said pre-school literacy was critical for helping children learn to read later in school.

Professor Frank Oberklaid also launched the results of the Australia post research. The results revealed that 51% of parents don’t realise reading books and sharing stories with children from birth gives them the best start in life

Entertainment was provided by campaign ambassadors Jay Laga'aia and Liz Ellis who shared songs, nursery rhymes and books with children and their families. 

Let's Read champions Gorgi Coghlan, George Donikian, Jeanette Rowe, Michael Rowland and Nathan Lovett-Murray attended the event too, showing their support for the campaign that engages families, professionals and communities to promote reading with children from birth.

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The Royal Children's Hospital Education Institute then facilitated the Let's Read passport activity with children and families, an activity that encourages families to share rhymes, songs and stories with their children every day.

See photos from the launch

Watch the campaign promotional video

Watch Professor Frank Oberklaid’s interview on ABC News Breakfast

Watch the Channel 10 news clip

Read the Australia Post research media release

 


Let's Read ambassadors and champions

In addition to the Let’s Read celebrity ambassadors Jay Laga’aia and Liz Ellis, more than 30 champions have endorsed and supported the campaign.

Kat-Stewart.JPGLet’s Read champions are high-profile Australian parents who have completed a reading profile by answering two questions about reading with their children. These profiles aim to promote Let’s Read campaign key messages and are available for families to see and hear what these public personalities think of reading with children from birth.

Find out more about the Let’s Read champions

Stay tuned for interviews with the Let's Read ambassadors Liz and Jay


Let's Read community program map

Glastonbury-Family-reading-together,-Colac-Let-s-Read.jpgRead stories and learn more about Let’s Read community programs across the country through our interactive Let’s Read community map.

Check out the latest stories from Let’s Read community programs across the country:

 


What's next?

Stay tuned for news about :

  • new Let's Read reading tips and tools and DVD
  • Let's Read and the Raising Children Network
  • online training
  • Let's Read endorsed services pilot
  • Australia Post research
  • interviews with the Let’s Read ambassadors
  • Let’s Read campaign friends
  • national competitions and activities
  • campaign poster series for early childhood education and care centres and early childhood services
  • literature review (to be released June 2013).