Booktime promotes reading for pleasure by encouraging parents and carers to read aloud with their children and help foster a love of books at a key stage in their child’s education and development. The programme was launched in October 2006 by education and publishing company Pearson in association with independent charity Booktrust, giving children the gift of a book pack shortly after they start school with a guidance booklet for parents and carers on shared reading. In 2007 the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) is supporting the expansion of the current Booktime programme for every reception child in England, with an additional activities resource pack for every school and library.
The book at the heart of the scheme in 2007 – a true children’s favourite, Funnybones by Janet and Allan Ahlberg – is accompanied by a guidance leaflet for parents and carers on shared reading. Every school and library in England has received a free Funnybones resource pack, with activity sheets and session ideas to help teachers and librarians to organise linked activities, as well as fun gifts such as bookmarks, stickers and bookplates to enhance the fun for children.
Resources, including activity sheets, session ideas, a short Booktime film, and a podcast of Allan Ahlberg reading Funnybones are also available via the Booktime website. The guidance booklet for parents and carers is available in 15 community languages from the website, or through local authorities and library services.
Contact booktime@booktrust.org.uk to find out more.
"Getting
more children interested in reading is something that is
close to my heart. Being able to read well is the foundation
of anyone's education. But what's also important is the
joy that reading can bring both children and adults throughout
their lives. That is why initiatives, such as Booktime,
that encourage more reading are so important. I wish the
programme every success." Alan Johnson, former secretary of
state for education and skills.
"As
the world's largest education company and publisher, we
want children to learn to read in a way that makes them
want to carry on reading all their lives. But we know that
many children don't have sufficient access to books, let
alone the privilege of owning them. We hope this will help
teachers and parents kick start a love of reading, which
has to be one of the best starts you can give a child in
life." Marjorie Scardino, chief executive of Pearson.
For more information about Pearson, visit www.pearson.com
For more information about Booktrust, visit
www.booktrust.org.uk
Parents and carers have responded enthusiastically to the
Booktime programme. According to an independent evaluation
report produced in February 2007:
- Almost all parents and carers (94%) said they had read
their Booktime book to their child
- Virtually all parents and carers (98%) said their child
enjoyed listening to the book at home and that their child
had enjoyed talking about the book (95%)
- 94% said they would be likely to read other books in
the series with their child
- Nearly 1 in 5 (around 50,000) parents and carers said
they would be likely to read more to their children as
a result of the Booktime programme
The feedback from teachers who took part in Booktime was
similarly very supportive:
- 86 per cent of teachers said they had already read
the book with their pupils and 79 per cent of those
who had not said they planned to do so
- Nearly all teachers said the children enjoyed listening
to the book (99%) and joined in saying some of the words
(95%)
- Most felt Booktime was a worthwhile project (97%)
that would encourage parents and carers to read more
with their children (89%)
Local authority and library services supported Booktime
by assisting with the delivery to schools and linking it
to family reading initiatives:
- 100 per cent were happy to support Booktime and thought
the programme would encourage parents and carers to
read more with their children
- 89 per cent said Booktime helps support and enhance
the promotion of reading for pleasure and family engagement;
and create or build on links between the local authority,
library services, schools and families
- Libraries contributed greatly to the enthusiasm generated
for Booktime by inviting class visits and running family
reading events linked to the gift book
- All libraries involved in the pilot programme reported
a high attendance at Booktime family reading events,
and some continued to run them for six months.
A mum from Warwickshire said that before receiving the
Booktime book pack:
"I found it really difficult to encourage my son to
be interested in books, but now he is enjoying books and
wants to go in bookshops and the library."
A father from north Warwickshire said:
"I think it's a fantastic idea. Our daughter loved listening
to the book read to her and was beginning to read pages
herself. I love the idea of encouraging others to read for
pleasure too."
A librarian in Southwark who helped run a linked family
reading event told Booktime:
"The children certainly enjoyed themselves. It was a
bigger turnout than usual. The parents joined in as well
and we had to set up an additional table as there were so
many people."
A Lancashire County Library and Information Services manager
said:
"The transition phases in children's lives are key
points which require specific support to ensure children's
learning potential is sustained and developed. Booktime
has provided an invaluable mechanism via which we have been
able to support children's development when starting school."
Teachers found the Booktime book pack a useful classroom
resource:
"We based the weeks' work around the book - made a
reading game, posters, own versions of the story, and re-enacted
the story."
A teacher at St Brigids School, Antrim, Northern Ireland
invited parents to get involved:
"Great opportunity for parents to spend time with children
in the school and observe how much they enjoy having a story
read to them. A great programme!"
To
find out more about Booktime, recommended children's books,
some useful weblinks and further ideas to support family
reading, visit : www.booktime.pearson.com
or www.booktrust.org.uk
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