Adults sought for World Read Aloud Day
World Read Aloud Day promotes adults' reading to children for its many developmental benefits. (Photo courtesy of SMART Reading)
Reading aloud to children promotes their social and cognitive growth. It also tends to be rewarded with smiles and warm fuzzies.
SMART Reading is challenging Oregon adults to get in on the good feelings for World Read Aloud Day, Feb. 5.
SMART Reading, an Oregon literacy nonprofit, provides young students with free books and one-on-one reading time with volunteers. The group has set a goal of getting 10,000 Oregonians to take a Reading Matters pledge to support reading to children and to commit to read on World Read Aloud Day.
LitWorld, a New York-based literacy advocacy group, started World Read Aloud Day in 2010 to call attention to the importance and joy of reading aloud. It calls literacy a fundamental human right.
SMART Reading is planning activities and school-based events in each of its seven state regions.
"Without reading skills, kids are less likely to graduate high school, find employment or successfully avoid other hardships like poverty, homelessness, hunger and injustice," said Chris Otis, SMART Reading executive director.
Contact Jessica Bowersox at jbowersox@smartreading.org or 971-634-1605 to set up school activities or for a school board proclamation in honor of World Read Aloud Day.
- Jake Arnold, OSBA
jarnold@osba.org