This February 1st, 2018, read aloud. Change the World!
According to Scholastic.com, every year, World Read Aloud Day calls attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read out loud!
Created in 2010 by LitWorld (LitWorld.org), a nonprofit that encourages self-empowerment and community change through literacy, World Read Aloud Day now reaches millions of people in more than 100 countries.
LitWorld think everyone in the world should get to read and write, and we agree. So, on World Read Aloud Day, people all around the globe read aloud together and share stories to advocate for literacy as a human right that belongs to all people.
Here’s why that’s important:
Global Literacy Statistics
- Reading aloud to children every day puts them almost a year ahead of children who do not receive daily read aloud reading, regardless of parental income, education level or cultural background. (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research)
- According to the latest report (2016), 758 million adults – two thirds of them women – lack basic reading and writing skills. (UNESCO) o Since 1985, the female adult literacy rate has risen 15%, which is about double the growth of the male literacy rate in the same time period. (UNESCO)
- Young people in Africa and Asia are much more likely to be literate than 50 years ago. In Northern Africa, youth literacy rate (91%) is almost three times as high as the elderly literacy rate (32%). (UNESCO)
- Even though the size of the global illiterate population is shrinking, the female proportion has remained virtually steady at 63 to 64%. (UNESCO)
- Among the youth population, female literacy rates have been rising quickly. Nonetheless, three out of five youths lacking basic reading and writing skills are young women. (UNESCO)
- If all children in low-income countries left school literate, 171 million people could move out of poverty. (World Literacy Foundation)
- Poorly-literate individuals are less likely to participate in democratic processes and have fewer chances to fully exercise their civil rights (UNESCO)
- A child born to a mother who can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of five than a child born to an illiterate woman. (UNESCO)
- A literate and educated girl is three times less likely to acquire AIDS, she will earn at least 25% more income, and she will produce a smaller, healthier family. (UNESCO)
- Illiterate people earn 30-42% less than their literate counterparts. (World Literacy Foundation) UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Will you take part?
Hook up with other authors, share your photos and experiences and see the joy on all young readers faces. After all, books are fun!
