A warm welcome to your January Words Count and Imagination Library newsletter!

These regular updates will provide information on the range of exciting literacy projects and events taking place across our communities.

As of December 2016 eighty-eight per cent of the under-fives in North Lincolnshire are signed up to Imagination Library, receiving wonderful free books every month! In total, over 270,000 books have been mailed to homes across our community. 

Please help us in our goal to reach all of North Lincolnshire's under-fives!

Book Your Place On Prestigious Literacy Conference 'More Than Words'

The Words Count 'More Than Words' literacy conference is coming to North Lincolnshire on 27 April at the Baths Hall, Scunthorpe, to raise awareness of the importance of reading.

More Than Words will offer teachers, early years professionals and anyone involved in literacy development an inspiring day with high profile speakers, insightful workshops and lots of ideas on how you might influence and promote reading.

Speakers include:

• Jonathan Douglas, Director of The National Literacy Trust
• Nick Sharratt, Award-winning Author and Illustrator
• Naomi Eisenstadt CB, Advisor on Poverty and Inequality for the Scottish Government
• Abigail Moss, Director of Programmes and Partnerships at The Book Trust
• Dr. Mary Roche, Author of Developing Children's Critical Thinking Through Picture Books
  

View the full conference brochure at our website

Don't miss out on what promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking day with lots of valuable strategies. An early discount is being applied if you book your place before 17 February. Don't miss out!

 
Click here to book!

Raising Attainment Family Literacy (RAFL) Case Studies

The RAFL project aims to improve attainment in communication and literacy development for groups of vulnerable children. It develops the knowledge of parents/carers and helps to build their confidence to support reading and related activities in the home learning environment. We recently visited Little Acorns Pre-School in Broughton and Ashby Neighbourhood Nursery to capture some of the great practice taking place in local settings to support RAFL. The inspiring activities range from reading passports and book exchanges to school transition sessions and dinosaur hunts. You can read all about their progress in case studies published on our website Please scroll down to 'Case studies'

Firefighters Sign Up to Extinguish Reluctant Reading

An innovative literacy partnership between Words Count and firemen from Green Watch, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, will see firefighters visiting local schools to become reading champions.   As part of the project the fire service will visit Oasis Academy Henderson Avenue to talk about their role and deliver important safety messages. The firefighters will listen to the children read and read back to the pupils, supporting reading comprehension. It is hoped that experiencing storytelling from some different, inspirational role models will help to engage reluctant readers.   In the future St. Lawrence Academy and Scunthorpe C of E Primary will also be participating in this exciting initiative.

“As a service it’s important that we interact with all areas of the community we serve, if we can be seen as role models and encourage members of the community to realise the importance of reading then this can only be a positive move.   The Words Count reading project is a great platform to pass over a community safety message, ensuring that younger members of the community are well informed on such matters through reading and play, whilst at the same time developing vital literacy skills.”   WM Jason Frary Green Watch Humberside Fire and Rescue Service   For more information, please contact Sarah Tipler, Development Officer Professional Standards Communication and Language at Sarah.Tipler@northlincs.gov.uk

Dates For Your Diary...

2nd February: Harry Potter Book Night 16th February: World Read Aloud Day 2nd March: World Book Day 25th April: Developing a Love of Reading (With Author Neil Griffiths) 27th April: More Than Words Conference