The Book Buzz project aims to raise literacy levels of young children living
in remote communities by recognising the need for early experience and contact with
books.
You can make a genuine contribution to the life a child in a remote Indigenous community
by sending a book pack which contains 12 wonderful books.
Each Book Buzz pack costs $140AUD.
How the Book Buzz project works
Book Buzz provides babies, toddlers and preschool children with access to a wonderful
set of 12 early childhood books. These books were selected by a Fred Hollows Foundation
literacy specialist and childrens’ book specialists from within the Book Industry.
The program was trialled in 2009 in Manyallaluk (east of the Katherine Region) and
in 2010-2011 is being trialled and launched in Wilcannia and Warburton. Suzy Wilson,
David Gaunt, Karen Williams and ILP ambassador Andy Griffiths attended the launch
of Book Buzz at Manyallaluk’s school. Key Speaker Mavis spoke about the project
in her language, and read ‘Where is the Green Sheep’ and ‘Frog’ to the kids. After
Andy Griffiths’ rendition of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ the children were hungry
for more. The engagement level of the school aged children reading books in English
(their second or third language) was wonderful to see; but the most encouraging
sight on the day was the babies’ and toddlers fascination with the Book Buzz board
books. Since then, other communities have heard about the books, and have been requesting
them for their own children.
The delivery process
Step 1: Multiple copies of the set of books are delivered into
schools. Ideally, school students and interested community members and parents (Book
Buddies) are taught how to read the books, pointing to the images etc, enabling
them to engage preschoolers and babies in written storytelling. Hopefully this will
eventually produce a flow-on effect of older siblings reading to younger ones.
Step 2: Book packs are being gifted to babies and preschoolers
at a special event (eg an afternoon or morning tea, or a barbecue), decided in consultation
with communities. A local Indigenous ambassador is appointed to explain the project
at the event and to work and provide support within the community (for example,
at mothers’ groups and childcare centres). The event provides an opportunity to
showcase reading skills of older children as well as the celebrating the joy of
reading.
A Hopeful Step 3: If the trials in Wilcania and Warburton go well
and we manage to get the support of elders as ambassadors, we'll be able to roll
the program out in other communities that are introducing a literacy strategy.
Why is early literacy so important?
The gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students emerges early. And in remote
and isolated communities, this gap is even wider (find out why here.) Non-Indigenous students far out-perform Indigenous students
in benchmark tests for reading, writing and numeracy in Year 3 and Year 5. By Year
7, the gap has widened, particularly for numeracy. (DEET NT 2006)
Indigenous homes, particularly those in remote communities, have fewer books, computers
and other educational resources than non-Indigenous homes, making it very difficult
for young children to have the kind of continuous contact with books and reading
that is necessary for developing early literacy skills. Book Buzz packs are donated
both to the schools and to families with young children, by which we hope to instill
the personal love of books and story that we in the bookselling industry enjoy,
as well as promoting their accessibility as an educational tool.
In the Northern Territory, only one in five children living in very remote Indigenous
communities can read at the accepted minimum standard. By Year 7, just 15% achieved
this benchmark, 47 percentage points behind their urban Indigenous peers and 74
percent less than non-Indigenous students. (DEET NT 2006)
More than half of Indigenous families living in very remote communities speak an
Indigenous language in the home. (ABS, 2001) Their children need extra assistance
at school and from the community to learn English as a second language – we hope
to provide the tools for the communities to be able to give the extra help needed.
Why English?
Being able to understand and communicate well in ‘Standard Australian English’ is important for the life opportunities of Indigenous children and youth. Literacy in English 'provides them with the necessary skills to interact within mainstream society and avail themselves of the broadest range of civic, social, educational and employment possibilities'. (Mellor and Corrigan, 2004). It is also vital to self-expression and identity in a wider Australia and world context – a concept which is at the heart of understanding and reconciliation between Non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians.
The books selected for the Book Buzz pack are,
- Animals: An Indigenous First Discovery Book by Debbie Austin
- Aussie Toddlers Can from Magabala Books
- Aussie Two's Like To... from Magabala Books
- An Australian 1 2 3 of Animals by Bronwyn Bancroft
- Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
- I Went Walking by Sue Machin and Julie Vivas
- People and Places: An Indigenous First Discovery Book by Debbie Austin
- Frog (Usborne Cloth Book) by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
- That's Not My Truck by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
- These are My Hands by Judy Horacek
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek