Literacy is one of the most important skills that children need to be able to advance economically and socially through life. It is also one of the skills that countless schools worldwide fail to deliver on.
A study published by Our World in Data reveals that in high-income countries, 9% of children fail to read with comprehension by the end of primary school. But in the poorest countries, that number rises ten-fold to 90%. Although many children do learn to read eventually their delay in learning compounds and can set them back, resulting in them leaving school with an overall poorer education.
While the issue of global literacy requires wide-scale intervention and solutions, many private organizations around the world have sought to provide assistance to uphold literacy worldwide. Here are some of them.
The Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PEETA)
Not-for-profit professional association PEETA supports primary school educators in English education and literacy in their curriculums. Thus far, they have partnered with 3500 member schools across Australia.
The organization works with leading academics, educational and literacy consultants, and experienced educators to develop research-based publications and teaching resources, professional learning courses and programs, and advocacies to further the concerns of professionals and communities within State and Federal Education Forums. Recently, PEETA launched a new literacy resource that brings together articles, information, and instructional videos to support early career teachers to further the support for nurturing children’s education.
Bridge International Academies
In a lot of countries, the lack of schooling materials like textbooks are a major impediment to offering equal quality education among certain demographics. Bridge International Academies, a school network that spans Asia and Africa, leverages a pioneering school-in-a-box program that is data-driven and carefully crafted to specifically address the needs of students in host countries. Their lessons and learning materials are designed to make use of resources that are already accessible to students locally. For instance, they provide textbooks that are carefully designed by in-country experts to supplement government-provided ones, carefully matching their curriculum and providing examples that are relatable to the students’ backgrounds and age.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Michael Kremer has co-authored a study on Bridge’s methodology in Kenya that reveals significant learning gains, such as reducing dispersion in test scores and advancing learning by up to one and a half years.
The Literacy Company
Based in the United Kingdom, the Literacy Company is a group of consultants who work closely with school teachers and administrators to improve upon existing curriculum and enhance the institutions’ standards on English.
The group focuses on innovating education in literacy through practical, effective, and enjoyable multi-award winning programs. Among these is the Pathways Literacy approach — which can now be found in over 350 schools in the United Kingdom. Each of the program’s resources are designed to be flexible and to co-exist with an institution’s existing curriculum while guaranteeing a progressive approach to teaching and learning English.
Here at Be the Star You Are! we advocate for greater literacy to empower children, women, and families to combat illiteracy which seriously impedes a person’s capacity to grow throughout their lives. These organizations operate with the same vision across the world. Even though literacy and education still needs improving in many places, there are many organizations around the world who we can support to foster education.