Reds duo join local children for special literacy session
Liverpool duo Adam Bogdan and Jordon Ibe joined local schoolchildren last week for a special reading and writing session at Reducate, the Liverpool FC Foundation's education centre at Anfield.
The lesson formed part of the Premier League Reading Stars initiative, delivered by the Liverpool FC Foundation, and came as a reward for youngsters from New Park Primary School for all their hard work during the school term.
Premier League Reading Stars is an enhanced 10-week literacy programme which harnesses children’s passion for football to improve attainment in reading and writing. The initiative is designed to stimulate children aged from nine to 13 who love football but lack motivation to engage with and achieve in literacy.
The programme has had a significant impact on attainment and created positive attitudes to reading and writing. Over the past three years, thousands of children have used Premier League Reading Stars to improve their reading and writing skills. In 2014, three out of four children made at least six months’ progress in reading in just 10 weeks; one child in three made a year’s progress, or more.
Bogdan, the club’s Premier League Reading Star, said: “It is great to work alongside the LFC Foundation to help young children develop their reading and writing skills. Literacy is extremely important for children as it helps improve key life skills.”
Liverpool FC Foundation project lead, Gemma Smith, said: “Premier League Reading Stars is a fantastic initiative which has been thoroughly enjoyed by all schools involved.
“New Park Primary School has been an absolute pleasure to work with over the past few months. The pupils have worked extremely hard in all the activities involved in the programme.”
National Literacy Trust senior programme manager, Tim Judge, added: “The National Literacy Trust’s Premier League Reading Stars programme is a hugely powerful tool to engage boys and girls who love football but are not ‘big’ readers.
“This programme is a must for any football fan to help them learn to love reading and learn more about the beautiful game.”
Head of the Liverpool FC Foundation, Andrea Cooper, said: “Premier League Reading Stars is a key programme for the LFC Foundation.
“This season the LFC Foundation has delivered the programme in nine schools across Merseyside and the project has seen many ‘reluctant’ readers find a new passion and enthusiasm for literacy and books.”
