Launched by the National Literacy Trust (NLT), the digital platforms consist of a virtual school library for teachers and the Words for Life website for parents.
New research from the NLT – involving almost 2,000 parents – suggests that one in four children (22.5 per cent) had no access to books during the Covid-19 lockdown, while half of parents told the charity that they would like more support for their children’s literacy.
The idea behind the virtual school library is to give UK primary school children access to books all year round. The initiative is to provide pupils with a free e-book or audiobook, an exclusive video and engaging activities from a different children’s author or illustrator every week.
Meanwhile, the Words for Life website provides families with fun activities to support their children’s literacy at home. Features include themed book lists, quizzes, creative activities, and tips to help children improve their reading, writing and communication skills from home.
- Words for Life: https://wordsforlife.org.uk/
- Virtual School Library: http://virtualschoollibrary.org.uk
- National Literacy Trust: https://literacytrust.org.uk/