PRESS
RELEASE
Remember
illiteracy issues on World Book Day, appeals local MBE charity head
Struggling with reading? You are not alone
28 February 2020: As the UK celebrates World Book Day on 5
March, literacy charity Turn Around is asking communities to think about those
who struggle to read at all.
A 2019
study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
found that 25% of 15-year-olds had problems with basic aspects of reading,
while the 2016 OECD Skills Study suggests that more than a quarter of
working-age adults in England are illiterate, innumerate or both.
Based in St Mary Cray, Orpington, the Turn Around charity provides free
one-to-one tuition in reading, writing and basic maths. Founder and trustee
Michelle Paul MBE commented: “Literacy and numeracy – that many of us take for
granted – are crucial to a happier, more inclusive society and an enriched
workforce, helping to create a healthy economy. The consequences of not having
these skills include being unable to get a job, tell the time, travel or engage
socially. These in turn often cause low self-esteem, ill health and depression.”
Michelle added: “On World Book Day, we want to let those that struggle
with reading know that they are not alone. We are here to help so they can
build key skills – and also enjoy the wealth of stories being celebrated
today.”
Turn Around plays a pivotal role by providing one-to-one tuition to
help obtain essential life skills - from telling the time to completing a job
application.
To enable more adults and children to benefit, Turn Around is calling
for the government to:
1.
Return primary school maths teaching to the
early introduction of methods tried and tested over the centuries including
repetition. Bringing back the teaching of phonics in literacy since 2009 has
already improved outcomes for many primary school
children. This will ensure children receive a thorough grounding in reading,
writing and maths, making it easier to teach them other subjects.
2. Launch
a nationwide programme to reach and teach illiterate and innumerate adults,
enabling them to play a rewarding role in society and contribute to the
economy.
Michelle started to teach children and adults in the 1980s and has
since helped more than 1500 children and adults. In 2006 she set up the Turn
Around charity to further this work – leading to an MBE in the 2020 New Year
Honours list.
The charity is looking for volunteers to Turn someone’s life Around at
The Exchange in St Mary Cray or at one of our outreach centres in Anerley,
Bromley, Downham and Mottingham. Please email turnaroundinfo@gmail.com or call
Lynn Bird on 07794 385 553 if you’d be interested in finding out how you might
be able to make a difference in someone’s life.
ENDS
About
Turn Around: We help people to improve their literacy and
numeracy through free one-to-one tuition, enabling both children and adults to
Turn their lives Around by building essential life skills and seizing social
and economic opportunities.
For more
information, please contact Michelle Paul on 07932 034 479 or Lynn Bird on
07794 385 553
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