It’s International Literacy Day!
This day of recognition is sponsored by the United Nations and the International Reading Association (IRA), a National Geographic Education partner and member of the Verizon Thinkfinity Consortium, and supported by many other leading organizations.
IRA suggests classrooms celebrate the day by participating in a readathon, kicking off a cross-grade reading buddy program, or making original books to share with others in the community. For additional ideas, download the IRA’s collection of ideas: Idea Starters! International Literacy Day Activities and Events.
Check out these other International Literacy Day resources for bibliophiles and beginning readers alike:
- Verizon Thinkfinity International Literacy Day Portal. Find adult literacy courses, professional development and certificate programs for reading instructors, and student lesson plans from Thinkfinity partners.
- Huffington Post Blog Article: “International Literacy Day: 7 Easy Ways to Spread the Word.” (Thinkfinity is featured here. Woohoo! Other favorites: the Free Rice vocabulary game and an online book donation website called Better World Books).
- United Nations World Literacy Day website: A portal to stacks of UN literacy and education resources.
For my own part, I’m championing the cause with a foray into fiction, largely terra incognita since my last English class in high school. I’m currently reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ magnum opus One Hundred Years of Solitude, about a complicated family (but then, what family isn’t?) at the center of a colonial-era Latin American community. The magical realist style elicits memories of a book I read in another high school class–senior year Spanish–Like Water for Chocolate.
What are you reading?
Happy International Literacy Day!
Sarah Jane
Great post! However, have you wondered how much or how little literacy levels people have when it boils down to their own health? I have not met many who would openly admit to having to sit down and read about their health issues than bypassing them as frivolous irritants. Let’s create one International Health Literacy Day too! What say?
Hey Barbaree,
Thanks for the book suggestion. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it, sounds really neat! I’ll have to take a look. Can you share some more highlights with our audience?
By the way, are you planning to participate in our Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-thon this year? Please send me an email if you’re interested: scaban@ngs.org.
I read The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet by Reif Larsen this summer. It’s a great book that explores the mind and adventures of a young boy cartographer who believes in mapping life. http://www.tsspivet.com/