By Don McRae
Minister of Education

Dr. Seuss once said, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." Today, we reflect on the need to give every child in B.C. the opportunity to become a successful reader. Towards that goal, the B.C. government is providing an additional $500,000 in support of literacy and this year's Raise-a-Reader campaign.

We know that strong literacy skills are linked to better jobs, higher incomes, higher levels of education, lower healthcare costs, safer communities, more successful rehabilitation of offenders and greater civic participation.

Recognizing the continued importance and challenge of reading, B.C.'s Ministry of Education has also made reading in kindergarten to Grade 3 a primary focus for the coming year.

It is essential that we give every child in British Columbia the chance to participate fully in our knowledge-based economy. BC's Education Plan sets out a vision for an educational experience that helps students succeed through collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. However, students can't be expected to succeed in even the most flexible, personalized and engaging environment if they struggle with literacy and reading.

This year, we have dedicated $10.7 million in increased funding to support early reading in every school district. Maureen Dockendorf, a highly respected B.C. educator, is taking on the role of Superintendent for Reading and will be working with districts to learn from the expertise of teachers. Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $1.5 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives, including pre-literacy and early learning programs.

In every school district across the province there are outstanding examples of quality reading instruction. The challenge before us is to bring the joy of reading to every student in the province, and at the same time make sure they acquire the skills they need to be proficient readers.

Successful early reading is not just a matter of teaching children how to read but also of building an environment that fosters and supports strong literacy skills. That means teaming with schools and families to build a community of reading, within and beyond the classroom. Perhaps more than anything, it means enabling teachers to engage their young students in the magic of reading.

Every student has the potential to be a successful reader. Teachers create an environment rich in language, oral expression, respect and understanding. They work on developing not only reading skills but also thinking skills, including self-awareness and self-regulation, which act as gateways to reading. They provide meaningful reading materials that appeal to different interests. And they provide choices about when and where to read and how to use and extend what students learn from reading.

Helping every young B.C. child learn to read is in the interest of every British Columbian, and it will take a communal approach to improve literacy outcomes throughout our province.

Every child can learn to read, and every child wants to read. In partnership with educators, districts, families, communities and students themselves, our goal is to give them that opportunity.