Involved dads upping kids reading skills

AS PART of Book Week celebrations, St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School set a challenge for dads – read to the kids at school.

About 35 dads turned up at the school on September 5 to get involved in the Annual Dads’ Reading Challenge.

The dads also answered the school’s call for more male role models for children especially in the area of literacy.

It was a fun morning with both dads and children enjoying reading and being read to.

Principal Steve Gibbs said there was a marked difference in the children’s skills after having their dads involved.

“Dads’ involvement in reading to their children has been shown to have a huge impact on children’s abilities and their development,” he said.

“Research has shown that children whose dads read to them behave and concentrate better, are more interested in books later on, have wider vocabularies, better problem-solving skills and are better at maths.”

“It is also really important that our boys, who often struggle more than girls with their literacy, see that reading is not just for the girls.”

“We are lucky in the Rockingham area because a lot of fathers are on shift or FIFO rosters which means they can be around a lot more for their kids during school times.

“The response by our dads in the school community has been fantastic and you can see the kids really appreciate it.”