Spark is a basic reading and literacy program designed for primary school children who require assistance in developing their reading and comprehension skills. These students have been identified by their teachers as having limited opportunities for reading outside of school and would benefit from one-to-one attention in the school environment.
The links between literacy, self-esteem, school performance and adult life opportunities have been widely documented. Statistics show that individuals with very poor literacy skills are more likely to leave school early, have a greater chance of being unemployed and/or earn less than those with good literacy skills. There is also a significant gap in literacy standards between students from low socio-economic, indigenous and/or non-English speaking backgrounds compared with students from medium and high socioeconomic backgrounds.
SPARK aims to address this. While the focus of the program is on reading and comprehension, there is a critical element of socialisation with reading mentors acting as positive and reliable role models for the participating students. The one-to-one time involved in the program provides an opportunity for sustained conversations in English, encourages the student personally and has a powerful impact on their enjoyment of reading – all of which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem.
As a mentor in this program, you will be matched with a student from Matraville Soldiers Settlement Primary School. You will attend weekly reading sessions at the school. Alternatively, you can 'buddy' up with a colleague to mentor the same student, and attend alternate sessions each fortnight.
A key requirement of being a mentor is to act as an important role model in the student’s lives and to mentor them at each of the sessions. For some students
participating in the program, their mentors may be the only positive and dependable role model in their lives. By agreeing to participate in the program, it is critical that mentors attend all sessions they have committed to unless there are exceptional circumstances.