Learning Links’ Reading for Life® and Counting for Life® are fully-funded programs that empower primary age children to build vital foundation skills for literacy and numeracy, as well as increased confidence to reach their full potential in the classroom.
It has been thanks to generous funding from community partners over the last 20 years that we have been able to offer this program to schools – often reaching children facing disadvantage who would otherwise miss out on targeted, evidence-based support to help them learn alongside their peers.
Reading for Life® was developed by a Learning Links teacher, psychologist and speech pathologist in 2003. It targets children in Years 2-4 who are having difficulties or falling behind in their literacy development. Addressing learning and literacy at an early age has a long-term impact on a child and is important if we want children to have the best chance of success.
Our numeracy program, Counting for Life® has been enormously successful in providing children with the mathematical skills they need to fully participate in school and in society in later years. Numeracy is needed for a wide range of everyday activities such as money handling, taking medication and cooking. It is also critical for economic and social participation in the technology-rich 21st century and has become an essential skill for all people in the workplace.
Both programs are delivered over a 10-15 week period, using a range of fun activities and games to encourage engagement and interest. Learning Links’ psychologists conduct pre- and post-testing to measure progress made by students. They run the program in partnership with school learning support staff and volunteers, providing comprehensive training and ongoing support.
In the 2022-23 financial year, Learning Links was proud to reach 565 children across 41 school communities across NSW and Victoria.
We are so proud to have kicked off the 2024 school year with fully-funded For Life programs in 16 schools – nine with Counting for Life® and seven with Reading for Life®. This will provide support for almost 200 students to build crucial skills, confidence and self-esteem as such an important stage of their education.
Thank you to all of our schools and our generous funders for supporting these incredible programs for 20 years. What a legacy you are leaving for hundreds of children each year!