Contract for publishing books on literacy program

23/11/93

A prestigious international publisher has won a contract to publish and market a series of books detailing Western Australia's ground-breaking First Steps literacy program.

Education Minister Norman Moore today signed a contract with British-owned Longman Cheshire to produce 10 books for national and international distribution.

Mr Moore said he was delighted that a company of Longman Cheshire's reputation was involved with the project.

"Longman Cheshire are specialists in educational books and are highly respected in the international and national educational publishing field," he said.

Mr Moore said Longman Cheshire's keen interest was testimony to the quality of the Ministry of Education's First Steps program and its potential to break into international markets.

"Longman Cheshire's good penetration of the Australian market almost guarantees that the First Steps program is on its way to becoming internationally and nationally accepted," he said.

"It is a great coup for Western Australia and high praise indeed for the good work done here in developing First Steps."

The ten books published by Longman Cheshire are expected to be in bookshops across the country by next June.

Included in the series is the book 'How Can I Help My Child?', which will be an invaluable resource for parents wanting to use the successful First Steps principles at home.

In signing the publishing contract today, Longman Cheshire's managing director Robert Fisher said his company was very excited at being involved in the project.

"No other Australian State has developed anything that compares to First Steps," Mr Fisher said.

"It is a very systematic and comprehensive program that we are sure will have appeal Australia-wide and in other English-speaking countries overseas."

The First Steps project was developed by the Western Australian Ministry of Education and was first trialled in schools in 1989.

It is now used in virtually all Government primary schools and has been heralded as a great success by teachers, parents and research groups.

The program centres around a learning development continuum which charts literacy development from the cradle to the grave.

Students' stages are easily identified and teaching is centred around a child's individual progress rather than an 'expected' norm for everyone.

Mr Moore said the publishing contract would generate enough funds to offset the cost of getting the program off the ground, as well as generate more funds for more research into literacy development in Western Australia.

Media contact:  Paul Plowman 222 9595