This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Staff at Clarks shoe shops are to be asked to engage children in conversation to improve language skills, as part of a government attempt to tackle “concerning” rates of early literacy.

Thousands of workers will receive training on children’s speech, language and communication development as part of a campaign that will also involve private companies helping fund literacy projects.

The government pointed to analysis from the National Literacy Trust suggesting 7.1 million adults in the UK have very poor literacy skills. Ministers have prioritised improving rates of early literacy and communication among disadvantaged families, which they see as being of particular concern.

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As part of the scheme, WH Smith will advise parents in Swindon, which has relatively high levels of illiteracy, on how to support their children’s language development.

The government said it hoped such schemes would help parents improve their children’s skills by the time they finished reception class, at age five. Last year, the education secretary, Damian Hinds, set out an ambition to halve the proportion of five-year-olds not meeting expected standards in such skills.

The children and families minister, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “There’s no instruction manual for being a parent. For some who left school a long time ago or who have low confidence in their own abilities, it can be overwhelming to know where to start with supporting children’s learning at home before they start school – and we know that too many children are arriving at school already behind their peers.

“By working with a growing number of businesses, charities and experts, we’re making it easier for parents to kickstart this early development – helping to take forward our national mission to boost children’s early development.”