Charmaine Ledden-Lewis hopes to make literacy accessible for everyone.
The Bundjalung illustrator is an ambassador for the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation and for International Literacy Day has created a new digital resource, opening the door to her studio and to a world of creativity.
Almost half of Australian adults lack the literacy needed for everyday life. In remote communities, just 36 per cent of students are achieving basic literacy standards.
Ms Ledden-Lewis said the resource she created transcended language and literacy barriers to engage students, parents and teachers in the process of storytelling, using the power of illustration.
"Visual literacy is an important and exciting introduction to books for kids because the power of visual literacy is you may not be able to read yet, you may not know your ABCs, but you can interpret imagery," she said.
Alongside Ms Ledden-Lewis's new resource is the foundation's Indigenous First Language Program, an app focused on recording and revitalising Aboriginal languages, allowing for literacy education in the learner's mother tongue.
Ms Ledden-Lewis said resources such as this, and the one she designed were an important celebration of Indigenous cultures, for First Nations students and non-Indigenous children alike.
"This resource and the work that I do and the work that the ALNF does is very much a reconciliation effort. It's closing gaps, it's allowing kids of any walk of life to embrace Indigenous culture and celebrate that," she said.
With International Literacy Day on Monday, Ms Ledden-Lewis encourages people to engage with these resources and support the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation.
The foundation is working with Officeworks through the Literacy is Freedom campaign, with the retail giant selling tote bags to help raise funds.
"I hope the ALNF produces more of this kind of resource," Ms Ledden-Lewis said.
"I don't want mine to be a standalone, and I think it's a beautiful offering that will hopefully bring about more."
