What chance does a child have if he or she grows up without the ability to read?

The statistics speak for themselves. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicated that 14 % of Australian students aged 15 fail to reach a baseline level of reading proficiency considered essential for future development and knowledge acquisition, and a further 21% only reach the minimum baseline proficiency level.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS) revealed that Australian language, literacy and numeracy levels have shown little improvement in the decade since the 1996 International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). It found that approximately 7 million Australian adults (46 per cent) had literacy scores below the minimum level needed to function fully in life and work.

Ensuring all Australian kids reach an appropriate level of literacy remains one of our major challenges. Literacy is not just about reading it is the foundation for learning. Literacy exerts a huge influence over a person’s quality of life.

The project

Dymocks Children’s Charities has developed a unique literacy support project that encourages primary students to develop a love for books and read every day for pleasure.

While our aims are relatively simple the results can be profound transforming a child’s self-esteem and their entire relationship with learning. We know that if a child reads for pleasure every day they will improve their literacy and achieve at a higher level in all subjects.

The Book Bank project draws upon overseas and national experience of effective conditions for reading success, including:

• regular reading at school and home

• student choice of reading material

• student ownership

• student engagement and perceptions about reading.

The Book Bank project provides students in priority schools from years 3 to 6 with a book of their choice every term. The books are selected from the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge new release list and so we know that students will find these titles interesting and relevant.

While students “own” their books they are encouraged to swap and share their books with their classmates for two terms. This opens up a whole new world for “reluctant” readers who can comfortably share their thoughts and comments on the books they have read with their classmates. It also provides teachers with the stimulus to introduce class discussion on certain text or develop class activities based around the student’s reading choices.

Research has shown that if students continue to read for pleasure through these senior primary years they will take this wonderful “habit” into high school and beyond and become lifelong learners.

The schools

Book Bank is in its second year of a two-year pilot study involving more than 1,200 students from five priority schools across NSW. The initial pilot schools included:

• Condell Park Public School

• Ettalong Public School

• Fort Street Public School

• Nyngan Public

• Toormina Public

In January 2012 two more priority schools were added to the Book Bank project:

• Blaxcell Street Public School and

• Perouse Public School

The DCC has received a number of requests from other schools to establish a Book Bank and is currently considering:

• Bomberderry Public School and

• Pendle Hills High School (as a pilot high school)

Cost effective

We can deliver Book Bank for just under $50 per child per annum. That is only $12.50 a term, this project then gives every student access to more than 60 current titles in their class environment every semester, or more than 100 new books in every classroom, every year.

These books are a significant resource as we know that the provision of interesting, relevant and quality reading materials is fundamental for encouraging students to engage with reading for pleasure on a regular basis.

Formal evaluation:

Book Bank is being formally evaluated by the Student Engagement Program Evaluation Bureau (DEC).

Key Findings

87% of students agreed that Book Bank has increased their interest in reading books. All teachers surveyed agreed that Book Bank had improved their students’ attitude to reading and that their students are reading more frequently. Numerous factors relating to the effect of Book Bank in Phase 1 and how it is operating in the pilot schools contribute to this.

Preliminary findings from the formal evaluation have also indicated that teachers have benefitted greatly from having a wide range of current children's titles in their classrooms and families of participating students have commented on the benefits of having these great new books coming home on a regular basis so that siblings and parents can share them.

Support

The Book Bank project has been implemented with support from the Department of Education and Communities. The Book Bank project is primarily funded by the proceeds from our annual fundraiser – The Great Debate; we have also received funding from the ASX Thomson Reuter Foundation in 2011 and 2012. The Blaxcell Street Book Bank is being supported by a Club Grant from Parramatta Leagues Club and La Perouse Book Bank was funded in part by a personal donation from Adam Spencer.

Book Bank now supports more than 1,700 students every year.