Jj is for Jottings 116. Children Who Own Books Read More.
OWNING BOOKS BENEFITS READING.
Children who own books are six times more likely to read. And they are more likely to read above the expected level for their age. The UK-based charity, The National Literacy Trust, did a survey of more than 56,000 children from all over the UK, ranging from ages 9 to 18. The survey revealed that 22 % of children who own books read above the expected level for their age. But only 3.6% of children who did not own a book read above the expected age level.
56.2% of the group who possess books enjoy reading. But only 18.4% of those who don’t have books find reading enjoyable. That’s just sad. For ideas on how to promote your child’s interest in reading, right from babyhood, see:
Raising a Reader. Part 1: the baby
Raising a Reader. Part 2: Toddlers
Raising a Reader. Part 3: Emerging Readers
Raising a Reader. Part 4: Early Readers
The study also found that over 380,000 children in the UK do not have books, which in the long run can affect their literacy levels, wellbeing, and overall happiness. If you are wondering how they got a figure of 380,000 from a survey of 56,000 – they extrapolated. Overall, 6.3 per cent of children who were surveyed said they do not have one book – which the charity has estimated amounts to 383,774 children across the UK.
Of course, owning books is one thing. Parents reading to children can be quite another. See some disquieting statistics on reading to children.
OWNING BOOKS HAS BENEFITS BEYOND READING.
Findings published in the journal Social Science Research show that raising children in a home filled with books positively impacts their future academic growth and job attainment. The study found that, when it comes to standardised tests, each addition to the home library helps children do better. And that is regardless of how many books the family already has. I’m not convinced that when I bought a book about making cards, it enhanced my children’s academic future. Nor do I think it increased their chances of finding better employment. However, the principle of more books=greater opportunity is sound. (Although, come to think of it, they have both done very well. Maybe it was because of that card-making book. Or perhaps it was the hundreds of other books we already possessed!)
How Many Books?
The study showed that literacy levels surged at 80 books. Being surrounded by lots of books where they live helps children build vocabulary, increase awareness and comprehension, and expand horizons. All these things benefit them in adulthood, according to the study.
The Benefits Extend Beyond Reading.
Apart from literacy, there was a correlation between homes full of books and the ability to use mathematical concepts in everyday life. There was also a correlation with the ability to use digital technology to communicate with others. Books in the home make a difference beyond literacy.
I have to admit, I’ve never had any problem with filling the house with books. My problem is emptying the house of some of the books. It’s a bit like trying to choose which friends to keep and which to part with.
OWNING BOOKS AND HIGHER LEVELS OF EDUCATION.
For years, educators have thought the strongest predictor of attaining high levels of education was having parents who were highly educated. Well, we all probably thought that, consciously or unconsciously. However, there was a 20-year study conducted by sociologists from the University of Nevada, Reno and UCLA. This huge study investigated the difference between being raised in a bookless home compared to being raised in a home with a 500-book library.
It turns out that book possession has as great an effect as parental education. So, being raised in a bookless home has as great an effect on the level of education a child will attain as having parents who are barely literate (3 years of education). Conversely, being raised in a 500-book home is akin to having parents who have a university education (15 or 16 years of education).
Both factors, having a 500-book library or having university-educated parents, propel a child 3.2 years further in education, on average. But having as few as 20 books in the home will likely have a positive impact, researchers say.
If you think 500 books is a great number, I have just discovered that it isn’t really. I counted the books on the shelves in this room, and there would be very close to 500, give or take. We have several other shelves of books in other rooms, so 500 is very easy to attain.
Children Who Own Books Read More. This is most of the 500 books in this room.
HELPING YOUR CHILD TO OWN BOOKS.
In addition to all the adult books in the house, remember that the most important thing in the early days is for your children to have their own books. Don’t forget that books make wonderful birthday and Christmas presents. I noticed as a child that Father Christmas was very prone to bringing me books, which I loved. And my parents frequently gave me books for birthday presents. Of course, they still give books as school prizes. Since very young children request the same book over and over again, it makes sense to own them (the books, not the children).
It is interesting to note that this research is all about print books, not digital books.
Check out the Facebook page: Aa is for Alpacas.
AND TALKING OF OWNING BOOKS…
Here is a copy of a lovely email sent to me last week by Majella, a speech pathologist in South Australia:
Hi Sue,
I would like to thank you for your wonderful book, Aa is for Alpacas. It was recommended to me at Elise Baker’s SPA training in 2018 – and I have been excitedly recommending it to SPs, teachers, friends, librarians and parents ever since! It also teamed up perfectly with National Simultaneous Storytime last year (Alpacas with Maracas).
Thank you for spreading the word about literacy (accurately!) – and thanks to your fantastic alpacas!
Kind regards,
Majella.
I’ve eliminated identifying details. There was also a little alpaca cartoon, but it didn’t copy. It turns out that Majella did quite a bit of sleuthing work to find my email address. It was impressive that she went to so much trouble.
For further information on the book and how to obtain it, see https://educatingalpacas.com/home/ and https://educatingalpacas.com/get-the-book/.