An Evaluation of the Kidsread Programme in Singapore

Curdt-Christiansen, X. L. (2009). Love of Reading: An Evaluation of the KidsREAD Programme in Singapore.International Journal of Learning, 16(9), 69-85.

Background

The author highlighted research that had recognised the fact that children from socially disadvantaged family backgrounds had limited access to reading materials. Since 2004, KidsREAD clubs had been established in Singapore public places such as the community centres and the public libraries to promote the love of reading among young Singaporeans, especially children from low-income families.

Aims

The author explored the KidsREAD children’s attitudes toward reading, the extent they valued reading, and the impact of KidsREAD clubs’ programmes on their attitudes towards reading after attending the clubs.

Sample

The participants were 65 children from three representative KidsREAD clubs.

Method

Three instruments were adopted in the study: observation; a reading survey; and a focal group conversational interview.

Findings

The results indicated that there was a significant increase in the positive responses relating to the children’s feelings, their reading enjoyment, and attitudes towards the reading activities after attending the club. More than half the children stated that they liked to go to their respective clubs. There was also a significant increase of more than 20% in reading at home. However, the negative responses towards reading in schools increased. This demonstrated that school-based reading tended to emphasize decoding texts instead of enjoying stories. Regarding the children’s attitudes towards learning to read, those who associated learning to read with negative feelings dropped significantly. These positive changes indicated that the children had realized the importance of reading which had a positive impact on their attitudes toward reading in their leisure time after attending the club. The number of children who preferred reading over other activities in their leisure time increased slightly. There was also a 20% increase in children who owned library cards.

Implications

The authors highlighted that although this was a small scale study, it showed that reading for pleasure had produced great benefits. As school-based reading emphasized highly structured texts and decoding and word identification, it would be necessary to balance this instruction with a more pleasure-oriented reading instruction that centred on motivating children to read and creating platforms for them to experience various emotional responses. This would allow these children to rediscover themselves in reading and develop positive attitudes towards reading, which in turn would lead to a deeper understanding and enhanced perception of the self as a reader.

Original article retrieved from EBSCOHost.