01553 816086According to a recent report by the National Literacy Trust, almost four million children in the UK do not own a book, with the numbers of children without increasing to one in three, compared to one in ten in 2005.
The survey taken in September, included 18,000 children from 111 UK schools, and indicated that of those questioned 33.2% didn’t have reading books of their own, which works out at 3.8 million children nationwide.
The survey highlighted those who received free school meals were less likely to say that they had books of their own, compared with young people and those children who were better off. It also suggested that those children that had their own books, were likely to achieve better results at school and be above average readers.
The concerns of the National Literacy Trust’s Director Jonathan Douglas is likely to resonate with many teachers; “We know there is a direct correlation between book ownership and children’s reading abilities and, with one in 6 in the UK struggling with literacy it is very worrying that many children could be missing out on opportunities to develop these essential skills.”
It was found in those children with books of their own, that over a half of them were attaining reading levels of above their age, with less than one in ten reading below that level.
Consequently, the Trust has launched an appeal for donation towards books for those children that are disadvantaged and have limited access to books, or who are not fortunate to receive the wonderful gift of a book or the joy of reading this Christmas.
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