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Completed Projects

IS READING FUNDAMENTAL?
AN EVALUATION OF THE READING IS FUNDAMENTAL UK SCHEME

The aim of this pilot research project was to evaluate the value to children and parents of the Reading is Fundamental, UK (RIF, UK) scheme launched in September 1996. Funding was provided by RIF, UK for the evalution.

Reading is Fundamental, UK was established as a result of the increasing concern that had been expressed about children's reading standards by the government. RIF, UK, along with the National Year of Reading, Family Literacy Projects and independent initiatives such as the Book Trust's Bookstart projects, was set up to help develop reading skills in children. The main aims of RIF, UK are to:

  • provide books for children to choose and own at no cost to them or their families
  • help parents become involved with their children's reading
  • help families enjoy stories and books together
  • create new generations of readers
  • help communities invest in reading.

CIRT's evaluation of the RIF, UK scheme concluded that RIF, UK was a valuable scheme and in the main, was meeting its aims. Amongst the evalution report's recommendations were that RIF, UK should:

  • provide further advice on good book selection practice, including details on the number of books required to meet the needs of targeted children
  • develop a glossy publicity leaflet for funders which can be used by project co-ordinators to approach local funders
  • provide further models for partnerships with business and other local community agencies
  • continue to work with national charities, trusts and businesses to ensure continued funding which can be fed to local projects
  • support projects in developing bids for local funding and provide personnel support on a local basis where necessary
  • provide guidance on how to encourage volunteer and parental involvement in projects and advice on training these personnel where appropriate
  • provide a forum for communication to alleviate the problems of isolation of individual projects
  • encourage the greater use of local libraries by RIF, UK projects
  • liaise with publishers to improve identified problem areas, such as the supply of books, out of print materials and late deliveries
  • encourage local projects to develop new distribution centres and links outside of the education sector
  • develop synergy between the various stakeholders in RIF, UK projects
  • extend successful links with bookstores, such as Books Etc.

Report to the Funder

Denham, D., Nankivell, C., Ghelani, T. Is Reading Fundamental? An Evaluation of the Reading is Fundamental, UK Scheme, 1999.

Publications

Ghelani, T. Reading is Fundamental: Value of a National Book Promotion Initiative. The New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship, 5, 1999, 105-113.

Project Team
Debbie Denham
Clare Nankivell
Tilusha Ghelani