The Importance of Book Ownership
Book ownership plays a large role in the literacy of children. There is a stark difference between a young child learning to read from small assignments and homework, to having a book of their own to dive into as they wish. Having a home library or books in the homes of children is not as common as some would assume. Even if a child has a home with books in it “are 10 times as likely to say that there are no books in [their] home.” This according to a 20-year long literacy study by Mariah Evans of University of Nevada, involving tens of thousands of students and households, and across 42 countries.
Access to Books
One of the largest impacts of Inchy the Bookworm Book Vending machine has been book ownership for children. According to students, the shift in readership and excitement has more to do with ownership than it does access. According to one young, excited reader on why they might prefer Inchy over the Library, “Oh, but this is different. You get to keep these books!” Giving children access to quality literature that they can call their own is a noticeably big step in the journey to literacy. It becomes easy, in this technologically dominant world, to forget about books when there are so many positive and great television programs and movies that are educational, but these shows, applications, or movies cannot replace the teachings of learning to read and gaining a sense of intellectual independence with a book.
The Right Books
It is however important to get the right books in front of the eyes of children and students. Studies have shown that a child’s access to books and reading material directly effects a child’s reading ability and proficiency. Also, with access comes matching the correct books with children. Children want books that are new and relevant to their lives. Studies show that having access to “new, age-appropriate books has been shown to nearly triple reading interests within months.”The importance of children reading goes far beyond the grades and literacy of the child, childhood literacy reflects the rest of that young person’s life, and the community around them. One of the biggest factors of students dropping out of high school is literacy. If a child isn’t given the tools and access to books at a young age, in order to foster a love or ability to read, their chances of finishing their education are dramatically lower than if they develop their literacy skills at a younger age.
Books Popular Now
If you are interested in seeing what other schools and districts are filling their Inchy the Bookworm Book Vending machines, take a look at our blog entry about exactly that. The blog details the authors and titles of what the most popular and effective books are that schools are using, as well as images of the books themselves.
Literacy and Dropouts
According to statistics, “the sad truth is that the vast majority of children who start behind, stay behind, leading to an increase in our nation’s dropouts.” Alternatively, the opposite is true—if a child is given the access and opportunity to grow a love and ability to read, that child will grow up to thirst for knowledge in all areas of their life.One of the biggest factors of students dropping out of high school is literacy. If a child isn’t given the tools and access to books at a young age, in order to foster a love or ability to read, their chances of finishing their education are dramatically lower than if they develop their literacy skills at a younger age.
Inchy- Changing the Way Students Approach Reading
The positive evidence surrounding literacy and book ownership is overwhelming. Schools and teachers work very hard to make reading and literacy a large part of what they do, but much of a child's opportunities to learn are dependent upon access. Throughout Inchy's rollout across the country, students have found great value in earning a PBIS reward token, choosing a book that they like, and owning that book. We at Global Vending Group are proud to be a part of the literacy journey for children, parents, and teachers all over the country. It is especially important right now, with all of this uncertainty surrounding schools reopening, to help young students with schooling and literacy goals.
If you would like to know more about Inchy the Bookworm Book Vending Machine and the PBIS rewards program, give us a call today, or leave your information here and we will contact you. We would love to help your school or district reward it's students with the gift of reading!