CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS: IMPACT ON YOUNG PEOPLE
4.1. This chapter presents the findings with reference to the programme's impact on the young people at each of the settings. The report makes no attempt to compare outcomes between settings given that the contexts were so varied. The chapter begins with a summary of findings from two settings, presented through the initial research framework: the MAPS project in Moray at Phase 1 and Hillside School at Phase 2. The chapter concludes by presenting findings from each of the other settings at Phase 2 with reference to the GLO framework.
Phase 1: Findings from Moray
4.2. The following information was gleaned from the post-intervention interviews with 4 young people and, although in many ways unreliable in formal evaluation terms, it gives the reader an indication of the programme's impact on the few who followed it.
Nature of Reading
4.3. Each of the young people developed a regular reading habit. Two young people progressed to reading daily from previously reading only once or twice a week and 2 from having never read at home to reading daily. The main reasons associated with the positive outcome were the interest in new books and the appropriateness of the reading levels and subjects.
4.4. Three of the 4 young people who completed the programme increased the duration of their regular reading. Two progressed from no reading activity to reading between 30 min to an hour every day and one increased her reading to over an hour daily. As one LAC said, "I'll keep reading on and on if the book's right".
4.5. Unfortunately, by the end of the intervention, only one young person had developed and sustained a 'book buddy' relationship. The other 3 young people had no obvious person to discuss books with apart from the Programme Co-ordinator on a six-weekly basis. The high level of instability in the young people's lives meant that they rarely developed long-term relationships with a constant adult who might have supported their reading habit out of school.
4.6. At the end of the programme, 3 of the young people owned over 20 books and one owned between 5 and 20. This compares with a previous ownership of none for 2 young people and less than 5 for the other 2. The young people were given the option to keep or give back the Reading Rich books depending on whether they were of interest to them. All stated that it was important for them to own the books. Ownership was also linked to positive reading habits. When prompted, the 4 young people were able to give oral descriptions of the storylines in many of the books that they owned, suggesting that they had read them or, at least, part of them.
4.7. Each of the 4 young people had visited the library through the programme. They had also had contact with library staff and, where necessary, had membership tickets made or renewed. It was encouraging that 3 of the 4 participants who completed the programme continued to use the library; 2 unaccompanied and 1 with a carer. None of the young people was aware that the library staff was available to support them and none of the carers had ever made contact with library staff.
Knowledge of books and reading
4.8. Each of the young people increased their knowledge of children's books and authors. One went from knowing between 4-6 authors to being able to name 7-10 and the other 3 young people went from knowing 1-3 authors to being able to name 4-6.
Attitude
4.9. Each of the 4 young people said that they 'liked reading a lot'. This compared with their mixed and less positive responses pre-intervention. The pleasure gained from reading appeared to be directly related to the motivational activities that were offered. In particular, the author's involvement had a huge impact on the enjoyment of his own books.
4.10. Of those who were interviewed, 3 thought that they were now a better reader than before the programme started. Interestingly, the one young person who thought that her reading had not improved said that she had been an excellent reader at the beginning of the programme. One boy, in particular, was so proud of his ability that he asked if he could read his latest book aloud during the exit interview.
Behaviour and Self-esteem
4.11. The interviews with carers and young people produced a range of anecdotal evidence to support the view that the programme had notable impacts on individual participants in the areas of self-esteem and behaviour. The following excerpt is taken from the Interim Report and refers to information taken from an interview with a 14 year-old girl and her carer:
At the beginning of the programme A would not read books. She now reads daily and recommends books to staff and other young people in the residential unit where she lives. She became motivated when, through Reading Rich, a carer began reading aloud in the unit. The Co-ordinator arranged for A to become a Barrington Stoke manuscript consultant. She also made a personal connection with Catherine McPhail and read all of her books. The Co-ordinator carefully expanded her selection to include a range of authors writing on similar themes. She now actively seeks out new books, which reflect her aspirational attitude and calls the Co-ordinator with requests. The carer believes that she has progressed emotionally as a result of beginning to read. She now aspires beyond 'teenage girl with baby' role to using books to interpret the reality of her life situation, for example, with 'A boy called it' by David Pelzer.
Phase 2: Findings from Hillside School
4.12. Hillside School was the only setting where it was possible to use the initial outcome indicators since the programme lasted for over a year. The boys were asked questions to find out about their individual reading habits. They related to frequency, duration and place. The study was interested to find any general patterns of reading behaviour between able and less able boys.
Nature of reading
4.13. The programme had a direct impact on the frequency of reading at Hillside. At the beginning of the programme 10 of the 18 boys 'never', or 'hardly ever', read. By the end of the programme the figure had reduced to 5 of the 16 interviewed. The amount that read daily rose from 3 to 6. The carer believed that the improvement in frequency would have an impact on social relations. At Hillside, the programme was less concerned with improving ability. The carer's main ambitions were almost all related to social and emotional benefits for the boys.
4.14. Frequency of reading also related to the boys' own impressions of their academic success in language. Of the 4 boys who 'never' read pre-intervention, all cited 'English' or 'writing' as one of the subjects that they found difficult at school.
4.15. Unsurprisingly a pattern emerged with the follow-up question, ' Where do you read?' At the pre-intervention interview most of the boys who said that they were good or excellent readers said that they read in their rooms, while those who said that they were poor readers reported only reading in school. The carer felt that those boys who were only reading in school were getting a limited experience of books. The selected school books were less likely to be able to provide a connection with the boys' emotional needs. The carer felt that it was those boys who would most benefit from Reading Rich.
4.16. There was a slight increase in amount of time dedicated to reading. The pre-intervention figure of 9 boys who read for over 30 minutes rose to 11 by the post-intervention stage. The 5 boys who read for less than 30 minutes fell to 1 boy. There was little shift in those who spent no time reading. At the pre-intervention interview one 14-year-old boy said, " I start reading but get bored because I'm no good and then I give up quite quickly". Six months later the boy was reading regularly with a staff member and when asked if he still gave up quickly he said, " I can carry on where Jo and I left off for quite a while now".
4.17. The boys appeared to fall into one of two reading patterns; they either resisted reading completely, usually due to poor ability or they read very regularly for long periods. One 14- year-old boy who read every night said, " Once I get started I can't stop - like the new Harry Potter I just stayed up all night with that".
4.18. It was also apparent that it was more difficult to change reading patterns in the older boys. Many expressed negative attitudes towards reading and in several cases this was accompanied by negative views on education. With these boys, the author was able to play an important role. He was able to create positive associations with books, reading and writing that related to each of the boy's own lives, past and present.
Improved reading ability
4.19. Hillside School provided a different context from the other settings in being a residential school. Although the residential units were in separate buildings from the main school there was an obvious connection with formal education by the very nature of the place. As a result of the connection, the carer was able to provide accurate reading levels for the participants at the pre-intervention interviews. Of the 18 boys, only 4 had attained reading test levels that were below average for their age, with one boy having not been tested at the time of interview. This data did not match current reports stating that a high percentage of looked after children had below-average reading levels. Consequently there was no significant shift in the boys' perceptions of their own reading ability, as most had not identified ability in reading as a problem to begin with. Hillside was unique in this respect, as the data seemed to indicate that levels were better than the national average for looked after children.
4.20. At Hillside there was a clear distinction between the few boys who resisted reading because of poor ability and those who lacked motivation. Pre-intervention, the 4 boys who had poor reading levels confirmed this by describing themselves as 'poor' readers and they were also in the category that said that they would 'like to become a better reader'. By comparison, 3 competent readers also described themselves as poor readers, but stated that they did not wish to become better readers. The research revealed a range of negative attitudes from these boys to reading. When asked about reading for pleasure they said that they ' didn't like it' or ' hated it' and when probed, responses included " I can't be bothered with it", and " What's the point?".
4.21. The carer commented that boys who had low reading ages were likely to make up a range of different excuses to hide their embarrassment. This view was supported by the boys' comments. Of the 10 boys who 'never' or 'hardly ever' read pre-intervention 4 had difficulties with reading books for their own age. Some of the reasons for not reading given by these boys were, " I don't like reading", " It's not cool" and " I'm no good".
4.22. Reading Rich encouraged the more competent readers to discuss books while the less competent shared reading with the carer. The one-to-one attention certainly proved to have motivational benefits although the educational impact is difficult to assess over the short duration of the project. One boy said, " I used to go past a word but now I've got someone to read with I go back and get it right" while another said , "The books are teaching me to learn different words". The motivation also appeared to have stemmed from the careful selection of books, suggesting that it is vital to make books available that relate to the young people's interests and abilities.
Knowledge of books and authors
4.23. Reading Rich revealed positive findings relating to the boys' knowledge of books and authors. At the beginning of the study 5 could not name any authors' compared with only one post-intervention. The amount that could name between one and 6 authors shifted from 12 out of 18 pre-intervention to 13 a out of 16 post-intervention.
4.24. The boys' experience of genre had widened through the project. The pre-intervention interviews revealed that the competent readers were limited to a few genres, namely crime and horror. At the post-intervention interview, all of the boys were able to describe a book that they had recently seen or read, many out with the crime and horror genres, and including real-life stories, fantasy and mystery. One 14-year-old boy who could not name any authors at the pre-intervention interview was able to describe stories, which he had read by Anthony Horowitz, Michael Morpurgo and the resident writer, Keith Gray. Not surprisingly, almost all of the boys could name J.K Rowling in the post-intervention interview, but the reason for this familiarity is likely to be due to the success of the Harry Potter films and the accompanying media coverage.
4.25. The author played a pivotal role in introducing the boys to a wider range of books. He made suggestions regarding what he thought they would like and asked them to recommend books back to him. The approach not only encouraged the boys to try different books, but also helped them appreciate the pleasure to be gained from discussing stories.
Attitude to books and reading
4.26. At Hillside several boys were reluctant to engage with the programme and to take part in the evaluation. Staff reported high levels of peer pressure and some difficulties with social relationships. The carer said that one of the main reasons for boys not participating was because their friends did not want to. At the post-intervention interview one boy began by saying that he never read, but the carer informed the interviewer that he had devoured 7 Reading Rich books since this project started and, when prompted, he agreed.
4.27. At the pre-intervention interview, over half of the boys reported owning no fiction books of their own. Almost all had large quantities of magazines and some owned non-fiction that related to their interests, mainly football, cars and motorbikes. When asked what books they would like, requests often related to popular culture and media with several requests for biographies (Jordan and Beckham). Although the scheme offered an opportunity to keep the books if they liked them, most boys did not see it as important to keep their own copy. The carer suggested that the lives of boys at Hillside tend to be rather more settled than the average looked after child, which may explain why they feel less of a need to build up possessions.
Impact on social and emotional behaviour
4.28. The boys gave mixed responses to the idea of sharing reading and discussing books. Again, attitudes appeared to relate to peer pressure within the unit. One 12-year-old boy clearly enjoyed reading but did not want his habit to become common knowledge within his unit, saying, "It's my choice. What's the point in telling anyone about books? I keep it to myself because my mates would laugh." Another boy valued the attention that came through sharing books, saying of the author, " It's good talking to him about what I've been reading. He knows loads and then he tells you."
4.29. Although 10 of the boys at the pre-intervention stage said that they would not like to become a better reader, almost all could describe the emotional benefits, ' Helps me get to sleep at night', 'You get to relax' and 'Makes me happier' as well as educational benefits, ' I'll understand bigger words and not be struggling…I'll be able to look words up in a dictionary' and ' You can't get good exam passes if you're not good.'
4.30. The programme seemed to have an impact on pleasure gained from books and reading. Nine of the 18 boys enjoyed reading a lot or quite a lot pre-intervention with an increase to 11 of the 16 boys in the post-intervention interview. This report has already referred to some of the reasons why the boys might say that they 'hate' reading - 4 pre-intervention and 2 at post-intervention - many relating to poor ability and peer pressure. On the other hand, an important aspect of Reading Rich was to relate books and reading to a broader range of experiences. Although a few boys may have got limited pleasure from reading most did report enjoying listening to the author read his own stories and writing about their own lives. The carer also reported the pleasure gained through the new book relationships, for example, between carer and boys, writer and boys and between the boys themselves.
Phase 2: Findings in relation to GLO framework
4.31. This section describes the impacts of Reading Rich programme against the Generic Learning Outcomes. The GLOs have provided a framework around which to arrange descriptions of the experiences of the young people from all of the settings, particularly where conditions of participation meant that they were not eligible to be included in the initial framework. Most of the information comes from questionnaires and interviews carried out post-intervention.
4.32. The young people were presented with a series of statements and questions relating to the Reading Rich programme and which fall under the main GLO headings. The statements have been designed to provoke personal opinions, for example 'I can find books that interest me'. The information has been structured around the following headings:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Skills
- Values, attitudes and feelings
- Enjoyment, inspiration, creativity
- Activity, behaviour and progression
GLO 1 Increase in knowledge and understanding
Increased knowledge of books and authors
4.33. With the exception of one unit, none of the settings that participated in Reading Rich began the project with a rich reading environment. Few books, if any, were on display in communal areas and, when asked, the majority of young people were unable to say where they could find books or authors that interested them.
"If I could find a good book I'd read all the time." Female, 12 years, residential care
4.34. The programme was able to expose the young people to different types of books and reading material. There was anecdotal evidence across the settings to suggest that this wider experience of books and genre provided the stimulus required for developing more regular reading patterns.
"F,13 now reads daily and continues to request more new titles… she didn't really like reading before, but it gives her something else to think about now." Carer
Understanding of types of books that can interest self
4.35. It was important to recognise that, to develop a long-term reading habit, the young people had to want to take ownership of their own reading activity and, in doing so, they had to understand what material motivated them. The programme provided them with opportunities to do this.
"M,14 had the confidence to request a number of 'How to...' books which were aimed at a younger age group but which suited both his developmental / reading age as well as his areas of interest."NCH Scotland social worker
"Another young lad very strongly resisted suggestions of books, but requested a subscription to a football magazine and thereafter accepted a couple of books and comics on the strength of this." NCH Scotland social worker
"I think that other people's books are good now. They've got interesting stuff that you've never learned before. Every writer has a different speciality and you can get stuck into it." Female, 9 years, residential care
GLO 2 Increase in skills
Increased reading or writing ability
4.36. The one-to-one sessions that Reading Rich nurtured between carers and young people appeared to have impact on perceived reading ability, while the writers' interventions had an additional impact on writing ability. The writer's role as motivator worked mainly because in the first instance the young people accepted them as role models; they were often given celebrity status. The writers were able to build on this acceptance and were able to introduce the young people to writing techniques that they could use to express their own ideas. One young person in foster care described how her writing had been helped:
" The (writer) workshop helped me with my exams, like how to present a story for English. I got a 2 for writing and a 3 overall… I expected a 4 overall. I'm still at school now and I'm going to do hotel management." Female, 15 years, foster care
"These workshops have given F16 a framework for writing. She has now been given the simple skills that she needs to write about herself. She is very isolated and this will be a therapeutic tool for her." Manager, St Katherine's
Ability to use library
4.37. The pre-intervention interviews revealed that most young people did not visit a library regularly but many had library cards and almost all said they knew how to use the library. Unfortunately, this information could not be confirmed as planned initiatives between the care settings and local librarians were not underway at the time of writing this report. The programme was however, influential in setting up home libraries to be shared among the young people at ISSC and Hillside.
"The young people are able to come and use the room as a retreat; they learn to treat the books and the room with respect." Carer
4.38. At an awareness-raising session for CAPS carers, the programme Co-ordinator gave an introduction to using local libraries with looked after children and described what carers could expect from the service.
"They told us at the training that librarians love to be asked. I thought I'd just give it a bash. They were brilliant at Bannockburn; the librarian gave me a list of authors. Now I'm there all the time." Carer
"After the project I took F15 to the library with me and my son. She now uses it to study for her exams. She would never have done that before." Carer
Ability to communicate ideas for writing
4.39. The author workshops reflected the view that successful outcomes were not only about improved ability or even attitude. Many staff saw the smallest changes in behaviour as a marked achievement for many of the young people. Some had not been expected to participate at any level and the fact that they were willing and able to communicate their thoughts and ideas in writing was seen as a huge achievement.
"It was great when he got us to make our own stories. He made it so it wasn't hard. I'd like to try that again." Female, 14 years, foster care
"Haikus are brilliant - you can say anything you think." Male, 13 years, residential care
GLO 3 Change in values, attitudes and feelings
The project has helped me
4.40. Each of the participating young people had their own set of complex needs based on a range of difficult life experiences. The programme had the advantage of being able to help in a range of different ways, whether through carer support, specialist book choices or through motivation by the writers.
" F15 is more confident in herself now. She was struggling with relationships and was only reading fairy tales - ordinary things scared her. I got advice on writers that would help her from the Book Trust. I explained to F15 why I had asked for help and that was useful too." Carer
"F16 didn't need encouragement to read but he struggled with relationships. He always wanted to be right at everything. Working in a small group (with the writer) was important. He seemed much less of an outsider and the boys accepted him more during these sessions." Carer
4.41. Several young people's interviews suggested that they had low self-esteem, often indicating that this was as a result of poor reading skills and poor exam grades. They seemed to be somewhat resigned to low achievement and surprised at some of their own successes through the programme.
"One reluctant reader (M14) performed one of Des's plays in front of his mum, who had come up from England. He became completely confident and his mum saw him in a completely different light." Carer
Expresses pleasure gained from project
4.42. Many aspects of the programme had brought the young people great pleasure and, in doing so, a greater sense of their own importance. Some were surprised by the attention and especially at being given the privilege of meeting the writers.
"Can I meet more authors? Would you be able to tell people that I really, really, really, really, really want to meet Jacqueline Wilson now?" Female, 10 years, residential care
"F15 was over the moon about getting a signed copy of his book. She loaned it out to her family with pride." Carer
Communicates value of books and reading to others
4.43. At the beginning of the programme some of the older children were unwilling to place themselves in perceived positions of vulnerability with their peers by appearing to be enthusiastic about books. However, word-of-mouth recommendations from the most popular young people had a huge impact, particularly in residential units. Often the Co-ordinator would be asked for multiple copies of books, which had been recommended in this way.
"It's funny how a culture can develop around some of the books. If one of the popular boys reads and enjoys a book it will soon be in demand by everyone else." Carer
" M13 was placed in care due to his main carer being admitted to prison. Due to his involvement in Reading Rich he became an avid reader, he went to theatre performances and would often discuss storylines of books in great detail with staff. He gained greater self-awareness and self-confidence and would often be the driving force in ensuring that other young people took part in the weekly sessions with the writer."NCH Scotland, ISSC, Manager
Value of books in understanding own life and other young people's lives
4.44. Many of the young people developed a sophisticated understanding of the hidden emotional benefits that books could offer. They found they could empathise with fictitious characters, in many cases providing some reassurance that they were not unique in their own situations.
"I wish an author would write a book where someone dies or something. This would help me feel better because I always know that the ending in a book is going to be an OK ending." Female, 9 years, residential care
"Yes, I like it because the girl loses her dad and has no money and her mum and boyfriend go to Australia". Female, 10 years, residential care
"I'd like to be a better reader because I'd understand more things. It helps me when I'm bored and it helps me to forget the crap that's going on in the unit." Male, 14 years, residential care
"F15 is very bright and is under pressure from her parent to read academic books, like psychology. What she needs is these kinds of fiction books that can help her understand her own life better." Manager
4.45. On the other hand, some young people were not able to understand the concept of books in helping them in their situation.
"How can a book possibly help you unless it's a biography?" Male, 13 years, residential care
4.46. It was important that staff could anticipate how young people might respond to certain books, particularly where they had severe emotional problems. One carer felt that it was important to make a connection with the boys' lives but also thought that too much personal relevance could be off-putting. Ultimately, staff needed to use their knowledge of the young people in their care to make informed choices.
"For some boys a gritty, chilling or realistic genre will be effective whereas it will have a negative effect on others." Carer
GLO 4 Evidence of enjoyment, inspir ation, creativity
Inspired by author to try something new
4.47. At the ISSC residency in Ayrshire the writer focussed on broadening the young people's perceptions of writing. He introduced them to the world of plays, theatre and filmmaking. This produced many unexpected benefits; the writer and staff are able to provide accounts of unprecedented improvements in attitude, behaviour and motivation levels. In particular, the approach provided a platform for some young people who struggled with basic literacy skills to participate and experience a sense of achievement through their previously untapped creativity.
"F17 was bright and articulate but very disruptive. The author introduced her to theatre and she ended up finding an outlet in working with disabled kids with drama when she got back home." Carer
"M16 was a persistent offender and arrived in ISSC from secure accommodation. He did not attend mainstream education and was a regular absconder. Through his contact with the project it was discovered that he was dyslexic. Although he struggled sometimes, he managed to take part in plays, which tackled subjects like bigotry, and cultural differences. He gained a great deal of self-esteem from being involved in the project."NCH Scotland, ISSC Manager
Creativity
4.48. Increasingly, educational policy emphasises the significance of 'creativity' in raising attainment and tackling disaffection. The writer/illustrator who worked on the Sycamore project recognised the difficulties of getting the young people to concentrate in the challenging workshop environment. She tackled the problem by designing a series of short-term creative activities, such as designing characters, comic strips and mini-books. Some of the young people who had previously been reluctant were inspired by the approach and began to participate.
"I started designing my character, Clawman. I've done a picture of him and I've made up all the things that he can do." Male, 11 years, residential unit
4.49. Another author motivated the young people in a variety of ways. One strategy was to leave the young people with a challenge to consider in the lead up to the following workshop.
M15 was writing his own story after week one. He brought it to the following session to show the writer. The teachers at the school felt that the writer had motivated him to write where others hadn't been able to." Carer
"During one of the sessions with the writer one young man stood up and presented his own rap song to the group which he had been working on."CAPS Senior Social Worker
Pleasure
4.50. From observation, it was clear that many of the older participants had become disaffected by the educational system and were unable to make a connection between personal educational development and pleasure. They expressed pleasure at the activities Reading Rich exposed them to and many went from being reluctant to anticipating the next session with great excitement.
"Can you not come again on Tuesday? I'm free on a Tuesday." Female, 9 years, residential care
"That drawing was really good fun. I'm going to do another one on my own." Male, 11 years, residential care
4.51. At ISSC there was also evidence of the staff gaining pleasure from the programme. Their enthusiasm was subsequently passed on to the young people.
" Staff were really enthused and would practise the plays when the writer wasn't there, often during late shifts." Manager ISSC
GLO 5 Evidence of activity, modified behaviour and progression
4.52. At the earliest stages of the evaluation it became clear that the long-term impact of Reading Rich would be difficult to measure within the timeframe of the project. Some of the young people's statements indicated that the changes in their reading behaviour were likely to remain with them.
"As long as I can get the right book I'll read and read." Female, 9 years, residential care
4.53. There was evidence that both the young people and their carers were now reading a wider range of books than previously.
"The author kept telling me about books that I didn't know about. I would never have tried them myself. " Male, 14 years, residential unit
4.54. Several young people were motivated to improve behaviour through the programme.
"M10 had had severe disciplinary problems the previous day and it was not clear whether he would be allowed to participate in the session. I assured care staff that he would be well-behaved working with me - and he was." Writer/illustrator
"M13 had absconded that week. He had spent time sleeping outdoors and as soon a he came back the first thing he asked was if he could do the writer's workshop." Carer
4.55. Almost all participants could give reasons why reading would help them in their lives in the future:
"You need it to be able to read and write. You need to write to get a job." Male, 14 years, residential care
"When you're stressed you can read a book." Female, 9 years, residential care
"You'll need to fill in a form to become a footballer and if you say you can't do it, they'll say, 'Until you can read - you can't play". Male, 12 years, foster care
"You'll be beside your son and you'll say, 'I can read that." Male, 12 years, foster care