The Better the School Library, The Higher the Reading Scores

I just love Stephen Krashen.

Dr. Krashen is the Professor Emeritus of University of Southern California, and world renowned language acquisition expert.  Krashen is a champion for school libraries.  Earlier this year, he spoke passionately about the need for school librarians and school libraries at the Los Angeles Unified School District's school board meeting.    He argued that investing in libraries offers a path to literacy for economically disadvantaged children.  Below is the full speech he gave along with some key points for further reading.   This speech is based on his studies on school libraries that he has conducted along with Dr. Keith Curry Lance.

Geoffrey Canada

 1.  "Poverty Counts, lack of health care, lack of access to books, home, neighborhood, schools, the hungry, ill all have nothing to read on their own."


2.  "The more people read for pleasure, the higher their literacy scores." 

Free voluntary reading access to books makes a difference."
'Reading for pleasure did it for him'
Geoffrey Canada, President of the Harlem Children's Zone
http://www.philanthropynewsdigest.org/newsmakers/geoffrey-canada-president-ceo-harlem-children-s-zone-inc.-improving-outcomes-for-children-and-youth-through-a-place-based-strategy

Liz Murray

'It was books that made the difference'
Liz Murray, Harvard Graduate and motivational speaker.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129753532

 

Dr. Keith Curry Lance

3.  "The better the school library, the high the reading scores"
Dr. Keith Curry Lance, Founding Director of the Library Research Service at the Colorado State Library

founding Director of the Library Research Service at the Colorado State Library - See more at: http://keithcurrylance.com/about_keith/#sthash.2mhLzseG.dpuf

founding Director of the Library Research Service at the Colorado State Library - See more at: http://keithcurrylance.com/about_keith/#sthash.2mhLzseG.dpuf

founding Director of the Library Research Service at the Colorado State Library - See more at: http://keithcurrylance.com/about_keith/#sthash.2mhLzseG.d

"Impact of access to books all over the world,  scoring on the Pearls Examination - international test,
Access to a library of a collection of 500 books or more,
balances the effect of poverty.  Poor children don't read well because they do not have access to books.  When kids have access, they read more."


His strongest statements:

1. "Poverty counts, students that live in poverty has minimal access to books"
2. "The more school librarians per child, the higher the reading scores."
3. "The Better the School Library, The Higher the Reading Scores"
4. "More studies need to be conducted to see if funding technology in K-12 education will work."
5. "The use of technology for online testing for Common Core standards, means that this is the biggest expense in the history of education."
6. "Access to books and libraries really does help"

Stephen Krashen needs to come to Illinois....school librarians in this state need him now more than ever before.