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Geneva Reads Book Distribution Program Consulting Project SOC 465 – Research Practicum Danielle Shaw Hobart and William Smith Colleges METHODS - SUBJECTS - MATERIALS BACKGROUND RESULTS Methods: Background: Geneva Reads is a coalition of community partners, such as the Geneva Public and Private School Districts, the Geneva Public Library, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges, that have been working to create a culture of literacy in Geneva NY since 2008. Mission: Geneva Reads mission is to increase the understanding of the importance of reading in all phases of life. Bookfest Community Read Subjects: The sample size for this research project was 6 participants. While this sample size seems small, it is representative of the population because there are 5 eligible pre-school sites that participate in the Geneva Reads Book Distribution Program. Each site has 1 eligible classroom, and I interviewed at least 1 or 2 of the applicable teachers or administrators at each eligible site Materials: The main topics of the interview questions that were asked to the participants included: -Are the teachers utilizing the books? -If so, how are they being implemented? -How are the books being sent home? Programs: School Book Distribution Program Structured in-person interviews were used to gain data for the proposed research questions Books at Birth Community Bookshelf Geneva Reads Program I Focused My Research On: School Book Distribution Program: -Sponsored by the Wyckoff Family Foundation -Benefits select students at five pre-school programs in Geneva -Each year the students receive up to 20 books at their applicable site -Goal of the Program -Develop a universal reading language among students at an early age -Help increase low income students literacy skills through easy availability of books RESEARCH QUESTION / LITERATURE REVIEW Research Questions: Are the schools and teachers utilizing the books in any way? If so, how are they being implemented? Literature Review: Three relevant studies all found: -Early literature exposure can have beneficial effects -Three essentials are needed for positive effects to occur Pie Chart 1: While all the schools / teachers somehow utilized the books, how WHY THIS STUDY MATTERS RECOMMENDATIONS they were being implemented into the classroom varied widely by school -All the schools had the books available during free time, read them Why this Study Matters: To help Geneva Reads move closer to understanding their impact on children's literacy through this program, they needed to know if the books were being implemented and if so how the applicable centers were utilizing the books This research shows that the implementation of the books as well as how the books are being sent home varies widely by school, and none of the centers were provided with any training or guidance on how to implement the books Recommendations: -Clarification from Geneva Reads on the true implementation goal of the program -If implementing the books into lessons and or units, and sending home Ready to Read Inserts or folders is the goal, three steps need to be taken -Each site and the Executive Director of Geneva Reads need to meet at the beginning of the school year -They need to establish the intended implementation goal -Each site needs to bring units or lesson ideas and Ready to Read Inserts to share and collaborate on -Allow the centers to individually choose the books they receive -If this is not possible, at least tell the centers by June which books they will be receiving -If all the above is not possible, put the books on a three year rotation aloud and had the books in a reading corner -Implementation ranged from having the books frequently form the basis of units, to, trying to simply trying to read them before sending them home. -After asking the centers if they were provided with any training or guidance on how to implement the books into their lesson, they all stated that they were not. Pie Chart 2: How the books got sent home also varied widely by school -From being sent home with a Ready to Read Insert or Ready to Read Folder to being sent home with no additional inserts Common Struggles That Arose: -Prescribed curriculum difficulties -Difficult and time consuming to implement books into lessons printed by -Not able to pick books, never know what is going towww.postersession.com arrive