CLONCURRY and Mount Isa have received e-readers to create incentives to help improve reading skills for indigenous children.
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Six Kindle e-readers were given to children in Cloncurry, and one in Mount Isa.
The Indigenous Reading Project is a non-profit organisation that helps motivate students to read more by loaning them an e-reader and setting goals and positive incentives.
Indigenous Reading Project chief executive Dan Billing said that this year, there were 150 e-readers given to students in need.
“This year we distributed 150 and we will be expanding in 2015 but we are not sure what numbers there will be yet,” he said.
“We started the program in 2012 and only had 20 devices for that year.”
Mr Billing said each student did a series of literature tests before they were given the e-readers and then tested again to measure improvements.
“We do a standard literature test before they start the program,” he said.
“Then we test them again at the end of the program so we can measure any improvements.
“Our success rate was 89 per cent this year.
“Out of the 150 students, 137 students improved.
“We are testing the amount of time they spend reading and their fluencies and comprehension scores.”
The average for students who participated in the program increased the amount of time they spent reading by a staggering 237 per cent.
Students’ comprehension scores improved by 61 per cent and fluency scores increased by 26 per cent.
The 13 kids who did not complete the program will recycle the devices and reuse them.
Indigenous Reading Project is a non-profit project and does not receive government funding.
If anyone is interested in making a donation, visit www.irp.org.au/donate