Background information

To give our readers a better understanding of why we brought Bright Pages to life we will go over the already existing information and data regarding children in primary schools. This page will give more insight into the background information of our product service system.

AVI-tests & DMT test

The AVI-level is a system that is develop from the average reading development of kids in the Netherlands to measure their readingskills. By the use of the AVI-level, the difficulty of different texts can be determined.

AVI-tests

In the AVI test (a Cito test), the teacher tests and assesses how easily someone translates the read words into sounds. So he actually tests the technique of reading, or technical reading. An AVI test is therefore not so much about reading comprehension. With an AVI test, the teacher uses reading cards with a text on it. The teacher has a total of 12 reading cards. During an AVI test, a child reads the text of the reading card aloud to the teacher. The teacher keeps track of which words the student reads incorrectly on a score card. It also keeps track of how long it takes the student to complete the task. The teacher checks to what extent the student remains within the predetermined time and error limits. The resulting result determines the AVI level.

test moments: January/February and May/June, twice in a year [1][2].

DMT test (3 minutes)

An AVI test tests the technical reading of an entire text, while the DMT only measures pure technical reading. The DMT consists only of single words. The student then has no context to derive the meaning of words. He does have that at AVI. That context can be helpful, but it can also hinder the child. If a child does not understand the text well, he will probably read more slowly.

Reading levels

System for 15-18 year old, based on studentcharacteristics, bookcharacteristics and goals

Level 1: experiential reading
Level 2: recognition reading
Level 3: Reflective reading
Level 4: Interpretive reading
Level 5: Literal reading
Level 6: Academical reading

Difference in reading comprehension in the Netherlands and abroad

The reading skills of young people in the Netherlands are declining compared to young people from other countries in Europe. PISA is the international study into the reading skills of fifteen-year-olds and it clearly shows that the Netherlands' score has fallen [3].

The reading performance within the different educational levels is of course different. HAVO and VWO students score higher than the average of OECD countries, but VMBO and practical education score significantly lower than that average [4].

Why Dutch kids do not read that much anymore?

PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) does research on the academic skills, including literacy, of 15 year olds. The Netherlands keeps scoring lower and lower, with reading being the main problem. According to PISA, you need to obtain level 2 for reading in order to function properly in school. A third of all kids do not reach this level.

Rector van Gurp thinks it is a multiheaded problem. One of the reasons according to him is the fact that teachers focus to much on ‘reading comprehension?’ instead of making reading fun. He also heard that a lot of teachers studying for Dutch don’t even read a lot themselves. This problem is enlarged by the shortage of teachers in the Netherlands.

Research done by ‘Stichting Lezen’ states that teenagers have trouble finding suitable books for them because they don’t visit libraries or bookshops and books aren’t shown in the media much. Furthermore, the world of social media, tv-series and gaming feels more accessible for teenagers. It is also much quicker than a relatively slow book.

According to educational researcher Hans Luyten from Universiteit Twente online chatting works negatively for reading. "Through chatting, you mainly employ fleeting reading strategies such as scanning and skimming texts, which comes at the expense of deep reading" [5][6].

What do kids like to read?

On behalf of the Reading Foundation, DUO Educational Research asked almost 6,000 students between the ages of eight and eighteen about their reading motivation. Children appear to be intrinsically motivated to read: they read because they are curious about certain topics or because they can immerse themselves in a story [6].

-Children who enjoy reading will read more and enjoy it more and more (because they get better at it). Children who read reluctantly build up less reading experience and find it increasingly difficult.

Children also like roleplaying with books, the kids have to read out loud.

It is important to give the kids books that match their interests.

End-of-life readers & environmental impact

E-readers have a limited lifespan. This differs for various types of e-readers. One site says an e-reader can last for 6-8 years, others say it lasts over 12 years.

First the e-reader is manufactured, using all kinds of electronics. Most e-readers are manufactured in China [7]. The product then needs to be shipped to other countries (by boat), like to the Netherlands. Once arrived in the Netherlands, the product is again redistributed to eventually the consumer. The consumer has to continuously recharge the e-reader after some time. At the end-of-life, the e-reader can be thrown away, which is then processed as electronic waste [8]. Most e-readers contain hazardous chemicals, so they cannot be thrown into the trash [9]. Other options may be selling it second-hand, or see if the manufacturer can recycle it.

Buying an e-reader has a great impact on the environment, compared to buying one paper book. However, when a person reads a lot of books, it is better to have an e-reader, than buy all paper books. One source states that if you read at least 25 books a year, an e-reader is more environmentally friendly, other websites say this number lays around 22-23 books [10].