Monday, November 19, 2007

Books & Test Scores

Why would this be true?

In seeking to detail the consequences of a decline in reading, the study showed that reading appeared to correlate with other academic achievement. In examining the average 2005 math scores of 12th graders who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books, an analysis of federal Education Department statistics found that those students scored much lower than those who lived in homes with more than 100 books. Although some of those results could be attributed to income gaps, Mr. Iyengar noted that students who lived in homes with more than 100 books but whose parents only completed high school scored higher on math tests than those students whose parents held college degrees (and were therefore likely to earn higher incomes) but who lived in homes with fewer than 10 books.
Maybe those with lots of books value learning and it's as simple as that.

3 comments:

MaxedOutMama said...

Yes, and they are likely to have the TV on a lot less.

My mother noticed a big change in kids when women went back to work and the kids tended to sit in front of the TV all day. They literally got kids in elementary school who couldn't talk. No adult had ever spoken to them enough.

Melissa Clouthier said...

I do think dedicated one-on-one interaction with the kid has made a difference, for sure.

Christine said...

I'd think this would be a no-brainer!