A recent study published in Scientific Reports magazine assessed the impact of the “We Love Reading” (WLR) program—a community-led shared book reading program, developed in Jordan and implemented by the Taghyeer Foundation, led by Prof. Rana Dajani. It was designed to promote children’s love of reading, empower participants to become changemakers in their communities, the study assessed the impact of the program on Syrian refugee children in Jordan. Conducted as a pre-registered, wait-listed randomized controlled trial (AEARCTR-0006523), the study involved 322 mother–child dyads, with children aged 4–8. The trial measured the program’s impact on children’s literacy, attitudes toward reading, and family relationships.
Data were collected at two points: before the intervention (baseline, T1: Feb–May 2021) and immediately after (endline, T2: May–August 2021), approximately 3.5 months apart. The study revealed that mothers reported a slight improvement in their children’s attitudes toward reading, with the difference approaching statistical significance (p = 0.046, η² = 0.013).
Regarding family relationships, the study found that mothers in both the treatment and control groups reported improved spousal relationship quality. However, the control group experienced greater improvements (F = 4.83, p = 0.029, η² = 0.019). Additionally, the treatment group experienced a reduction in father-mother involvement compared to the control group (F = 6.57, p = 0.011, η² = 0.033).
In conclusion, the study shows that the We Love Reading program shows promise in improving mother-reported attitudes toward reading but did not lead to significant changes in children’s literacy, their own attitudes toward reading, or overall family relationships. To enhance the effectiveness of literacy programs, more interactive or intensive approaches may be needed. Further research is necessary to fully understand how shared book reading programs can best support the development of displaced children.
The study was funded by British Academy and Jacobs Foundation (CRISP Fellowship).
And it’s done by authors from the following institutions: Trinity College Dublin, Medair, The Hashemite University, Centre for Women’s Studies, Queen Mary University of London, Taghyeer, University of York.
The authors: Kristin Hadfield, Mays Al-Hamad, Rana Dajani, Amal El Kharouf, Julia Michalek, Lina Qtaishat, Sophie von Stumm & Isabelle Mareschal .
Enjoy reading the study via the link: Effectiveness of a community-led shared book reading intervention in Syrian refugee children: a randomised controlled trial | Scientific Reports (nature.com)