The Literacy Backpack Trial: Extracts from the Project Report, 2000

Benefits
Issues
Recommendations

Benefits

In all three communities the literacy backpacks received overwhelming support from principals, school staff, families and the students themselves. Positive outcomes include:

• increased self esteem
  
  
• extensive community consultation and involvement
  
  
• increased parent interest in school activities
  
  
• extensive family involvement and support in the use of backpacks at home
  
  
• increased attendance o increased confidence and participation in class activities
  
  
• significant progress in literacy skills.

All three trial schools have noted that the success of the literacy backpacks in their community was largely due to the efforts of a coordinator or project officer employed to manage the backpacks.

Issues

Very few problems were encountered in the trial of the literacy backpacks. There was some difficulty in obtaining materials due to isolation and the initial stages of setting up the backpacks and procedures for use was time consuming. Some materials have been lost, though this was anticipated. It was difficult to quantify the direct impact of the backpacks on literacy outcomes as it is impossible to separate the influence of increased attendance and family participation on children's achievements.

A further issue faced during the trial was the tendency for some of the materials placed in the backpacks to become more homework oriented, which was not the original intention.

Recommendations

Following the success of the initial trial of the literacy backpacks it is proposed that:

• The three trial schools of 2000 continue the implementation of the backpacks in 2001 with students from PP-3.
  
  
• Four more schools implement the literacy backpacks in 2001, supported by Kimberley Literacy Consultants.
  
  
• The guidelines for schools implementing the literacy backpacks be revised, in particular to include a more detailed description of the types of materials to be included and options within these.