E-Base Library: Of Reading Assessments and Library Cards

With immense help from two wonderful ladies, Divya Nawale and Monica Szczupider who joined us in Pench this month, we have gotten through the bulk of our work.

Our volunteers, Divya (left) and Monica (right) helping with registrations of students.

This month, we began work on our reading program baseline study. Before we open up the library to our students in Pench, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, we wished to determine the as is state of affairs. Our focus remained on two major components of the reading program- the fluency of reading and content knowledge. The students in the region of Pench grapple with similar problems in the education sphere as those in other remote locations in many parts of India.

Students eagerly awaiting their turn for the reading assessment. (Image: Monica Szczupider)

Gearing up for the reading assessments. (Image: Monica Szczupider)

With lack of resources, reading takes a back seat in many educational institutions across the country. This situation, we hope we can better through a robust reading program and a library full of books.

Dinesh, our driver, helping out with our registrations. (Image: Monica Szczupider)

The entire process was one that was very interesting; for us, to discover the results of our reading assessments and for the students to lay their hands such beautifully written and illustrated books! There was an air of excitement amongst the students.

One of our students with lovely eyes was just asking to be photographed. Unfortunately, his reading skills didn’t even touch Reading Level 1. (Image: Monica Szczupider)

After all, it was the first time they each got to own a library card and take a reading assessment.

Here is a look at how one school fared in the reading assessment.

With Reading Level 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest, this is a quick representation of the distribution of students across the 5 reading levels. We’re hoping ot get all our students up to Reading level 5.

Lastly, we would like to thank our volunteers Divya and Monica for extending all their help to this project.

Reading level 3 doesn’t look too difficult or this student!

With a team of four we went through reading assessments and registrations for more than 300 students. (Image: Monica Szczupider)

We now look forward, with a lot of eagerness, to inaugurate our library and begin the reading program.

(The E-Base library is a humble attempt to open up the world of books to the students of Pench. The importance of reading for a holistic education cannot be discounted and the E-Base library strives to fill this gap that exists by bringing to the students books from all around the world. With a choice of books on biodiversity, science, environmental conservation, Gondi folktales and encyclopedias, in both, Hindi and English, the library not only augments their general awareness and knowledge of their surroundings and its relation to the world but also inculcates an appreciation for their rich Gondi roots.)