Examining the Role that Families Play in Shaping Children’s Attitudes toward Reading

This qualitative investigation presents findings from interviews and observations with 6 mothers and 7 children (ages 6 to 8) in Vaughan, Ontario. The purpose of this research study was to examine the rituals and routines in the home environment that impacted children’s attitudes toward reading. By incorporating the perspectives of children, the researcher sought to answer the question of “why” there continues to be a steady decline in positive attitudes amongst primary children. Using a grounded theory approach, the findings suggest that it was not exclusively the rituals and routines which children had that shaped their attitudes. Rather, participants identified distinct principles of motivation, engagement and the roles of peers, siblings and parents as being influential. The findings demonstrate the value of supporting children in locating their own purpose when reading and exploring literacy opportunities as a shared experience.

Examining the Role that Families Play in Shaping Children’s Attitudes toward Reading

This qualitative investigation presents findings from interviews and observations with 6 mothers and 7 children (ages 6 to 8) in Vaughan, Ontario. The purpose of this research study was to examine the rituals and routines in the home environment that impacted children’s attitudes toward reading. By incorporating the perspectives of children, the researcher sought to answer the question of “why” there continues to be a steady decline in positive attitudes amongst primary children. Using a grounded theory approach, the findings suggest that it was not exclusively the rituals and routines which children had that shaped their attitudes. Rather, participants identified distinct principles of motivation, engagement and the roles of peers, siblings and parents as being influential. The findings demonstrate the value of supporting children in locating their own purpose when reading and exploring literacy opportunities as a shared experience.

Exploring EFL Students’ English Reading Habits: Reading beyond Classroom Practice

Some previous studies have proven that having good reading habits is important for students. Regarding the importance of having good reading habits, it is essential that students who learn English as Foreign Language (EFL) to develop good English reading habits. If EFL students have good English reading habits, it will be much easier for them to receive language inputs and produce some language outputs after reading. The study is intended to investigate whether EFL students have good English reading habits as the fact that it is important for EFL students to develop good English reading habits. It covers the students’ general attitudes toward reading, the students’ amount of practice for reading English books, types of English materials the students read, topics of English texts the students read, number of English books the students read, the students’ purposes in reading English materials, and the students’ beliefs of English reading habits. This study uses descriptive research survey involving 154 EFL students of a state university in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The results show that EFL students have developed good English reading habits, but they still need improvement in the frequency of reading practice and the number of books read. Besides, they have positive attitudes toward reading, various kinds of English reading texts and topics to read, various reading purposes, and positive beliefs toward English reading habits. However, it is found that some respondents have difficulties to give fast responses in answering the questions through the questionnaire platform used. Therefore, some suggestions are also given as the recommendations for future researchers related to this field of study.

Preadolescent Advanced Readers: Exploring Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors

Despite dedication of tremendous resources to developing literary proficiencies, advanced readers may remain an underserved and understudied population. This qualitative study included nine preadolescent participants aged 10–12 years who demonstrated reading comprehension abilities within the top 10% on a national normed achievement battery. The researchers gathered interview data from participants with corroborating evidence from their parents and their book club teacher. The grounded theory analyses found advanced readers to demonstrate superior reading comprehension and the ability to read entire books quickly. Participants reported positive attitudes toward reading in general and preferred out of school reading over the limiting structures of school reading. Some evidence supported a connection between reading and identity exploration through narrative imagination and empathetic relations to characters and narratives. Advanced readers may present cognitive characteristics, as well as behaviors and motivations that require differentiated learning designs.

Growing from Nothing

Since 2009, Taiwan's Ministry of Education has begun to add the post of teacher librarians in some elementary schools. Teachers who are enthusiastic about reading education become teacher librarians to take charge of managing school libraries and promoting reading after receiving short professional training. This study aims to probe into whether the system is helpful to the management of libraries in elementary schools and to the establishment of reading environment at school. Specifically speaking, this study aims to discuss whether there is any difference in the activities of school libraries and schools' attitudes toward reading between schools with teacher librarians and schools without ones. The study surveyed elementary schools in Taiwan with a questionnaire which was filled out by teacher librarians or general librarians at school. The questionnaire was tested with Cronbach’s α reliability, and a coefficient of 0.975 was obtained, which is considered excellent reliability. 742 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved, and 741 of them were considered valid after the elimination of one with incomplete answers. Among which, 213 copies were from schools with teacher librarians, and the rest 528 copies were from schools without teacher librarians. In addition, the fill rate of schools with teacher librarians reached 80%. The study found that schools with and without teacher librarians had significant differences in library management of their libraries and behavior and attitudes toward reading.