Team Green-CLC Reading Interest Survey Results

Running head: READING INTEREST SURVEY





Reading Interest Survey
Howard Lomax
Kimberly Moore
Michelle Nixon
Julie Snyder II
Grand Canyon University
RDG 585
April 19, 2010


Abstract
As teachers we are always telling our students that books and reading are good for them to increase their knowledge. As teachers we need to take into consideration what it is going to take to get our students to become successful readers. This research was designed to find out what motivates children in grades K-12 to read and what reading habits are effective in getting our students to love readers and to be successful readers.



Reading Motivations and Habits
The article, “Children’s Attitudes to Reading” (Sainsbury, 2004), discusses a survey on attitudes of nine and eleven year olds towards reading done by the National Foundation for Educational Research. The survey was initially conducted in 1998, and then redone in 2003. This article compares the findings of the two surveys.
Children were asked to agree, disagree, or respond not sure to a series of positive and negative statements about their attitudes towards reading. Survey results were organized according to teacher assessed reading levels. The correlated results indicated that students who enjoy reading more are generally better readers. Survey results also indicated that better readers prefer stories, magazines, and newspapers. Between the 1998 and 2003 surveys, children’s confidence in their own reading had improved.
Sainsbury Survey
9 year olds 11 year olds
Reading habits of students 58% go to the library.
Girls enjoy reading stories, magazines, & poems.
Boys enjoy reading comics, newspapers, & informational books. 40% go to the library.
Girls enjoy reading stories, magazines, & poems.
Boys enjoy reading comics, newspapers, & informational books.
Attitude towards reading 71% enjoy reading.
10% find reading difficult. 66% enjoy reading.
14% find reading difficult.
How many books students own
Why students read
Motivation for reading
Reading likes/dislikes >70% enjoy reading stories.
<80% like comics/magazines. 70% like stories;
80% like comics & magazines.
Reading at home 50% prefers watching television to reading.
74% read at home daily.
4% never read at home.
Read stories, comics, magazines, poetry, and informational books at home. 60% prefer watching television to reading.
69% read at home daily.
4% never read at home.
Read newspapers, stories, comics and magazines.
Family attitude toward reading
Feelings about digital text/e-books
Favorite genre

The Young Adult Library Services Association publishes a yearly reading survey for teens between the ages of 12-18. The survey results from 2001-2003 are analyzed (Marra & Witteveen, 2005). The survey is done to help identify trends in teen reading.
The surveys indicated that while a majority of teens enjoy reading, a large percentage of those teens often don’t have time to read for pleasure. A majority of teen readers said they are encouraged to read by their mom, teacher, or dad. The survey results show that teen readers enjoy reading adventure, mystery, fantasy, horror, and true stories. They also like to read about realistic characters. A large percentage of respondents also indicated that they don’t read because it is boring.
The survey comes to the conclusion that media specialists and educators need to think outside of the box when it comes to motivating teens to read. Teen reading needs to be encouraged through the use of websites, blogs, e-books, and other on-line services.
YALSA Survey (12-18 year olds)
2001 2002 2003
Reading habits
of students 30.1% read
constantly for
personal satisfaction
44.31% don’t have
time to read for
pleasure.
24% read 2-3 books
per month. 54.04 % read
constantly for
personal satisfaction
52.06% don’t have
time to read for
pleasure.
13.31% never read
outside of class. 43.38% read
constantly for
personal satisfaction
50.1% don’t have
time to read for
pleasure
21.82% never read
outside of class.
Attitudes towards reading 33.92% listed
Reading as boring/not fun.
51% of those were boys.
49% were girls. 18.78% agreed with the statement “I don’t like
reading because it’s boring.”
<6% said reading wasn’t
cool. 22.44% agreed with the
statement “I don’t like
reading because it’s
boring.”
<8% said reading wasn’t
cool.

How many books
student owns
Why students read 74% said someone
encouraged them.
20.28%-mom encouraged them.
16.59%-teacher encouraged them.
13.36%-dad encouraged them. 18.72%-mom encouraged them.
18.02%-teacher encouraged them.
13.52%-dad encouraged them.
Motivation for reading 44.85%-just
for the fun
of it
Reading likes/dislikes 13% enjoy adventures
13% enjoy mystery
12% enjoy fantasy
11% enjoy horror
11% enjoy true stories
18% like characters that
are like the reader. 13% enjoy adventure
12% enjoy fantasy
12% enjoy mystery
12% enjoy horror
11% enjoy true stories
15% like characters that are like the reader.
Reading at home 38% like to read
at night/in bed 55% like to read at
night/in bed 44% like to read
at night/in bed
Family attitude
towards reading
Feelings about
digital text/e-books

A survey entitled Attitude About Reading (Cruea, 2006) was given to a group of third grade students about what turns them on to reading and what turns them off. Surprisingly the results of the survey showed that students enjoy reading best when they are in a learning environment and when they get to choose the books that they find interesting to them. The results also showed that students enjoy when an adult is reading them to. Although students prefer to read at school the results from the survey also indicated that students are motivated to read when they read for fun.
The results of the survey indicated that children are much more inclined to read when a book is not forced on them, and they have to opportunity to read what they prefer. Questioning students about what they have read builds comprehension and also excites the students when the books they are reading intrigue them.
Cruea Survey (third graders)
Reading habits of students 100% enjoy reading at school, 82% enjoy reading at home
Attitude towards reading 94% spend their free time reading, .5% rather not spend their free time reading
How may books the students own Not discussed in survey
Why students read 100% when they want to, 0% when forced to
The motivation for reading 100% prefer to choose their own books
Reading likes/dislikes 97% likes to be read to, 3% prefer to read on their own
Reading at home 17% dislike it, 47% like it, 35% love it
Family attitude Not discussed in survey
Feelings about digital text and e-books Not discussed in survey
Favorite genre Picture books, fiction

A survey entitled Survey of Student Reading (Shatter, 1951) was given to three groups of sixteen to eighteen year olds. The student’s reading levels were classified as low, normal, and advanced. When given the results of the amount of books read within a six-month period, the low group averaged reading about 0.4 books. The results of the normal group averaged reading about 3.0 books, and finally the results of the advanced group averaged reading about 6.0 books. The students preferred reading fiction books as opposed to nonfiction. Magazines, romance novels, comics and occasionally newspapers were on each of the student’s preferred reading list.
Shatter Survey (16-18 year old range)
Reading habits of students Advanced students often, Average/Normal students occasionally, Low students not often
Attitude towards reading
How may books the students own
Why students read
The motivation for reading
Reading likes/dislikes Boys-magazines: sports, adventure, hobbies, mechanics
Girls-magazines: romance, fashions, screen, homemaking
Reading at home
Family attitude
Feelings about digital text and e-books
Favorite genre Fiction, magazines, newspapers, romance, detective novels

Two surveys were used for this analysis, a survey of sixth grade students and a survey of 11th and 12 grade students. The survey of sixth grade students was conducted by Ms. Leena M. Snellman. Ms. Snellman conducted her survey in the early 1990s in a rural Virginia county. The survey was given to 23 students, 10 girls and 13 boys. Ms. Snellman found that the students had a large variety when it came to reading tastes.
Howard Lomax created and conducted the survey of 11th and 12 grade students. A total of 114 students were surveyed. The students reflected the general population of majority African American, white, and Hispanic students.
Snellman Survey
Reading habits of students
Attitude towards reading 57% like, 9% dislike, 35% sometimes
How may books the students own
Why students read
The motivation for reading 22% humor, 17% excitement, 13% adventure
Reading likes/dislikes Topic 43%
Reading at home
Family attitude
Feelings about digital text and e-books
Favorite genre Humor 70%, Mystery 70%

Lomax Survey
Reading habits of students 15% often, 28% occasionally, 17% little or non
Attitude towards reading 25% positive, 45% somewhat positive, 12% negative,
How many books the students own 18% 10 or more, 35% 4-9, 42% 0-3
Why students read
The motivation for reading
Reading likes/dislikes 30% fiction, 10% mysteries, 6% non-fiction
Reading at home
Family attitude
Feelings about digital text and e-books
Favorite genre 47% novels, 44% mystery, 37% romance and fiction

The first article was based on the Accelerated Reader (AR) program and its implementation and effect on student’s motivation to read. The results were compared to how the program is implemented and its effect on student motivation here in the United States.
England has utilized the program for nine years. It is used with third grade and beyond. Each class has over five hundred titles to choose from. Students read texts on their reading level and take comprehension tests on the text.
Scottish schools are middle implementation schools. Their schools are set in a lower socioeconomic area. AR is only utilized by two teachers. They are responsible for fifth and sixth grade students. This school has approximately two hundred titles to choose from.
Students in both areas were given reading surveys. They participated in interviews and focus groups. Findings showed that the United States used more tangible rewards to help motivate students to reach their goals. It was also found that schools in the United States tend to foster a competitive atmosphere. Research found just the opposite in England and Scotland. The schools in these areas tend to use less tangible awards and there was no competition between students or schools. A majority of students in England and Scotland enjoy AR and are motivated to read. The surveys did not allow researchers to discover a link between motivational style and a student’s willingness to read. The research also found that more females were motivated to read and had a more positive attitude toward reading.
The research concluded that prizes for AR are more effective with boys, while girls are motivated by reading with classmates or friends and being allowed to discuss their books.
The second article concerned motivation for learning reading skills.
According to Baker, Scher, and Mackler students who have fun with literature are more likely to continue to read in later years. They also found that parent’s views about reading and learning to read affects their children’s motivation to read. Children of parents who view reading as entertaining seemed to have a more positive view of reading than children’s whose parents focus on the skills of reading development.

Type of Survey Groups Surveyed Findings Conclusions
Cross-cultural Inquiry concerning the Accelerated Reader Program and its effect on reading motivation. School aged girls and boys in Scotland and England. Girls were far more motivated to read through the AR program without any tangible rewards. Boys were less motivated to read through the AR program and required more tangible rewards. Female students appear to have more inward motivation to read. Boys seem to have less interest in reading and require more tangible rewards.
Motivation for learning reading skills. Grammar school students It was discovered that young children who enjoy their early experiences with literature tend to continue to actively enjoy and participate in reading in later years. Research also showed that students are affected by their parent’s views of reading. It is important that students have positive early experiences with literature. Children of parents who view reading as entertaining have a more positive view of reading than children whose parents focus more on the acquisition of reading skills.


In conclusion, conducting surveys in our classrooms and reviewing survey research is an excellent way to gain an understanding into the reading habits, attitudes, and motivations of elementary, middle school, and high school readers.


References
A Cross-cultural Inquiry into the Levels of Implementation of Accelerated Reader
And it’s Effect on Motivation and Extent of Reading: Perspectives from Scotland
and England. (2005). Retrieved April 10, 2010 from www.ala.org

Cruea, K. (2006). A case study to find out what motivates third grade students to want to read.
Shatter, A. (1951). A survey of student reading. National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/pss/806821
Marra, T., & Witteveen, A. (2005). Survey Says...Trends in Teen Reading 2001-2003. Young Adult Library Services, 4(1), 17-21. Retrieved on April 10, 2010 from: http://wf2dnvr13.webfeat.org/ZPW2O1106/url=http://content.ebscohost.com/pdf1 7_20/pdf/2005/R5B/01Oct05/18695644.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=18695644&S=R& D=aph&EbscoContent=dGJyMNLe80Sep7M4v%2BbwOLCmr0iep7VSs6a4Ta% 2BWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGusUuxp7dOuePfgeyx44Hy7fEA
Motivation for Learning Reading Skills. (2009). Retrieved April 10, 2010 from
www.articlebase.com

Sainsbury, M. (2004). Children’s attitudes to reading. Education Review, 17(2), 49-54. Retrieved on April 11, 2010 from: http://wf2dnvr15.webfeat.org/chD1O116907/url=http://content.ebscohost.com/pd f9/pdf/2008/6Q6/01Mar08/31704927.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=31704927&S=R&D= ehh&EbscoContent=dGJyMMvl7ESep7A4v%2BbwOLCmr0iep7VSrq64SK6Wx WXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGusUuxp7dOuePfgeyx44Hy7fEA
Snellman, L. M. (1993). Sixth Grade Reading Interests: A Survey. Virginia, U.S.A.