Promoting reading 1
To summarise: the factors essential to motivating
children and adolescents to read include the perceived relevance of the literature to their own lives, access to a broad range of reading material, plenty of time for reading, freedom of choice in the selection of reading material, and the opportunity for social interaction around what has been read. The teaching of reading in Swedish schools – as it is largely practised according to the Swedish National Agency for Education’s report from 2007 – is therefore contrary to what the research says about reading motivation on virtually every point. Add to this the fact that research on reading outside school has demonstrated a positive correlation between literacy and access to books in the home (Clark et al. 2011); that children who own books read more frequently and benefit more from their reading than children who do not (Clark Poulton & 2011); that children who come from homes where reading is valued have a greater tendency to evolve into readers (Clark & Rumbold 2006); that reading for pleasure is strongly influenced by the relationships between teachers and children as well as children and their families (Cremin et al. 2009); and that a large number of studies indicate that parents and the home environment are crucial for children’s reading (see for example Close 2001) and a picture begins to emerge where socio-cultural factors are being allowed to greatly determine who become readers and who do not. References Baker, Linda, & Wigfield, Allan. (1999). Dimensions of Children’s Motivation for Reading and Their Relations to Reading Activity and Reading Achievement. Reading Research Quarterly 34, pp. 452–477. Clark, Christina (2011). Setting the baseline. The National Literacy Trust’s first annual survey into young people’s reading – 2010. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina & Akerman, Rodie (2006). Social inclusion and reading: an exploration. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina, & Douglas, Jonathan (2011). Young people’s reading and writing: An in-depth study focusing on enjoyment, behaviour, attitudes and attainment. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina, & Poulton, Lizzie (2011). Book ownership and its relation to reading enjoyment, attitudes, behaviour and attainment. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina & Rumbold, Kate (2006). Reading for pleasure: a research overview. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina & De Zoysa, Sarah (2011). Mapping the interrelationships of reading enjoyment, attitudes, behaviour and attainment: An exploratory investigation. London: National Literacy Trust. Clark, Christina, Woodley, Jane & Lewis, Fiona (2011). The Gift of Reading in 2011: Children and young people’s access to books and attitudes towards reading. London: National Literacy Trust. Close, Robin (2001). Parental Involvement and Literacy Achievement: The Research Evidence and the Way Forward. London: National Literacy Trust. Cremin, Teresa; Mottram, Marilyn; Collins, Fiona; Powell, Sacha & Safford, Kimberly (2009). Teachers as readers: building communities of readers. Literacy, 43(1), pp. 11–19. Du Toit, Cecilia Magdalena (2004). Transition, text and turbulence: factors influencing children’s voluntary reading in their progress from primary to secondary school. Dissertation: University of Pretoria, 2004. Department for Education (2012). Research evidence on reading for pleasure. Education standards research team. London: Department for Education. Frid, Nina (2012). Slutet på boken är bara början: om läsarsamtal, bokcirklar & bibliotek. Lund: BTJ förlag. 27