Strategies for Encouraging Reading for Leisure - Research Paper Example

Strategies for encouraging reading for leisure-a plan for middle years of schooling age group Introduction Reading for leisure has been an under-explored activity for many people in varying age and school groups. With the advent of television, video games, and the computer era, various online and computer-related activities have replaced the concept of reading as a leisure activity. Leisurely reading however is still being widely advocated by many educators, politicians, and interest groups. They employ and recommend various methods to encourage reading for leisure especially for the younger population. This paper shall explore possible strategies, guidelines, and activities to encourage reading for leisure for those in the middle years of schooling age group. It shall also explain how each strategy will be implemented to the age group. The inclusion of each guideline or strategy shall be justified through evidence cited from course readings, professional lectures, and research. Leisure Reading Strategies for Middle-Age Schooling Age-Group There are different factors affecting reading for leisure among middle-school age groups. These factors have to be considered before any plans can be formulated to engage students in reading for leisure. First and foremost, “an individual must possess the necessary reading skills and resources to comprehend the printed word” (University of Queensland, 2009). These basic reading skills will arm the student with knowledge in grammar and vocabulary in order to facilitate comprehension. Mental images can be easily drawn through printed words. The motivation to read will eventually contribute to each student’s engagement in the reading experience. Some students get easily engaged and can easily draw mental images of the things they read; however other students find it hard to imagine and picture images from what they read. They often prefer comic books or reading materials with illustrations where they do not need to imagine the events unfolding (University of Queensland, 2009). Another factor affecting reading for leisure among middle-school age groups is the fact that many of these students are already involved in other activities like sports, socialization, and school work. Many of them opine that they do not have to think when they watch television and therefore would rather watch TV rather than read for leisure. However, it is indeed undeniable how reading for leisure has benefitted those who apply it to their lives. They attest that they have gained more knowledge by reading, that they are more informed about the world and about the explanations behind concepts and natural events. Some authors bravely emphasize that with adequate access and motivation, it is possible to engage middle-school age children to read for leisure. Reading for leisure or pleasure is an important milestone in a child’s life. Once this milestone is reached and further developed in the child, it can carry through to his teen and adult years. Reading for pleasure has no fixed definition, but some authors define it as – reading done of a person’s own will while looking forward to the pleasure and enjoyment it can ultimately bring to a person (Clark & Rumbold, 2006). Reading for pleasure also helps children develop their own personalities. The adage ‘you are what you read’ carries so much truth when considering a person’s personality, his likes, his dislikes, and his future prospects. Reading for pleasure helps a person develop self-confidence as a reader and as an individual in general (Guthrie & Alvermann, 1999, as quoted by Clark & Rumbold, 2006). Through leisure reading, the student can easily engage people in conversation because he has the utmost confidence in his knowledge. It is important to emphasize before coming up with a plan to engage middle-school age children in reading that these children will have different reasons for reading. Some of them see it as additional information they can learn about other people and other cultures; others just want to learn something new; and still some express that reading encourages them to try new hobbies. These middle-school aged children may see reading as a fun and relaxing activity; but others see it as a something they have to do for school (Clark & Rumbold, 2006). After considering the above factors and guidelines, it is prudent to suggest the following strategies in order to engage reading for leisure among middle-school age children: motivating and encouraging students to read for leisure; giving them access to a wide-range of reading materials to choose from; discovering the child’s interests and giving the child access to reading materials within his interest. Motivation Motivating students to read for pleasure is the most critical aspect of the reading process. Motivation has to be done based on the students reading skills, interests, and reading goals. Motivating middle-school age students to read for leisure can be done by giving the students access to books and other materials that are within their interest. “Ultimately, motivation to read for school, and the belief that ‘I can do it well,’ hinge on the readability of the books teachers offer middle school students” (Robb, 2000). It is difficult to motivate students when they have to read books which contain unfamiliar words; and they often have difficulty focusing and sustaining their interest for such books. Sooner than later, the books or materials they are reading no longer provide pleasure or leisure to them. It now becomes a tedious exercise that they have to get through in order to pass a subject in school. Another way of motivating reading for pleasure is to schedule school activities that advocate reading, such as reading campaigns. Reading campaigns can be integrated in the school schedule and with other programs like Reading Connects and other annual school programs. After reading campaigns, certificates can be given out to students for their participation and for their other reading achievements throughout the year. Some teachers and librarians also recommend that in order to motivate students to read, sustained periods of silence need to be encouraged in the classroom or during library hours. After sustained periods of silence, the teachers may then read aloud to the students. Interesting books and reading materials can be read aloud with a variety of tones in order to animate and bring to life the printed words. Interesting book authors can also be introduced to students. These books can be milestones in their lives (McDuffee, n.d). Many writers and readers now attest that they got into reading through some teacher who gave them a book to read. These books are ‘landmark’ books like Little Women, Robinson Crusoe, Lord of the Rings, etc. It is undeniable how the motivation to read has always been initiated by a teacher or a librarian handing a book over to a child. Access to wide-range of reading materials Different students have different interests. Some children would gravitate towards mysteries, others towards adventures and romances, and others immerse themselves in educational books like: encyclopedias, dictionaries, history books, and similar reading materials. Teachers attest that “exposure to the wide range and depths of books and other resources is really the way to capture the imagination of both teachers and children, which is the surest way to develop their interest in reading” (Choules, as quoted by Reading Agency, n.d). This strategy can be accomplished by asking each student what they like to read. After making a list of their interests and their preferred reading materials, an inventory of the library may be done. This will help assess which books need to be availed by the school and which books can interest each student based on his or her interest. The middle-school age student may not know the title of books in the library which may engage his interest. Based on the book’s title, he may not know that the book is an adventure novel, a love story or an epic that can engage his interest. But with teachers and librarians to guide them in finding books that are within their interests, it may be possible to have them open a book and hook their interest in reading. Engaging the child’s interest This strategy is very much related to the previous strategies. In actuality, these three strategies can be integrated with each other in order to accomplish the goal of reading for pleasure. Teachers and other educators advocate that “people read what reaches them personally, not what bookshops promote…” (Guardian, 2005). This is an encouraging piece of information because every person, be they child, adolescent, or adult, has an interest. And books have now been written on almost all fields of interest. Libraries, bookstores, and book sales are now stocked with every conceivable topic of interest. Through public libraries we can give each child the opportunity to explore his interests. Different students are inclined towards different reading materials and interests. Left to explore a library, each student is bound to pick up a different reading material. Some students may just browse one book after another, never connecting with any particular reading material. Other students may already focus into one particular area in the library, pick up one book and then be immersed in the pages. And still some others would get any book and just mindlessly leaf through the pages without any particular goal in mind, just to pass the time, or even just to meet someone. But regardless of the motivations and reading choices of each middle-school student, it is highly probable to engage any student to read books and other reading materials that are within his interests. Poverty is a possible barrier in accessing books within a child’s interest. Therefore, it is very important for public libraries to be accessible to children. These public libraries must also be adequately stocked with books and reading materials in different fields of interest. Poverty must not be made the reason for children and other students to have access only to limited reading materials. Educators emphasize that “the most important cure for these children is improved school and public libraries” (Krashen, 2005). By finding out what would interest each middle-school age child, it is possible to engage them from light or passive reading into heavier reading. Many reluctant readers were motivated to read by first being engaged in reading comic books. “Several eminent writers and thinkers give comics the credit for helping them develop the competence for and interest in ‘heavier’ reading” (Krashen, 2005). In fact, South African Bishop, Desmond Tutu attested that by reading comics he developed his love for English and for reading. If comics are able to engage the interest of the child in reading, then such reading medium should not be discouraged or stifled. It can instead be used as a means to engage the child in heavier reading materials. In the classroom, the teacher should give each child a chance to read a book of his interest, regardless of the length or the topic of the reading material; even comic books or magazines should be allowed. By not censoring the child’s individual interest, reading now becomes an acceptable medium no matter how silly or sophisticated the reading material is. Some teachers even encourage student to read books of films. Films are often more familiar to most people. Even if film adaptations are not often true to the contents of the book, it is still possible to engage the child’s interest in reading. Some educators point out that “reading books for films [is] a good introduction to reading for pleasure…” (Guardian, 2005). It is therefore even more important for libraries to carry various fields of interests in order to give the children access to a wide range of books. Justification for motivation Motivating middle-school age students to read is an effective means of engaging students to read for pleasure because as expressed by some experts “attention to the affective aspects of reading, such as motivation, may help combat the increasing disaffection for reading” (Cramer & Castle, 2004, as quoted by Clark & Rumbold, 2006). Internal and external motivation can be used in order to eventually get students to read. Intrinsic motivation is the preferred motivation for reading; and it is this form of motivation which eventually gets children to read for leisure and not for any other academically-motivated reason. However, some studies have revealed that students are often both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to read. “To satisfy their own reading interests and to comply with school demands, pupils may show intrinsically as well as extrinsically motivated reading behavior” (Lepper & Henderlong, 2000, as quoted by Clark & Rumbold, 2006). Children’s interest in reading is more accurately explained by using both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in reading. Oftentimes, extrinsic motivation can be used to eventually bring about intrinsic motivation in reading. Once this is established in the child, the interest to read for pleasure without any extrinsic motivation will eventually develop in the child. Justification for engaging the child’s interest Engaging interest is also related to the practice of allowing the child to choose his own reading material. Some authors claim that “students who choose what they read and have an informal environment in which to read tend to be more motivated, read more and show great language and literacy development” (Krashen, 1993, as quoted by Clark & Rumbold, 2005). By making the students choose their preferred reading materials, they can also manifest and establish their personalities and interests. Children may not know that a subject may interest them until they are made to choose and explore a variety of reading materials. Once their interest in a particular subject matter is established, further interest will surely follow. Before reading may be encouraged in some children, it is important for educators to understand the reading culture that surrounds them. A child’s interest in a particular reading material may be hampered by some cultural, personal, or even family-related reason. When J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books were published years back, some parents and conservatives condemned the books’ themes of witchcraft, wizardry and magic. They labeled the books as heretic writings. However, other parents and teachers were delighted to see the children reading Harry Potter or any book for that matter. Most of them encouraged the children to read the books regardless of conservative opinions. However, it is important for educators and teachers to note that there are children and families out there who may not want their children to develop interest in these types of books. By considering and respecting each child’s individual choices, it is possible to make the reading experience a pleasurable and personal experience for each child. Also, by considering how each child and each reader interprets the reading experience, it is also possible to reconstruct the reader’s culture and to understand how this culture can affect his individual choices and interests (Rose, 2007). Children’s varied interests and motivations for reading are influenced by their family and by their social sets. Some students may get interested in reading a particular book because their siblings or other family members are already interested in these books. Sometimes, they do not feel confident about sharing these interests with their classmates or friends because their interests are not conventional. However, at some one point in their lives, reading is introduced to them by either friends or family. Through this introduction, the necessary personal connection to the reading experience is established. “It is clear that young people’s first teachers are their families and the lessons they learn at home are associated with pleasure and personal connection” (Ryan, 2005). The basic foundation of our nation, which is the family, is also the basic foundation of reading – for leisure or for any other reason. A person’s interest may be encouraged or stifled in the four falls of his home. It is important for parents and family members to recognize a child’s interests and encourage these as a necessary part of his learning and growing experience. Various authors also recognize the burden and the responsibility they have to the young adult audience. This responsibility has to be recognized before engaging the interest of the audience. Children and adolescents are individuals who are vulnerable to the influence of the people around them and of what they may be exposed to. Books, especially, are influential reading materials in children’s and adolescent’s lives. As authors now recognize their duty to write responsibly, the probability of marketing books that engage the interest of the young adults has been increased. An author attests that in order “to touch the reader, to make sure that they feel that the book is written for them, you have to delve into the realm of deeper, more heart-felt emotions” (Bone, 2005). When the reader now personally connects with the material, the thirst for similar books is quenched and is also triggered. The reader now finds a medium he can explore his emotions of love, heartbreak, isolation, dependence, independence, and rebellion. Justification for wide range of books As was previously mentioned the, three strategies that may be adopted in order to engage middle-school age children to read for pleasure are related to each other. It may be said that they complement each other. Allowing access to a wide range of books helps children gain access to books and reading materials which are within their line of interest. Children who eventually develop the interest in reading for pleasure “do so out of curiosity and passion without seeking external rewards for their efforts” (Ryan, 2005). This curiosity and passion should be continually fed through a variety of books and reading materials. Some students point out that they do have an interest in reading; however, they find it difficult to locate books that engage their interest. But when they do eventually find materials that interest them, they stick to these materials and are motivated to find similar books in the same genre or topic. By giving middle-school age children access to a wide range of materials, it is possible to eventually develop their voluntary reading habits. They cannot be asked or even encouraged to read when they do not even have access to books or reading materials that interest them. “Voluntary reading has benefits that extend beyond higher achievement on standardized test scores, although these are highly significant in continuing education participation…” (Richardson & Eccles, 2007). This is one of the most important facets of this paper. The plan and the strategies for encouraging reading for leisure among middle-school age students is a coordinated process that encompasses motivation and engaging the child’s interest by allowing access to a wide-range of reading materials. Studies have proven how motivation and encouragement from family and from teachers can give birth to the love for reading in children and eventually in adults. By capitalizing on each child’s interest, it is possible to hook them into a habit of reading for pleasure. Works Cited Bone, I. (2005) Young Adult Fiction: Playing with the Big Kids. Clark, C. & Rumbold, K. (November 2006) Reading for Pleasure: A literature review. National Literacy Trust. Krashen, S. (February 2005) The "Decline" of Reading in America, Poverty and Access to Books, and the use of Comics in Encouraging Reading. Teacher’s College Record. Retrieved 13 June 2009 from http://www.sdkrashen.com/articles/decline_of_reading/all.html Learning Guide 2009: Connecting Personal and professional understandings of reading. University of Queensland Making reading creative –Creative Partnerships and Libraries (n.d) Reading Agency. Retrieved 13 June 2009 from http://www.readingagency.org.uk/children/CP_Reading%208pp%20Brochure.pdf McDuffee, L. (n.d) Motivating middle school students to read-aliteracy. Edtech. Retrieved 13 June 2009 from http://edtech.tph.wku.edu/~spowers/lmcduffee.ppt Reading for Pleasure –the Guardian Seminar. (20 July 2005) The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2000 from http://education.guardian.co.uk/conferences/story/0,14077,1532345,00.html Richardson, P. & Eccles, J. (2007) Rewards of Reading: Towards the development of Possible Selves and Identities. International Journal of Educational Research. 46: 341-356. Robb, L. (2000) Teaching Reading in Middle School. New York: Scholastic, Inc. Rose, J. (July-September, 2001) The History of Education as the History for Reading. History of Education. Massachusetts: Routledge Ryan, J. (February, 2005) Young People Choose; Adolescents’ Text Pleasures. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 28(1): 38-47 Read More