Attitudes of Selected Secondary Teachers Toward Reading in the Content Areas.

Abstract

This study investigated the attitudes of selected secondary teachers, provided with a definition of content area reading instruction, in an urban, a suburban, and a rural school district toward content area reading instruction and to see if their attitudes were affected by subject taught, level of instruction, length of teaching experience, degree level, and gender. The population consisted of 396 secondary teachers from three school districts in Oakl and County, Michigan. Of the 396 participants, 335 responded. The attitude questionnaire used in this investigation was constructed by Vaughn (1977) using a seven point Likert-type format. The instrument was designed to measure the direction and intensity of secondary teachers' attitudes toward teaching content area reading in their classrooms (e.g., that is positive or negative). The research data were compiled from the demographic sheets and attitude inventories returned. Cross tabulation of interest, chi-square and a contingency coefficient were computed for the selected variables for each individual item in the inventory. Cross tabulations of interest, univariate one-way analysis of variance, chi-square, and contingency coefficient were computed to test differences within and between the demographic variables. Spearman correlation coefficient was computed to study the relationship between attitude and the seven variables. Also an inter-correlation of the variables and a step-wise multiple regression analysis were computed. Four conclusions based upon the findings of this investigation were: (1) Variables influenced attitudes. They were the categories of general education, enrichment, vocational, and other; degree level; and gender. (2) The secondary teachers' attitudes toward content area reading instruction scores tended to be at an average or above average level. Scores of average or above are to be considered positive toward content area reading instruction. (3) The teachers felt subject matter knowledge should be the first priority even though they felt content area reading instruction was necessary and they could teach content area reading. (4) Secondary teachers felt strongly that knowing how to teach content area reading should not be a requirement for secondary certification.