Voluntary summer reading behavior of a focused group of 10-12 year-olds.

Abstract

The primary purpose for conducting this study was to explore the extent to which a focused sample of pre-adolescent children voluntarily engage in reading activity in the summer. The independent variables were identified as children's (1) access to reading materials and resources, (2) home reading environment, and (3) perception of purposes for reading. Three instruments were used to obtain the data analyzed for the study. A Survey of Leisure Reading Activity questionnaire, a Reading Activity Log, and , a Parent Telephone Interview schedule. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 54 children enrolled in parks and recreation daycamp programs in four communities. The final data set consisted of 40 child participants and their parents. Descriptive findings of the study indicated that over 75% of the child study participants obtained some of the things they read from home. Forty-two per cent of the child participants had visited the public library since school ended in June. Only 20% of these participants also enrolled in their local library summer reading programs. Mothers were the most frequent reading models for study participants, with 72% of the children reporting their mothers read more than they. Forty-nine per cent noted appearance as a motivator for reading. The measurement of actual reading activity revealed that only 24% of the study subjects read for one hour or longer three or more times per week. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the three independent variables and the dependent variable of Voluntary Leisure Reading. Although the selection of daycamps as a study site provided a rich database of descriptive information for examining children's reading behavior during the summer, the regression analysis itself was inconclusive. Trends in the descriptive data pointed to the need for continuing investigation of children's environmental reading, the nature and scope of home libraries, and year-round reading rates.