Research study identifies best ways to encourage weaker readers to take up reading for pleasure

Young children who struggle with reading would be more inclined to read for pleasure if they were offered books that matched their interests, a UWE Bristol study has found.

The research discovered that the strongest influence determining whether weaker – or developing – primary school aged readers would take up reading for pleasure was ensuring an interest-driven book choice, for example those based on football, TV shows, Lego or art.

Leah Dowty, a senior lecturer in primary education in UWE Bristol’s School of Education and Childhood, carried out interviews with pupils aged 8 and 9 and a teacher at a school in Bristol to identify the factors that motivate developing readers to read books for enjoyment.

Previous research has found that children with weaker reading proficiency frequently exhibit lower motivation to read, which then further inhibits both their ability as a reader and how they view themselves as a reader.

But for the research study undertaken by UWE Bristol, the focus was placed on interviewing nine lower attaining readers who do read for fun (a minority group at most schools) to identify what drives them to do it.

As well as finding that matching the interests of the reader (seven out of nine children participating in the research chose books based primarily on personal passions or familiarity) was the most important factor among the pupils, the study discovered four further key motivating factors:

• Ensuring children are offered books they believe they can read comfortably (with graphic novels and illustrated books especially popular)
• Influence of friends and peers (recommendations, borrowing books and shared enthusiasm for popular titles)
• Having dedicated time to read in class or at home (children with this dedicated reading time were more likely to develop reading habits)
• Providing opportunities for teacher ‘read aloud’ sessions (whole-class reading sparked enthusiasm, built understanding and encouraged later independent reading)

Researcher Leah Dowty said she hoped the findings could influence education policy to encourage more children to take up reading for pleasure, at a time of record lows in children choosing to read books in their spare time.

She said: “Although not intending to be generalisable, the findings of this study do indicate that there are specific strategies and tools that educators could consider when establishing a more inclusive approach to reading for pleasure that amplifies the needs of developing readers.

“So often educators prioritise their efforts on encouraging proficient, but otherwise reluctant, readers to read for pleasure. This means that weaker readers can be left out of planned approaches that support enjoyment or agency in reading. This can lead to them experiencing an impoverished reading offer at school which in turn perpetuates the challenges they face.

“The evidence suggests that the most relevant motivational approach for educators to consider when supporting the reading for pleasure of developing readers is knowledge of each child's unique reading identity – the way that they view themselves as reader.

“These findings add to a growing body of evidence on how best to support volitional reading in developing readers. There is a need for further study in order to have a sufficient evidence base to influence policymakers who at present do not adequately address the needs of this group in The Reading Framework.”

The full academic paper, entitled ‘It's Been Quite Surprising to See Them Actually Reading’: What Motivates ‘Developing’ Readers in an English Inner-City Class to Read for Pleasure?, can be accessed in the journal Literacy.