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Reading competencies are a key factor in unlocking pupils' full potential across the curriculum. As Caroline Daly (18) suggests ' pupils' experience of reading impacts upon their participation in wider learning; it has implications for personal enrichment; economic viability and employment prospects; social relationships; leisure activities and cultural identity.'
The two pupils that I have chosen to look at in this essay with regard to reading, are both from Year 8. Child A (male) is from a bottom set class, consisting of seven boys and three girls. Child B (female) is from a top set with twenty-two pupils, thirteen girls and nine boys. They are opposite ends of ability and were both happy and open to talk with me about their own reading experiences.
I would like to start by looking at some of the key differences of how and what child A and B read with regard to the evidence collated from my survey. I carried out this survey with each child individually in a quiet room to try and create a comfortable environment for answering the questions openly and honestly. When asked if they enjoyed reading, child A's response was quite different to that of child B. Child A responded with 'sometimes' whereas child B answered much more enthusiastically and said she 'enjoy it very much [she] reads all the time.' So from the outset we can see the different attitudes towards reading from either child.
When questioned about how they prefer to read, child A again was drastically different to child B. A said he would 'only read in [his] head' and disliked reading out loud or group reading as he felt 'embarrassed'. His strategy for coping with difficult sentences or words was just to 'skip past them' or if he was at school he might ask the person next to him. B however said that she mostly read in her head but does not mind reading out loud either on her own or with a group. Child B's strategy for dealing with difficult areas was also very different. Instead of ignoring the problem she said she would 'read the bit out loud to try and make sense of it' or try and 'break down the words to fit them into the sentence.' When I asked what she would do if this didn't solve her problem, she said she would ask an adult for help. Child B is also happy to read anywhere, at home, on the bus or in school whereas child A said he finds reading in school really 'boring' and only reads a bit at home.
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The questions about what they read also revealed some stark differences. Child A doesn't like any of the texts he reads at school and wouldn't ever read 'the lengthy proper English books.' Although he did say that he likes the way the 'stories are put together' in Shakespeare but couldn't name which play. Instead he prefers to read computer magazines, manuals for his computer games and things on the Internet. When I asked if he read with anyone at home he said that he 'sometimes reads to his older brother but he will only listen if it's one of the computer magazines.' Child A also said that he might read a book that's been recommended to him as long as it interests him.
Child B's reading is much more varied, she is currently reading Water Wings by Morris Gleitzman at home, which her grandmother bought her. She likes to read children's fiction and doesn't mind the texts that they read at school. However, she did say that she wished they were more 'up to date.' Child B's favourite thing to read though, is like child A, magazines. Her favourite is 'Sugar' magazine as it contains different things that interest her. Child A always used to read with her grandmother and mother. Now she reads with her younger sister instead, although she did not say what they read together.
So from simply comparing some of the answers that came out of the reading survey, I feel that there are three main factor of influence on child A and B's attitudes towards reading. They are motivation, family and gender.
It is apparent from the survey that both children have a passion for certain subjects or topics and when a text contains this and engages them, reading takes place. It is from this passion or enthusiasm that motivation to read can stem from. It is important to remember that (Daly, 18) 'the diversity of texts encountered outside the English classroom contributes to the continuum of pupils' reading histories.' It is this that helps motivate and drive them to read. Child A's reading history is very limited to that of child B who, although enjoys reading magazines like child A, will also engage herself with fiction that is bought for her. It is the reading history of child A that may be a contributing factor as to why he finds certain text so boring. Daly (18) concludes that 'in [his] own choice-led and needs-led encounters with texts outside the classroom…an unsatisfactory text can be switched off, left unfinished or replaced readily with available alternative.' Meaning that child A could quite happy change from web page to magazine to computer game at home whenever he feels the need. This attitude is also reflected in child A's strategy for dealing with difficult text, whereas child B will be motivated to try and solve the problem, A just skips past it, ignoring the problem and moving onto something else therefore lacking development. As Bearne and Hodges (000) state 'if students are not motivated to read, then they will not engage in the breadth and depth of reading necessary for that development to take place.'
I also feel that the role of the family has helped shape the different attitudes to reading of child A and B. Bruner (166) acknowledges the need of a role model to help guide and shape the developing reader. This modelling is just as important in the home as it is at school and the different development of child A and B due to these role models is obvious. B is supported in the home and encouraged to read, whereas child A reads to his brother only when it's about computers.
My last factor, gender, is one that I felt I could not ignore. From the ratio of boys to girls in the top and bottom sets, a gender divide is evident. Daly (18) along with Bearne and Hodges (000) acknowledges this differentiation between boys and girls and it is interesting to note when looking at the points raised, the similarities to child A and B. Daly (18) highlights that 'boys in general have expressed greater interest in events and plot development,' which was seen in child A not wanting to read Shakespeare but was interested in how the plays were constructed. Also, the fact that girls read more fiction than boys is clear to see from the survey, with child B wanting more contemporary novels on the curriculum, so she can read them at school, as well as at home.
With these differences between child A and B highlighted, it is no surprise to see a clear link between their reading abilities and their ability to convey written responses. To start with child B, the writing was excellent. Both pieces of work needed a good understanding of the text and child B received top marks and a credit for both samples. In the first piece of work, which was asking the child to write a story in the style of Jerry Spinelli, child B wrote using a number of devices to imitate the original author. Short sentences were used to vary the pace as well as good description, use of speech etc. This helps to prove that child B had engaged and understood the text, grasping not only its meaning but also its structure. The teacher's comment for the story was 'well done you imitate Spinelli's style extremely well.' The second example also demonstrated a good grasp of what was being read. It involved child B writing from a character's point of view. Again, she received top marks and showed great empathy and understanding of not only the character that she was pretending to be but also the relationships that character had with others in the same text. Again the teacher's comment was 'excellent understanding of how she might see the problem.'
Child A however, was more difficult to examine. He had very little work related to written responses, as most of it was basic comprehension. The example I have, is when child A had been given film and television reviews to read, then he had to write his own review in a similar style on his favourite film or television program. Instead of writing a large amount child A wrote five lines and then filled the rest of the page with a picture of The Simpsons. The review is quite basic but there is evidence of understanding on how to structure a review in his description of the comedy in The Simpsons. Child A describes it as 'couch gags', a fairly strong and imaginative way of explaining the humour.
The drawing of the picture in child A's work leads me on to discuss the other methods of gaining an understanding of what was read. Obviously with child A, he enjoys drawing, so this is an ideal form for him to express understanding. Activities such as designing a book-jacket or advertising material or picture storyboards might be a way of engaging the child to express his responses more coherently. You could also try oral discussion, taped reviews, oral predictions, dramatisation or hot seating to discover whether what has been read in the classroom has also been understood. Modelling a written response with the child might also help him to convey his meanings, as perhaps it is just the structuring rather than the writing, which is hindering performance. There are many ways of exploring interpretation and understanding of a text and all avenues of assessment should be used, no matter what the ability of the child.
Reflecting on my conclusions and readings, child A appears to be the basis on which Paddy Lease (18) wrote 'Teaching Disadvantaged Readers.' Lease explores how reading has become almost a torture rather than a pleasure, particularly in group situations. She discusses the problem of peer group pressure and the fear of 'making a fool of oneself.' Lease also explores the problems of boredom and lack of enthusiasm, while recognising that this problem can stem from the fact that there is little or no encouragement from home. Lease (18) suggests different strategies for improvement, most of which centre around 'giving the child attention and respect, by focusing on the child's hobbies, obsessions and enjoyments, the teacher can learn what is important to each individual and begin to provide material which the child finds relevant and interesting.' One way of doing this could be to ask the child to create their own book, from cuttings from magazines or using CD ROM storybooks. From here you have the potential basis for moulding a more creative and engaged reader.
In Bearne and Hodges (000) 'Reading Rights and Responsibilities' I drew many similarities to what was being said in relation to child B. Firstly, the rights from Daniel Pennac (14) I felt described child B well. Where it says 'what emerges strongly is the right to be a committed reader, an individual making choices according to inclination as well as need', I drew parallels to child B's confident reply during my survey that Sugar magazine was her favourite thing to read. The fact that Bearne and Hodges (000) say that 'if you are struggling with a text, you have to be engaged with it in some sense', helps to describe what is happening when child B applies her own reading strategies. Child B needs to be constantly pushed, not letting her sit back because she is already a good reader, like Vygotsky's 'zone of proximal development' we should be continuously trying to identify what child B can achieve next. This will help her to develop into a reflective, responsive and critical reader.
Overall, what is needed to assist child A and B is (Bearne and Hodges, 000) 'space, time and positive encouragement for teachers to take intellectual as well as practical responsibility for the development of the reading curriculum, and for students to enjoy more of the reading rights to which they are entitled.'
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