MAKING READING PLEASURABLE

Reading for pleasure – a definition

Reading for pleasure is also referred to as independent reading, voluntary reading, leisure reading, or recreational reading. It is defined by the National Library Trust (UK) as:

“Reading we do of our own free will, anticipating the satisfaction we will get from the act of reading”.

It is also defined by the same group as reading which began at someone else’s request, that we continue because we are interested in it. It is also described as an act of play that allows us to experience different worlds in our imagination, (Nell, 1988 as cited by Clark & Rumbold, 2006) and a creative and active/ interactive process.

The importance of reading for pleasure

In 2002, OECD research reported that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s educational success than their familiy’s socio-economic status. While the International Reading Association has pointed out the ability to read and write has never been more critical.

Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st C will need to read and write more than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of literacy to perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens, and conduct their personal lives. They will need literacy to cope with the flood of information they will find everywhere they turn. They will need literacy to feed their imaginations, so they can create the world of the future. In a complex, and sometimes dangerous world, the ability to read can be crucial.
International Reading Association, ( Moore et al, 1999, p3 as cited by Clark & Rumbold, 2006).

The excellent 2012 report Research Evidence on Reading for Pleasure compiled by the Education Standards Research Team (ESARD) in the UK, outlines UK and international research on the benefits of reading for pleasure. It found that along with educational benefits and supporting personal development (cited in Clark and Rumbold, 2006) reading for pleasure also had a positive impact on:

• reading attainment and writing ability
• text comprehension and grammar
• breadth of vocabulary
• positive reading attitudes
• self-confidence as a reader
• pleasure in reading in later life
• general knowledge
• understanding of other cultures
• community participation
• insight into human nature and decision-making.

Increased engagement with learning

The ability to read competently and, more importantly, the enjoyment of reading has implications for a student’s academic success. It is also an important indicator of success in other areas of life. The Growing Independence report on the Competent Learners project for children at age 14, found that students who love reading:

• had higher scores on the cognitive and social/attitudinal competencies
• had consistently higher scores in mathematics, reading, logical problem-solving and attitude
• had higher average scores for engagement in school, positive communication and relations with family, and positive friendships
• showed less risky behaviour
• had higher levels of motivation towards school

Those who did not enjoy reading were more likely to:

• be heavier television watchers over time
• have had bullying experiences
• to be seen by teachers as having difficult classroom behaviour at age 12
• be less likely to complete their homework
• be less likely to be enthusiastic about going to school

The summary of the key findings from the Competent Learners @16 project (NZCER, 2009), On the Edge of Adulthood, includes enjoyment of reading as one of the 3 indicators that suggest a child or young person is well placed for learning.

Positive impact on reading achievement

International research strongly suggests frequent reading for enjoyment correlates with increases in reading achievement. (Clark, 2011, Clark & Rumbold, 2006, Clark & Douglas 2011, PISA, 2009)

When children read for pleasure, when they get “hooked on books”, they acquire, involuntarily and without conscious effort, nearly all of the so-called “language skills” many people are so concerned about: they will become adequate readers, acquire a large vocabulary, develop the ability to understand and use complex grammatical constructions, develop a good writing style, and become good (but not necessarily perfect) spellers. Although free voluntary reading alone will not ensure attainment of the highest levels of literacy, it will at least ensure an acceptable level. Without it, I suspect that children simply do not have a chance. Linguist Stephen D Krashen (1993, p. 85)

The Programme for International Student Assessment (2009) showed that in all countries surveyed, children who enjoyed reading performed significantly better than those who did not. Students who independently read fiction tended to score more highly, but students who read a wide variety of material performed overall particularly well.
The relationship between online reading activities and reading performance was also positively co-related. Frequent reading for fun regardless of whether books/ magazines or the internet was strongly co-related with improvements in PIRLS literacy scores, whereas reading for information was not strongly co-related ( PIRLS, 2006).  


I hope this was useful...
HOW WOULD YOU CLASSIFY YOURSELF?
...your observations or experiences are welcomed.