Bitesize Research: Reading For Pleasure

By Jaya Carrier

I hope everyone’s having a great week! Following the INSET day training from the National Literacy Trust, and with World Book Day fast approaching, I was keen to continue on the literacy and communication theme by looking at a literature review by Coventry University and the Book Trust on reading for pleasure. 

Objectives: To examine existing literature on reading for pleasure to determine some of the key factors that influence secondary school students’ reading for pleasure.

Summary: 

• Reading for pleasure has been a recent focus of government strategy on reading, rather than some of the mechanisms of reading

• Students who read for pleasure have been associated with a large number of positive outcomes both in terms of their literacy and academic grades, but also in terms of better community participation and better insights into decision-making and human nature

• Interest in reading for pleasure has been shown to decline in the adolescent years

• Teacher role models of reading for pleasure have been shown to have a big impact on adolescent readers. This includes discussing books, and supporting students to create their own ‘reader identities’.

• More choice over what is available for students to read has a big impact on their reading motivation

 

 

‘How does this impact me and my practice?: Some reflection questions arising from this that might be helpful to consider are: 

 

• How am I promoting and role modelling reading for pleasure in my interactions with my students and tutees?

• How am I using tutor reading time to support reading for pleasure?

• How can I help to nurture students’ ‘reader identities’?

 

If you would like to discuss this further with me - please let me know! I’d be delighted to open up these discussions and conversations. Finally, some the theme of literacy, check out a previous bitesize article on the impact of writing for student progress!