This document summarizes and discusses several studies and research on readers:
- A 1950s study found that kids disliked required classics and preferred books by authors of their own gender.
- Research found that access to real books and viewing reading as pleasure rather than instruction leads to stronger reading skills.
- Studies show that who carries meaning in texts, choice in reading materials, and balanced book collections impact student engagement.
- Additional research highlighted the importance of daily independent reading time, reading accuracy and comprehension, peer discussion of reading, and read alouds for student literacy development.
1. Lessons from History
Or everything old is new again
Or back to the future
Or everything I need to know I learned in grad
school
Or, as Donalyn Miller says, “I’ve got research,
yes I do. I’ve got research, how about you?”
6. And research on readers?
Norvell
50K students surveyed
Kids hated the classics/required books
Girls preferred books by female authors
Boys preferred books by male writers
BIG take-away
Three strikes observations about RA
9. And research on readers?
Daniel Fader from Hooked on
Books
Newspapers, magazines, and paperbacks in
the classrooms
Acts of literacy are “unavoidable”
Access to real (trade) books
“If teachers view themselves first as
purveyors of pleasure rather than instructors
in skill, they may find the skill will flourish
where pleasure has been cultivated.”
15. Voices of Readers
Carlsen and Sherrill
Setting aside for reading
Having a teacher show in the individual's reading
Having teachers
Being exposed to a of reading fare
Receiving help from
books
books with friends
Participating in reader-centered of literature
Being allowed freedom of in reading fare
18. And research on readers?
Students' self-concepts and the value they
place on reading are critical to their success
(Gambrell)
Choice is widely acknowledged as a method
for enhancing motivation (Lepper)
Providing balanced book collections at all
grade levels is vital to engagement
(Pappas)
19. Go back for some snow
Serve on some committees
Meet famous people
21. And research on readers?
Stephen Krashen’s The Power of
Reading
school libraries was a strong predictor of
reading achievement; the library predictor was
nearly as strong as social class
comic book reading was significantly associated
with more reading enjoyment
studies have consistently shown that those who
read more show more literacy development
studies indicate that a text needs to be about
98% comprehensible in order for it to help the
reader acquire new vocabulary
24. And research on readers?
Dick Allington in Every Child,
Every Day
Every child reads something he or she chooses.
Every child reads accurately.
Every child reads something he or she
understands.
Every child talks with peers about reading and
writing.
Every child listens to a fluent adult read aloud.
25. So what have we learned?
“For virtually all children, the amount of time spent
reading in classrooms consistently accelerates their
growth in reading skills.”
—Anderson, 1995; AndersonWilson & Fielding, 1988