teaching reading with an attitude: what teachers can do to foster lifelong readers george graham...

Teaching Reading with an Attitude:

What Teachers Can Do to Foster Lifelong Readers

George Graham Lecture, 2008

Michael C. McKennaUniversity of Virginia

Is lifelong reading really a worthwhile instructional goal?

Arguments against a nation of lifelong readers

High literacy rates are a very recent phenomenon. Historically, reading has been reserved for the very few. (See Caleb Crain, “Twilight of the Books,” The New Yorker, December 24, 2007, for a discussion.)

Digital technology is changing what counts as literacy. In fact, we now speak in the plural, of the new “literacies” (e.g. Don Leu, 2000, Handbook of Reading Research, Volume 3).

Not everyone may be cut out to read extensively and well. This may be the natural order of humanity. (See Ursula K. LeGuin, Harpers Magazine, February, 2008.)

I … want to question the assumption … that books are on the way out. I think they’re here to stay. It’s just that not that many people ever did read them. Why should we think everybody ought to now?

Ursula K. LeGuin“Staying Awake: Notes on the Alleged Decline of Reading”

Harpers MagazineFebruary, 2008

Two kinds of trends:

1. Developmental trends within an individual

2. Historical trends across years

A Few Unpleasantries Nearly half of all Americans ages 18 to 24 read no books

for pleasure. The percentage of 18-to-44-year-olds who read a book fell 7 points from 1992 to 2002. Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers. The percentage of 17-year-olds who read nothing at all for pleasure has doubled over a 20-year period. Voluntary reading rates diminish from childhood to late adolescence. The percentage of college graduates who report reading literature fell from 82% in 1982 to 67% in 2002.

– To Read or Not to Read National

Endowment for the Arts November,

2007

A Few Unpleasantries Nearly half of all Americans ages 18 to 24 read no books

for pleasure. The percentage of 18-to-44-year-olds who read a book in the past year fell 7 points from 1992 to 2002. Less than one-third of 13-year-olds are daily readers. The percentage of 17-year-olds who read nothing at all for pleasure has doubled over a 20-year period. Voluntary reading rates diminish from childhood to late adolescence. The percentage of college graduates who report reading literature fell from 82% in 1982 to 67% in 2002.

– To Read or Not to Read National

Endowment for the Arts November,

2007

http://www.ccsu.edu/AMLC07

Five Year Trends, 2003-07

Fifty-seven out of 60 cities reported fewer retail booksellers in 2007 than in 2003.

Per capita circulation of magazines in the United States increased in 87 percent of the cities studied.

All but one city declined in Sunday newspaper circulation.

Almost all the cities have more free Internet access points. More people are reading newspapers online and buying books online than in previous years.

How often do you read for fun, on your own time?

Grade 4 Grade 8

2007

Attitude Trends, Grades 1-6

Attitudes toward reading

tend to worsen with age.

McKenna, M. C., Kear, D. J., & Ellsworth, R. A. (1995). Children’s attitudes toward reading: A national survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 934-956.

1.


Attitudes worsen most for

the worst readers.


2.

“Matthew Effect”


Girls have more positive

reading attitudes than boys.


3.


Ethnicity is not, in itself,

related to reading attitudes.


4.

If we hope to foster positive reading attitudes, we must first consider how attitudes

are acquired.

A Definition of Attitude

A learned predisposition to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given object.

– Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975, p. 6, original emphasis

Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

Icek Ajzen Martin Fishbein

Think of attitudes on a scale from negative to positive …

– +

Definition of Interest

This term “is usually associated with a topic, such as dinosaurs or Civil War history.”

– Guthrie and Wigfield, 2000, p. 405

Guthrie, J. T., & Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement and motivation in reading. In M.

L. Kamil, P. B. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.). Handbook of

reading research (Vol. 3, pp. 403-422). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

John Guthrie Allan Wigfield

General

Specific

Attitude toward Reading

Attitude toward ReadingScience Fiction

Attitude toward ReadingRay Bradbury

General

Specific

Attitude toward Reading

Attitude toward ReadingScience Fiction

Attitude toward ReadingRay Bradbury

Attitude toward ReadingThe Martian Chronicles

An interest is actually a micro-attitude – an attitude toward a concept smaller than reading.

We can use our knowledge of a student’s interests to motivate the student to read.

Positive experiences may also be expected to have a trickle-up effect on general attitude toward reading.

A Model of Reading Attitude Acquisition

Social Structure and Environment

Beliefs about others’

expectations

Beliefs about the

outcomes of reading

Subjective Normscontingent on:

• identity of others• conflicting expectations• specific expectations• externally imposed purposes for reading

Intention to Readcontingent on:• availability of help• availability of materials• interest in topic• time constraints• physical environment• competing options• physiological state• nature of specific text

Reading Attitudecontingent on:

• strength of attitude• personal purposes

• importance ascribed to specific reading activity

being considered

Decision to Read

To read or not to read –That is the question.



expectations

Beliefs about the

outcomes of reading







being considered

Decision to Read

Beliefs about the Expectations of Others

Who has expectations about a child’s reading?

To what extent is the child inclined to meet those expectations?



expectations

Beliefs about the

outcomes of reading







being considered

Decision to Read

Beliefs about the Outcomes of Reading

Is reading likely to be pleasurable or useful?

Or is reading likely to be boring, frustrating, even humiliating?

Finding ways to alter a child’s belief structure is a key

challenge in fostering more positive attitudes.



expectations

Beliefs about the

outcomes of reading







being considered

Decision to Read

Instruction that fosters positive attitudes should …


Provide successful and engaging experiences with reading


Provide successful and engaging experiences with reading Strengthen beliefs that reading will be pleasant


Provide successful and engaging experiences with reading Strengthen beliefs that reading will be pleasant Challenge beliefs about peer expectations concerning reading

The Economics of Reading

Attitude

What if reading were a product to

be sold?

Reading Must Compete for “Shelf Space”

Number ofCompeting

Choices

Attitudetoward Reading

Hi Positive

Lo Negative

Reading Teachers as a Sales Force

Testimonial

Transfer

Bandwagon

Glittering Generality

Name Calling

Plain Folks

Card Stacking


Testimonial

Transfer

Bandwagon


Name Calling

Plain Folks

Card StackingThe more that you read,the more things you will know.The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.


Testimonial

Transfer

Bandwagon


Name Calling

Plain Folks

Card Stacking

Just as in making a purchase, a child will weigh the benefits of reading against the costs.

Cost-Benefit Ratio in Reading

Cost of Reading in Effort and Frustration

Benefits of Reading inPleasure or Utility

Lo Hi

Hi

Lo




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

I’m a good reader and I love reading.




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

I’m a good reader but I’d rather do something else.




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

I’m not a very good reader, but I’d sure like to be.




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

I’m not a very good reader, but then, who cares?




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

How can we move children into the high-benefit, low-cost quadrant?




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

Build proficiencyInclude shorter choicesConduct read-alouds

Nell, V. (1988). Lost in a book: The psychology of reading for pleasure. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Avid readers appear to share only one characteristic:

Victor Nell

Nell, V. (1988). Lost in a book: The psychology of reading for pleasure. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Avid readers appear to share only one characteristic: Proficiency.

Victor Nell

But proficiency is not enough.

aliteracy n.

the tendency of proficient readers not to

read




Lo Hi

Hi

Lo

Build on interestsInclude variety and choiceConduct read-alouds

Teacher Awareness of Student Attitudes

Two Ways to Learn about Your Students’ Attitudes

1. Ask them.

2. Watch them.

Some Ways to Ask about Attitudes

JournalsConferencesOpen-Ended QuestionsInterest InventoriesAttitude Surveys

I like to read about __________

I like to read about __________a page

Three Universal Interests(regardless of age or gender)

1. Animals

2. Humor

3. The Weird

A Tale of Cats and Dogs

12. How do you think your friends feel when you read aloud?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Agree Tend Tend Disagree to to Agree Disagree

| | | |

Suggestions for Teachers

Assess attitudes and interests.

Focus on proficiency.

“Sell” reading.

Build an engaging classroom.

Build an engaging classroom library.

Use research-based techniques.

Some Effective Techniques

Avoiding denigrating group placement

Using high-quality literature

Reading aloud to children

Activating prior knowledge

Stressing links between literature and students’ lives

Teaching comprehension strategies

Cross-age interactions

Facilitating literature discussion groups

Providing older models with positive attitudes

Some Effective Techniques

Collaborative activities

Challenging materials

Projects that entail several class periods

Techniques that facilitate comprehension

Bibliotherapy

What about rewards?

Definition of Motivation

the relationship between any factor, intrinsic or extrinsic, that causes an individual to act in a specific way

(This is my definition.)

IntrinsicMotivation

ExtrinsicMotivation

Decision to ReadBecause of Positive

Attitude

Decision to ReadDespite Negative

Attitude

Rationale for Extrinsic Motivation

Reading practice will lead, over time, to improved proficiency.

Exposure to a variety of texts may result in a “connection” that will dispel negative beliefs about the outcomes of reading.

but Rewards may foster a habit of reading only for rewards Rewards may foster a belief that reading is inherently

unmotivating

Incentives can be expected to improve reading attitudes to the extent that they . . .

1. improve proficiency

(and therefore self-efficacy);

2. expose children to engaging

texts; and

3. do not adversely affect

preexisting positive attitudes.

Suggestions for Teachers

Assess attitudes and interests.

Focus on proficiency.

“Sell” reading.

Build an engaging classroom.

Build an engaging classroom library.

Use research-based techniques.

Create novel techniques based on attitude theory.

Unresolved Questions

What additional techniques can we identify?

Will national initiatives have an impact?

How can gender differences be explained?

What impact do incentive programs have?

Will digital technologies lead to better attitudes?

How can we maximize proficiency?

READ! (or else)

[email protected]

teaching reading with an attitude: what teachers can do to foster lifelong readers george graham...

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