Article Summary and Analysis 7

Article title: The leisure reading habits of urban adolescents

Authors: Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Pradnya Rodge

Journal title: Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 51 (1), pgs 22-33

Summary:

Having seen a lack in research regarding the reading habits of inner city youth, Hughes-Hassell and Rodge conducted a survey in a northeastern US urban middle school to add to the existing research on reading habits in adolescents.

584 students were surveyed on twenty questions covering what, when, how, and why they read. Despite the school scoring consistently low on reading tests, the amount of students who reported they read for leisure was 72%, which was consistent with other adolescent reading studies.  The journal then broke down the results of the surveys and provided recommendations for school teachers and librarians about how to better provide for secondary students.

Some of the findings pertinent to my study:

• ·       69% of students read more than two books per month during the school year, but only 15% of males and 20% of females reported reading over the summer.  The researchers theorized this was due to the presence of the school’s reading reward program.
• ·       41% of students said they would read more if they had more time, while 45% said they probably would
• ·       Only 30% said they read books for pleasure, while 44% read comics and 37% read the Internet.  72% responded they read magazines for leisure.
• ·       No percentage was given, but the authors reported that “several of the students” read better in their first language, which in this case was Spanish, as opposed to reading in English

Recommendations from the researchers pertinent to my study

• ·     Provide alternate forms of reading such as graphic novels and magazines in the school libraries, and to encourage online reading of any content
• ·       Provide material in students’ first languages along with a variety of multicultural content
• ·       Provide time during the school day for students to read leisurely

Analysis

This study, which will be referenced often in my literature review, provides further evidence that some of the key areas of my research study will have a positive effect on students’ reading motivation.  The recommendation by the researchers to carve out time in the school day for reading is the basis of my research study: implementing a sustained silent reading (SSR) period once a week for secondary students. Similar to the students in this research study, a majority of secondary students at my school indicated they would check out more books from the school library if they had more time to read.  During the SSR period, students will be given the freedom to read whatever they want however they want (with the only “banned” content being social media).  When this program was introduced to students, the question that was asked the most was “Do I have to read an English book?”  Since my school has such a diverse population of first language speakers, it would be folly to force them to read in English if that is not their preferred or strength language.  Students at my school also indicated that being able to read electronic content for this program was important to them.  While this study didn’t really provide me with any new information, it was great to find further research that supports my action research study. 

References

Hughes-Hassell, S. and Rodge, P. (2007).  The leisure reading habits of urban adolescents.  Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy 51 (1), 22-33. doi:10.1598/JAAL.51.1.3