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Year 3 boys' and girls' enjoyment for reading across economic demographics in Australia. Implications for boys and students from lower SES communities
Scholes, Laura
Scholes, Laura
Author
Abstract
International studies have established that reading for enjoyment is linked to higher reading outcomes however there are local variations of the relationship and nuances associated with gender and economic contours. The aim of this study was to examine 318 Australian Year 3 (7 to 8-year-olds) boys’ and girls’ self-reported enjoyment for reading, reading frequency, and achievement on national reading tests. Findings showed that students who indicated higher levels of enjoyment for fiction and non-fiction, and who read more frequently, indicated higher reading achievement. Students attending schools in higher demographic communities tended to attain higher reading scores. An unexpected and significant finding was that fiction was the most favoured reading genre for boys and that more girls had higher levels of enjoyment for non-fiction than boys. These findings challenge the long-standing myth that boy’s prefer non-fiction. The study demonstrates the importance of promoting reading enjoyment – particularly fiction – early in students’ schooling trajectory, with special consideration for boys and students from economically marginalised communities.
Keywords
reading enjoyment, fiction, boys and reading, gender differences, economic disadvantage
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Inclusive Education
Book
Volume
Issue
Page Range
1-16
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE)
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled