Lifelong Learning and Growth Mindset in Teaching and Education

Chapter 1

Teachers as researchers

Teachers are lifelong learners, who are enthusiastic about education and continually find mistakes as stepping stones to academic success (Ashbridge et. al., 2014). Dweck’ (2012) theory of growth mind-set supports this by encouraging the children and the teachers to take risks and make mistakes for demonstrating their understanding. As researchers, we develop our current skills and understandings to challenge and justify the decisions to grow as leaners (Ashbridge et. al., 2014). As teachers, we are required to do this for extending our knowledge and skill in meeting the teaching standards (Teaching Standards, 2011). In which, we combine to create an environment for the children, that is meaningful to promote learning and progress (Ashbridge et. al., 2014). In order to support progressive learning, the children and teachers need to be in a learning situation, that enables construction of knowledge, where they are continually engaged, and they share a high level of intelligence (Blatchford et. al., 2011).

Personal Interest

I always have an interest in the gender gap, within education as I have always questioned, why such a gap remains in such modern society. Most significantly, is there any impact of the gender gap on the academic performance (Legewei et. al., 2012). Reflecting on my school experience, I have noticed, the biggest difference between gender and reading attainment. This is very relevant today, because within a study of English-speaking countries, England scored the lowest for enjoyment and the lowest for pupil in engagement in reading (PIRLS, 2017). On placement, it was observed how boys had little interest in the books, they were reading and would often stick to the same types of books (e.g. sport), just referring to the pictures. Part of this could be down to the lack of reading materials available and whole school support.

The lack of variety in books and motivation could have been a factor in their ability to write effectivity, as the range of vocabulary and imagination was limited. Both reading and writing are the key components, needed for day to day life and in this modern society, the individuals may need to write emails, complete application forms and understand important documents. I feel, this is a current and important issue that needs to be addressed as pupils who do not learn to read, cannot effectively become a full member of the society (Glazzard et. al., 2015).

Why is it important

Over the course of my experience at university, I have learnt the value of reading for pleasure and due to its impact, it can have on a child’s literacy attainment. Reading for pleasure refers to reading a range of texts e.g. fiction or nonfiction, magazines, eBooks etc., however, it is primarily for enjoyment. It can take place at home or at school and it can involve in reading different texts in a group or independently (Cremin et. al., 2014)

Ofsted (2012) have highlighted that, the recent concern is about the decline in reading for pleasure. If boys are still reluctant to read, longer term, it is likely to cause a significant disadvantage in their academic attainment.

Through reading a range of texts, the children can extend their vocabulary and imagination to gain a greater understanding of the world, we live in. Reading advances a child’s cognitive development and allows them to become independent learners, to further, enhance their academic achievement (Glazzard et. al., 2015). Clark et. al. (2006) echoes this by stating how reading enriches writing achievement, because it rapidly increases knowledge and understanding of vocabulary and it also enhances imagination power of the children to broaden a child’s writing skills (Cremin et. al., 2014). In summary, children who express their enjoyment for reading are more likely to score higher on their reading tests, yet aid their cognitive skills (Gamble, 2013; Twist et. al., 2007).

Impact on professional development

This project will contribute to my professional development by highlighting potential strategies to encourage the boys to read for pleasure. It will benefit my first year of teaching, as I will use my findings within my class to develop their understanding of reading for pleasure.

Overall aims of this study

This study aims to explore the different factors, which contribute to boy’s reading for pleasures as today, reading for pleasure is declining (Gamble, 2013). Through conducting a small-scale study, a research instrument will be selected to further explore reading for pleasure from a different perspective. This will be evaluated to identify the strategies, that could encourage the boys to read for enjoyment.

Chapter 2

In the context of this small-scale research project, this literature review will explore the gender differences of reading for pleasure to critically analyse its benefits and potential barriers on primary school children. Referring to key literature and theory, effective strategies to encourage reading for pleasure will be established to support and make connections for this research investigation (Ridley, 2012). This chapter will be key to the research project, as it will act as a base for further research and allow us to build new knowledge (Oliver, 2012)

Research has consistently shown a gender gap in children’s reading (The National Literacy Trust, 2012). Boys have been a significant concern for schools across the country due to their underachievement and seemingly negative attitude towards reading to pleasure (Graham et. al., 2000). In 2018, the gender gap in reading at the expected standard was 9 percentage points: 79% of girls reached the expected standard compared to 70% of boys (Department of Education, 2018). This correlates closely to children’s attitudes towards reading as Clarke (2016) identified, girls as significantly more likely to read for pleasure as boys. Statistics show that 61.2% of girls enjoy reading very much compared to 47.8% of boys (Clarke, 2015). If only 70% of boys are meeting the expected standard and 47.8% boys enjoy reading, they are not experiencing the full benefits of reading.

Regularly reading stories or novels outside of school is associated with higher achievement in reading assessment (Twist et. al., 2007). Clark (2013) suggested that, reading for pleasure is directly associated with reading attainment as a study, conducted in 2012, describes how young people who enjoyed reading were four times more likely to read above the expected level than peers who do not enjoy reading. Evidence highlighted that across three annual tests (2011, 2012, and 2013), there was a relationship between reading enjoyment and reading attainment. This suggests a positive correlation between frequency of reading for pleasure and reading scores (Cremin et. al., 2014).

According to the National Curriculum (2013), it is crucial that, all pupils read for pleasure as it plays a vital role in a child’s development by aiding them emotionally and socially (DFE, 2013). It enables young children to gather information about the world and understand how they fit to support identity exploration (Cremin et. al., 2014; Rothbauer, 2004). Hodges (2010) verified this by stating that reading literature is a creative skill that can support children’s personal and social skills and, strengthen their knowledge of the world we live in (Landay, 2012). Additionally, through reading for pleasure pupils can enter “imaginary worlds”, which is far removed from the realities of their everyday lives (Glazzard et. al., 2015). Through reading complex texts that require intellectual engagement, children develop social skills such ‘mind reading’ to understand other’s feelings (Comer Kidd et al, 2013). Such empathy and compassion of others is a respected asset that aids their personal and socials skills (Cremin, 2014). The result being improvement in their human nature, motivation and decision-making skills (Cunningham et. al., 1998; Bruner, 1996). This in summary, highlights the power of reading in fostering skills required for everyday life.

Overall these benefits emphasise the importance of promoting reading for pleasure and hope to address the negative attitudes towards reading to increase attainment (Smith, 2008). Supporting evidence comes from the Ofsted framework (2012), which indicate how Inspectors are now looking for evidence in schools which encourage children’s enjoyment of reading, rather than effective teaching of phonic skills. The shift is focus is now on areas that have the greatest impact on children’s education (Ofsted, 2012). The Commission welcomes this recommendation and sees it as an important strategy in boosting some boys’ reading (The National Literacy Trust, 2012).

In order to enable this to happen, effective strategies to encourage boys to read for pleasure need to be established. Before these strategies are established by schools, it needs to be stated that, prior to promoting reading for enjoyment, children need to be able to decode and read for understanding. As appreciating the story will add purpose to what is being read (Brien, 2012).

Motivation

There is an increasing figure of research which suggests the importance of motivation and development of children’s reading (Lockwood, 2008). Motivation to read can be defined as the likelihood of choosing to engage in reading (Malloy et. al., 2010) and a lack of motivation to read can lead to children not reaching their full literacy potential (Gambrell, 2011). The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) demonstrated that, across 64 countries, highly motivated students who read, performed significantly better than students who enjoyed reading the least. This highlights the impact reading has on student's attainment in Literacy (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2010). Various researchers have explored motivation to read and revealed the expectancy-value theory (Eccles,1983). This theory suggests that, the students may choose to engage in activities over others based on how well they think they will do. Students are often more motivated to engage in activities where they feel like they are going to succeed, or the task holds value and importance (Marinak et. al., 2013). Recent evidence highlights, how in England children’s attitudes to reading are moderately low compared to their skills (PIRLS, 2017). Setting high expectations, where everyone feels capable to read will further encourage children to take risks to develop their knowledge of books which in turn, increases their reading attainment. This is enabled through the teacher’s attitude to the children learning, because when the teacher uses motivating language in the classroom, it increases their self-esteem and are more likely to challenge themselves and succeed (Dweck, 2012). Subsequently, it is vital to create a classroom environment that stimulates motivation for students to value and appreciate reading for pleasure (Marinak et. al., 2013).

Whole School Approaches

Recognising boys' interests is the first step in understanding how to engage and harness children's skills in enabling them to read for pleasure (Goldberg et. al., 2002). This is supported by the “Understanding Boys (Dis)engagement” with Reading of Pleasure research project (Hempel-Jorgensen et. al., 2017), who provided evidence to how reading teaching methods influences boys’ choices in reading for pleasure. When observing four primary schools in different parts of England in 2016 and after undertaking interviews with staff and pupils, there seemed a common negative assumption about boys and reading. The view was that many boys were labelled as ‘struggling readers', but in many cases these boys just had limited access to a range of books they could read for pleasure. Exposure to books were during formal literacy lessons only. This further emphasises the importance of a rich reading environment filled with books of children's interests to change the pedagogy of labelling boys as struggling readers (Hempel-Jorgensen et. al., 2018).

Also, Safford (2004) identified the type of texts being offered to boys as one of the factors in their reluctance to read for pleasure. When the classroom library is rich in reading material including a range of genres, text types, magazines and eBooks, the motivation to read and achievement is increasingly higher (Guthrie et. al., 2007). Providing a rich variety allows children to have greater access to a high-quality text, creates a positive environment, where reading is worthwhile and a valuable activity (Marinak et. al., 2013). Conversely, research also undermines this by stating that having lots of books is not always enough to increase motivation to read. The teacher plays a crucial role in developing the children’s interest by supporting the reading culture within the classroom (Marinak et. al., 2013).

Parental Involvement (or Reading Communities)

The “teachers as reader’s” project conducted by Cremin et. al. (2014) highlighted that, there is strong influence of relationships between children, families and teachers in encouraging them to read for pleasure.

According to Pieper (2016:21), parental involvement may be the ‘most powerful' influence on a child's reading. Reading patterns demonstrate how children's reading preferences stem from what is modelled in their families especially with boys taking their fathers' interest in sport, news and other information texts (Hicks, 2001). This closely links to the social learning theory proposed by Bandura (1962), who stated that, people often learn the behaviours rapidly by observing the behaviour of others. It is reproduced based on whether the behaviour carries a positive and negative consequence. For example, the boys are more likely to reproduce the actions of their fathers or male role models, whose characters they find attractive, such as their interest in sport. In the context of reading for pleasure, the boys are more likely to read if they are surrounded by role models, who read. However, this can be a serious problem for boys as Lockwood (2008) highlighted that, there is the lack of male reading role models at home or school. The National Literacy Trust (2005) conducted a reading study on 8000 pupils aged 4-18 and found that 25% of children never saw their father read. This observation may result in many boys associating reading with women and girls instead of a neutral activity (Lockwood, 2008). As a result, the importance of male reading models on for boys in crucial in reducing this view.

The teachers are also powerful mentors for their students. When teachers communicate the value of reading, children are more engaged to read to impress their teachers (Goldberg et. al., 2012). This is supported by the National Assessment of Education Progress (US DFE, 2010), who indicates that, the students have higher reading achievement, when their teachers are frequent readers who share their enthusiasm for reading. Cremin et. al. (2014) revealed that, when teachers knew more about children’s reading experiences, they were more effective in stimulating reading communities. However, teacher’s knowledge of children’s literature is often dominated by Roald Dahl and ‘celebrity’ authors and is insufficient to support reader development (Clark et. al., 2015). It is important to exhibit knowledge of a wide range of texts to be able to recommend books, that all of children wish to read, therefore demonstrating behaviours to inspire boys how reading is meaningful and valuable (Marinak et. al., 2015).

Chapter 3

Grinnell (1993) refers to research as a structured inquiry that utilises appropriate methodology to find answers to a problem (Burns, 1997). This chapter intends to follow this research process by outlining the research methods, used to collect data, while critically analysing the approach to evaluate its effectiveness in this thesis. The sample size and participants will be discussed referencing the benefits and limitations. Finally, ethical issues will be reviewed to ensure this project runs in a controlled manner.

As this is a small-scale research project, it was decided the appropriate method for data collection would be gained through questionnaires alone. The definition of a questionnaire is a written form of questioning (Thomas, 2017) to which are responded to by chosen participants (Kumar, 2014). They are intended to facilitate communication driven by the research themselves (Davies et. al., 2014).

This instrument was chosen because the research questions ask participants to reflect on what they have observed in schools in terms of strategies, they have seen that encourage reading for pleasure. Questionnaires provide researchers with the opportunity to enable a description of a range of strategies but also allow for more qualitative responses if required (Thomas, 2017).

Additionally, Gillham (2000), stated that, questionnaires could be low cost due to responses completed over email, reducing time as they can be sent all at once thus easy to receive information from a lot of people (The open university, 2019; Gillam, 2000). Problems arise when there is misunderstanding of the questions as there is no one to help to correct answers or repeat them in a different way (Brewerton, 2001). It can be critical, therefore, to carry out a careful pilot study to identify any ambiguous or complicated questions (Gillham, 2000). People are more likely to complete questionnaires as they feel more comfortable expressing their opinion when they are anonymous (Thomas, 2013). If questionnaires are not anonymous, it can lead to “prestige bias’s” which can occur when participants provide the ‘right answer’ to look clever. In order to avoid this, it is important to make it clear to people how anonymity will be achieved and respected (Thomas, 2017).

Interviews are another data gathering tool, in which you conduct a discussion with someone in which you are trying to retrieve information (Thomas, 2017). This was not chosen for this project as the most applicable method because it can be very time consuming as a transcript needs to be created to analyse the data (Cohen et. al., 2011). Moreover, as they are not anonymous, interviews are more open to subjective bias as participants are in a very reactive environment where they are more inclined to provide the right answer (McNeil et. al., 2005). As a result, the validity is undermined (Brewerton et. al., 2001). Nevertheless, if this research project was projected on a larger scale, interviews may be applicable as they explore data in greater depth by asking a range of open-ended questions (Hoshchid, 2009). Main difference between an interview and a questionnaire is the individual sitting with the interviewee. The interviewer can ask questions and provide additional detail or re-phrase the question if required, however questionnaires are generally completed independently (Kumar, 2014). This distinction highlights the importance of making sure questions are clear and easy to understand to avoid misconceptions (Thomas, 2013; Thomas,2017).

Once the instrument was selected, the style of approach was considered as the mode of enquiry. The mixed method approach was used as it merges the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research to collect data within a single study (Kumar, 2014). Brewerton et. al., (2001) supported the act of combining qualitative and quantitative data to be the most effective as it allows researchers to gain in depth evidence to support quantitative findings; reconfirming findings. This enhances the accuracy and meaningfulness of conclusions (Kumar, 2014). Using both approaches can provide the best outcome (Thomas, 2017).

In order to gain quantitative answers, closed questions are used in questionnaires to obtain certain variables. A key advantage of using closed questions is that, it allows the necessary information to be obtained by the researcher and often provided in categories, so responses are easier to analyse (Gillham, 2000). This method also introduces a great possibility of investigator bias. This refers to the how the researcher may only list topics that they are interested in understanding more about, highlighting how findings may only reflect the researcher (the open university, 2019; McNeil et al, 2005; Kumar, 2014). For resolving this issue, ‘other and please explain’ sections will be provided to accommodate for any responses not listed and to add variety (Kumar, 2014)

The format of closed questionnaires can be implemented in various ways. Within the questionnaire, a range of multiple-choice questions were used to contain two or more answers where participants were asked to tick one or more relevant boxes. For example;

As an example, this is the first question used in the questionnaire, as evidence received will reflect a certain year group. The question is short and clear about what information is needed and it enables comparisons to be made between responses (Denscombe, 2014). Likewise, this question may seem irrelevant to some, but it does add an additional dimension to the data during analysis (Thomas, 2017). For this study, there should only be the one answer selected. Taking into consideration of respondent’s memory, their most recent placement was chosen to take account of fallible memory patterns and increase validity of answers (Davies et. al., 2014). The concept of validity can be applied to any aspect of the research process. It ensures that in a research study, correct procedures have been applied to find answers to the question (Kumar, 2014).

After a selection of short closed questions, open questions were asked to further deepen responses and allow participants to express their opinion freely to gain qualitative data (Sham, 2012). Undermining research comes from Kumar (2014), who implies that, using open questions, provides more of a free choice, in which participants may struggle to express themselves resulting in irrelevant data. Unlike closed questions, this free choice eliminates the possibility of investigator bias as they could include a wealth of information resulting in a greater level of discovery (Kumar, 2014; Gillham, 2000).

Prior to handing out the final questionnaire, a pilot study was conducted (see appendix, 1) on two participants to assess the questions and opportunities to further enhance the data collection (Kumar, 2014). Results highlighted that, many of the questions needed to be changed to state how participants observed reading for pleasure in school instead of their own belief. This is because opinions or attitudes towards a subject are not always stable. When completing the questionnaire, their opinion may be specific to that moment, reducing its reliability as findings are not generalizable (Davies et. al., 2014).

Sampling

The population of this study included 10 third year Primary Education students at St Marys University. Crucially, all students would have been observed reading for pleasure in a primary school setting, adhering to the validity of this study. Their skillset would be critical, as it allows capture of accurate and meaningful data. This method of sampling was purposeful as appropriate participants were selected systematically meaning they had the necessarily experience relevant to the study (Robinson, 2014). The sampling procedure was picked upon a social media forum where students could respond to my research question, discussing if they had knowledge of reading for pleasure or not. The first ten to respond to the status were chosen to be the participants. The benefits of using social media to collect the respondents was that, it increased the range, diversity of people, who could get involved as it was a closed group open to everyone on the course (Thomas, 2017). However, it may have excluded the individuals, who are not on social media websites or busy with other activities therefore, in the future, other methods could be developed which may be more inclusive. Nevertheless, this process also allowed the research students to get involved, when it is convenient for them rather than restricting involvement to meeting times (Thomas, 2013).

Overall small-scale studies do play a positive role in research projects, as they enable a wide range of perspectives to be analysed in more detail, which can often be difficult in larger studies (Davies et. al., 2014).

Limitations

Although, this research project was planned to provide clear evidence using appropriate sampling, there were limitations to consider developing future studies.

Firstly, the sample size of this small research project was only ten participants which significantly influence the accuracy of results (Brewerton et al, 2001). According to Denscombe (2003) the minimum number of people to survey to generalise is thirty. The findings from this study may not be reliable or generalizable. Reliability refers to the quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy (Kumar, 2014). Due to the small sample size, if repeated it is likely that results will not be the same, limiting its accuracy as it is not representative of the whole population. This subject on the type of data being collected as Auerbach et. al. (2003) indicated that, it may only affect qualitative data as one participant answer will unlikely be able to replicate another.

One drawback of using questionnaires which affected the final sample was the challenge and difficulty in receiving completed questionnaires. Due to different schedules, one participant was unable to return the questionnaire on time (Opie, 2000). In the future, developing the research study online and completely digital could increase response rate.

The final stage of this research methods chapter will talk about the ethical implications to ensure the researcher thinks about the impact, it could have on the participants involved (McNeil et. al., 2005). This was addressed by completing an ethics form (appendix 2) discussing the purpose, methods of data collection and specific instruction on how the data will be kept. Brewerton (2001) supported this by indicating that, it is key that, the researcher investigates this implication prior to undertaking the research project.

In addition to the ethics form, an information sheet (appendix 3) was provided for all participants, justifying their relevance and usefulness of taking part (Kumar, 2014). This information was provided through a cover letter highlighting the benefits and potential risks (Denscombe, 2010).

Once participants were made aware of all their involvement, they were given a consent form (appendix 4). All the participants are required to complete a consent form before completing the questionnaire to understand their involvement and requirements during this stage (Kumar, 2014). There was also the allowance of withdrawal from the study at any point by signing the right to withdrawal form (Thomas, 2013). If this occurs, any completed data would be securely destroyed.

In order to protect a participant’s right to privacy, confirmation their information would not be disclosed and retain confidentiality (Cohen, 2017). Confidentiality refers to how any information, provided by an individual, cannot be traced back to them (McNeil et. al., 2005). All questionnaires would be anonymous to hide their identity; instead a number will be used to refer to each participant during this thesis. For supporting data protection, all files will be held electronically and only accessible via a secure Username and Password on a St Marys server, which will be not be shared at any time.

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Chapter 4

Following collection of data, it was time to evaluate the responses and analyse the data to identify the trends and seek further insights into effective strategies, which could encourage the boys to read for pleasure (Thomas, 2013). Within the questionnaire, there was a range of quantitative and quantitative questions, which would need further analysis. Lastly, within the literature review, there are three key themes; motivation, parental involvement and whole school support. According to Thomas (2017), these themes are crucial ‘building blocks’ for the analysis of data, as they provide meaning to the participants responses. Reflecting on the results, it was noticed that, one or more of these factors impacted on the boys reading for pleasure.

Quantitative

Descriptive statistics are about the organisation and graphical plotting of quantitative data. They can be presented in figures such as bar charts or pie charts to add meaning to the reader (Thomas, 2017). This has been identified by Figure 1 which indicates “Types of texts read by boys” as observed by the nine (9) participants. Clearly from the data shown, “Comics” was what boys read the most, with 5 out 9 participants. Cremin (2014) supports this by explaining how comics are very popular for both genders as they provide immense pleasure through representing humour in both words and pictures.

Adding additional context to this data and verifying the research discussed earlier, recognising children’s interests in comics could allow teachers to engage boys into reading for pleasure (Goldberg et al, 2002). Both Participant 1 and 5 stated that linking a boy’s interests to reading was the most effective to encourage boys reading for enjoyment. Although “Books” are being read, those with pictures and text (Picture Books and Comics) are both popular reading choices for boys.

After “types of text”, the different genres of books read was assessed. Analysing the data, “non-fiction” books were seen to be read by most of the boys, while traditional literature and poetry scored very low. The emphasis on reading traditional fiction texts in school may discourage the boys from reading them in their spare time (Lockwood, 2008). Likewise, if these books are chosen by the teacher, it is possible for the boys to lose further interest in similar genres, especially traditional types.

This is was reinforced by Participant 5 (appendix 10), who stated ‘Limiting the boys to only reading what the teacher wanted’ was least effective in encouraging boys to read. Furthermore, it was mentioned that, ‘preventing boys from choosing what to read may lead to them losing interest in reading’. Developing children's interest in reading stems from allowing them to take responsibility is effective for their learning by making their own choices (Rettig et. al., 2000). Research supports this by highlighting that motivation increases when children have opportunities to make their own choices about what and how they want to learn (Skinner et. al., 1993). In one study, conducted on year four children, when children selected their own books compared to ones chosen by the teacher, their motivation and reading comprehension progressed (Guthrie, 2007). This indicates that, taking ownership of reading choices increases the amount of effort put in thus a greater understanding of the text being read (Gambrell, 1996).

Participant 8 (appendix 13) critics this by indicating that ‘when boys are given the option to read’ it can be the least effect strategy to encourage them to read because ‘most of the time they choose not to read’. It is therefore important, to make the reading meaningful, so that the boys learn in which there is a purpose to why they are reading. As an example, maximising opportunities for children to make connections between the text and their personal lives can enhance reading motivation. It allows children to discover the value and purpose of reading aiding their understanding of reading for pleasure (Godes et. al., 2010). Acknowledgment of this while in school, encourages students to be more involved and engaged in comprehending a piece of text (Guthrie et al., 2007). Research conducted by Hulleman (2010), demonstrates how children who were asked to write about how different materials are relevant to their lives were more motivated than those, who were merely asked to write about the material. This summarises the impact making real-life connections can have on a positive impact on child's reading habits.

It was also the key to identify when boys read for pleasure to understand, when they are given the opportunity to read and how much they read outside of school. Results highlighted that, most of the boys read during guided reading sessions with 6 out of 9 participants. This may indicate that, they mostly read during school when they ‘have to’ and not when they ‘want to’. Equally, reflecting on the data of three participants, a common response to the least effect strategy to encourage reading among boys was guided reading.

Participant 1: ‘Guided reading was very limited and when it was implemented, it was seen as more of a chore to read than an interest’

Participant 3: ‘sometimes during guided reading the boys became bored/ disengaged’

Participant 10: ‘Guided reading because students were not allowed to read what they enjoyed reading

The trend seen through these responses is that, guided reading taught in the schools did not engage the reader resulting in many boys losing interest. Following on from the results and analysis from types of texts and genres, using comics or non-fiction books to engage the boys during guided reading that could be a worthwhile opportunity. In addition, providing them with additional opportunities to read their choice of books across the school day could be beneficial. According to participant 10, this was seen as the most effective strategy to encourage the boys to read.

Lastly, Figure 4, demonstrates the findings of what participants observed in schools, that supported the boys to read for pleasure. Holding events or targeted activity days focused on reading seemed to be very popular with all participants. “World Book Day” was most commonly seen in the school to support the boys, when reading for pleasure. According to Glazzard et. al. (2015), World Book Day is a great opportunity to promote reading for pleasure, as it encourages the children and the teachers to dress up, as their favour literature characters. The day can involve various activities, planned around the children’s literature to add a context to their learning. This includes making and writing their own books. However, the event is held once a year, so the impact can be limited compared to other strategies, such as the availability of a wide range of books. This strategy was further observed by 5 participants and also identified from the literature review as Guthrie et, al. (2007) stated that, when a range of books is available, motivation to read and achievement is higher. This was further affirmed by Marinak et, al. (2013), who imply that providing a rich variety, enables the children to have greater access to high-quality text, creating a positive environment, where reading is worthwhile and a valuable activity.

Qualitative

Concerning the results of the qualitative responses, the grounded theory (Glaser et. al., 1967) is used to describe the process of drawing themes from qualitative data, from which we can infer and interpret the research (Thomas, 2017). It offers an essence of interpretative inquiry, as it puts heavy emphasis on potential ideas and theories. In contrast, analysing the data with a fixed idea which may hinder the mind from new thoughts (Thomas et. al., 2006). The two key themes grounded from the findings are; motivation and parental involvement.

Motivation:

One of the key factors established from the Literature review was the impact of motivation on encouraging the boys to read for pleasure. In order to assess motivation, the following questions were asked:

These questions were effective in encouraging participants to deepen their understanding, but due to the double-barrelled question, many failed to answer all three. Research has highlighted the negative impact of using these questions, as participants often miss them out (Gillham, 2000). Due to a single question identifying two subjects, findings are now difficult to analyse, as it is not clear what question the respondent has answered (Thomas, 2017). In future, such questioning will be avoided.

Nevertheless, the pattern across most or all responses was the fact that girls were more motivated to read when compared to boys. 55% of participant (3,5,7,8,9) (appendix 7,10,12,13,14) all illustrated that, the girls were more engaged, as they were eager to finish their book, while boys showed little interest. This reaffirmed data from the Literature review highlighting how 61.2% of girls enjoy reading in contrast to 47.8% of boys (Clarke, 2015). Participant 10 was the only individual who experienced boys reading more than girls during their placement. Findings from this study cannot be validated due to the small sample size but if conducted again in the future, it would benefit from a larger representation sample size to assess its generalisability.

Parental Involvement:

During the Literature review, it was identified that, the parents play a crucial role, when developing and encouraging the boys to read for pleasure, especially when at home. It has been argued that, children, growing up in homes with a wealth of books, receive the advantages of approximately three years more schooling (Pieper, 2016). During this research, it was not possible for participants to observe the extent of involvement at the children’s home however, the role of the teacher in including the parent was asked to gain an insight of the potential impact it could have on their child.

Participant 6 (appendix 11) observed ‘at parents evening, the teacher would discuss how often the children read at home and recommend books the though the pupil would enjoy’. According to Glazzard et. al. (2015), it is a necessary skill to have a good understanding of children literature to become effective reading role models. Participant 9 (appendix 14) emphasised that, the impact of male role models coming in to read to children was the most effective strategy to encourage boys to read for pleasure. Goldberg et. al. (2002) implied that, the reason boys spend less time in reading than the girls because they perceive reading as a girl’s activity. Possibly due to the dominance of female teachers displaying reading habits, having male visitors who are enthusiastic about reading may foster positive attitudes to boys (Clark, 2011).

Following this, participant 5 (appendix 10) highlighted that, how they observed parents coming in to host assemblies and lead workshops to promote reading for pleasure. Parents are often a child’s first role model and including them on their child’s reading journey can be beneficial. They can deliver individual attention, often difficult in class, by which they discuss books on a personal level to inspire the children to read for enjoyment (Graham et. al., 2000).

If the parents do not model reading for pleasure at home, as indicated by 3 participants (1, 9, 10) (appendix, 5,14,15), the children navigate to reading role models at school. It is through sharing positive reading experiences and modelling the value of reading for children, to acknowledge the meaning and importance to read for pleasure (Marinak et. al., 2013). This is supported by a study called Teachers as Readers published by the United Kingdom Literacy Association (UKLA, 2008), who aims to improve the teacher’s knowledge of literature to increase reading motivation. They found that, frustrated readers become more interested in reading thus read for pleasure when they were supported by teachers who had a good understanding of children literature (Cremin et. al., 2009). This links with Teaching Standard 3; ‘Demonstrating good subject knowledge’ (DFE, 2011) because having a vast understanding of a collection of books will allow you to enhance the quality of lessons, ensuring they are creative and challenging to meet the needs of all reading abilities (Ofsted, 2012).

Research by Ofsted (2012) demonstrated that, many primary school teachers have limited knowledge of child literature hence find it difficult to recommend books. In order to solve this, relationships with parents and other professionals may be needed to increase confidence in fostering reading habits (UKLA, 2008).

Chapter 5

In summary, the aims of this research project have been met as through the findings and discussion, it has established some effective strategies to encourage the boys to read for pleasure.

As we implement these strategies into schools, hopefully it’s recognised that, while boys and girls read differently, it does not mean they are differently able (Goldberg et. al., 2002). Instead responding to their differences in a positive manner through motivation will enable the children access to wider opportunities to promote reading for pleasure (Countering the Under-achievement of Boys (a Tribal project for WAG, Oct 11 to Aug 14). Whole school approaches take a central place as schools need to work collaboratively to ensure progress in children’s reading habits (The National Literacy Trust, 2017). Lastly, parental involvement has the potential to have the greatest impact as the children spend time with them the most, thus fostering a love of reading at home, displayed by their role models is vital (Clark, 2011).

Research Methods

,p>This chapter has provided an overview of the process of the research investigation. Selecting questionnaires was effective in collecting relevant data, as it provided great insights and had a positive impact on my findings. However, more consideration could be taken in avoiding double-barrel questions, as they were least effective. Additionally, increasing the sample size and making it more “digital” would have allowed increased data and could have been more representative of the wider population.

Findings

Analysing the literature review, many of the findings, identified, were further supported with evidence, accumulated from the questionnaires. This included boy’s interests in comics and non-fiction texts, which suggested that, the schools should acknowledge these preferences and extend their reading within this genre (Graham et. al., 2000). Also, the availability of a wide range of texts was effective, as it further allowed the boys to explore different book types and realise what they enjoyed.

Motivation to read was seen more in girls, who were more engaged and wanted to finish their books. This claim needs to be challenged through a positive reading environment, which fosters the love of reading. The impact of parental involvement and reading role models is also beneficial and different strategies of involving them in reading have been established. Creating an environment, where children are provided with a range of texts, opportunities to read and supporting their book choices, will hopefully enhance their motivation and interest to read (Clark, 2010).

The results of the data initially will only be available to a research supervisor and the researcher however no names or locations will be mentioned in the reports. This will ensure nothing can be used to identify the individuals. As the output of the study was effective, information from the report will be shared with the participants involved to hopefully benefit their teaching and learning. In addition, it is hoped that, some of the findings could be implemented into school during the first year of teaching to stimulate a reading environment, that increases enjoyment and attainment.

Implication for future research

If this research project would be completed in the future, the scale of the sample size would need to be larger to gain results, that are more reliable and representable. Findings could provide a better indication of the whole population and further enhance its relevance within the schools and society.

Conducting the study on children across all school ages (reception to secondary school) could be beneficial as it could identify the changing patterns in boys, when reading for pleasure.