The present study puts forward two models which examine the relationship between at home at school variables of (1) engagement in shared and independent reading and (2) access to print with reading achievement. Participants were fourth grade English speakers from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia), New Zealand, England, and USA. Data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) questionnaires and reading achievement test were used to design the two models, and Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the data where students (Level-1) were nested within classrooms (Level-2). The results of the Engagement in Reading Model demonstrate that activities of shared reading at home and at school did not statistically significantly relate or related negatively with reading achievement. Parents helping their children with school readings emerged as the strongest negative predictor of reading achievement in the entire model. However, the relationship between how often participants talked with their families about what they read on their own and reading achievement was positive. Additionally, independent reading at school, reading for fun at home, and reading printed material (books and magazines) at home predicated reading achievement positively; reading for homework did not predict reading achievement; and reading for information and reading on the internet at home predicted reading achievement negatively. The results of the Access to Print Model demonstrate that while access to books and other reading material at home related positively with reading achievement, access to books and other reading material at school did not overall relate to students’ reading achievement. Additionally, access to the library, generally, did not relate to reading achievement; and when statistical significance was found it was not replicated in all or even most of the countries. Based on the results of the present study, it is recommended that fourth graders be given ample opportunities to read books of their own choosing independently at school, and to develop students’ habits and motivation to read for leisure during their free after school time. Additionally, children should be provided with ample access to reading material at home which is geared towards their interests.

This dissertation study, entitled ‘The development of a reading culture in the Foundation Phase through comprehensive parent involvement’, focused on the challenge of developing a reading culture in which a positive change takes place in the learners’ attitudes towards reading and in particular, towards reading for enjoyment, when parents are comprehensively involved in the process. The research is found to be relevant as many of the learners in the participating school showed little to no interest in reading for enjoyment and saw reading merely as a means of studying. The methodology used in the study is qualitative in nature and included a literature review, case studies and semi-structured interviews. The results of the study showed that the implementation of a comprehensive parent involvement model has a positive impact on the creation of a reading culture. The learners were more inclined to read for enjoyment when their parents participated both in reading programmes and in fun reading activities at home. The learners and parents who actively participated in this study all indicated that they had a greater appreciation of reading for enjoyment after the implementation of the programme. Based on the study findings, recommendations were made for improvements to assist in the issue of creating a reading culture in schools. / Die studie getiteld ‘Die ontwikkeling van ‘n lees-kultuur in die Grondslagfase deur omvattende ouerbetrokkenheid’, het gefokus op die uitdaging om ‘n lees-kultuur te ontwikkel waar ‘n positiewe verandering in leerders se gevoel teenoor lees plaasvind, spesifiek lees vir genot, wanneer hulle ouers intensief betrokke is in die proses. Die navorsing is relevant aangesien baie van die leerders in die betrokke skool min tot geen belangstelling getoon het teenoor lees vir genot en het lees bloot as ‘n metode van studie beleef. Die metodologie wat in die studie gebruik was was kwalitatief van aard en het ‘n literatuurstudie, gevallestudies en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude ingesluit. Die resultate van die studie het getoon dat die implementering van ‘n omvattende ouer-betrokkenheid model ‘n positiewe impak op die ontwikkeling van ‘n lees-kultuur gehad het. Die leerders was meer geneig om vir genot te lees wanneer hulle ouers deelgeneem het aan die lees-program en aan die pret lees-aktiwiteite tuis. Die leerders en hulle ouers wat aktief deelgeneem het aan die studie, het almal aangedui dat hulle ‘n groter waardering vir lees vir genot gehad het na die implementering van die program. Voorstelle om te help met die ontwikkeling van ‘n lees-kultuur is gemaak wat gebaseer was op die bevindings van die studie. / Thuto, e nang le sehlooho se reng 'Ho nts'etsa pele setso sa ho bala ka Sekhahla sa Motheo ka ho kenyeletsa ho kopanyelletsa ha motsoali', ho lebisitse phephetso ea ho hlaolela setso sa ho bala moo phetoho e ntle e etsoang ka maikutlo a barupeluoa ho bala le ka ho khetheha, ho bala bakeng sa thabo, ha batsoali ba ikakhela ka setotsoana mosebetsing ona. Phuputso e fumanoa e le ea bohlokoa ha ba bangata ho baithuti sekolong se kenang sekolo ba sa bontše thahasello ho bala bakeng sa thabo 'me ba bona ho bala feela e le mokhoa oa ho ithuta. Mokhoa o sebelisoang thuputsong ea lipatlisiso e ne e le mokhoa oa boleng bo botle 'me o kenyelelitse tlhahlobo ea lingoliloeng, lipatlisiso tsa liketsahalo le lipuisano tse sa tšoaneng. Liphello tsa phuputso li bontšitse hore ts'ebetso ea kakaretso ea ho kenya letsoho ho motsoali e na le tšusumetso e matla ho thehoa ha setso sa ho bala. Barupeluoa ba ne ba rata ho bala bakeng sa thabo ha batsoali ba bona ba ne ba kopanela ka bobeli mananeong a ho bala le mesebetsing e monate ea ho bala lapeng. Baithuti le batsoali ba ileng ba kenya letsoho thuputsong ena bohle ba bontšitse hore ba ananela haholo ho bala bakeng sa thabo ka mor'a kopo ea ts'ebetso. Ho itšetlehile ka liphuputso tsa lithuto, liphuputso li entsoe bakeng sa ntlafatso ea ho thusa tabeng ea ho theha setso sa ho bala likolong. / Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)