This thesis uses a number of sources to piece together evidence of working-class reading habits during the period 1850 to 1914: autobiographies, library borrowing records, middle-class contemporary observations, and answers to correspondents pages in popular periodicals. Middle-class dominance of literary production through the publishing industry, librarians, editors, and book reviews helped to shape working class autobiographical representations of reading. Literary conventions of autobiographies limit them as a source. By portraying the authors' life as a success story the genre puts greater emphasis on the reading of accepted classics and canonical works. Studies of two early libraries show how notions of class and gender affected the provision of texts in libraries. Later records prove that reading for leisure purposes had increased dramatically over the period from 1850 to 1914 and that juvenile literature was popular even with adult readers. Changes in the publishing industry and the popularity of genres are reflected in the library stock. An alternative source confirms these trends. The answers to correspondence pages of the London Journal, Reynolds' Newspaper and the Family Herald reveal that a number of common readers wanted to read in order to better themselves socially and intellectually. A popularised version of autodidact culture was both promoted and sought in the pages of popular periodicals. The thesis concludes that two distinct trends in reading are evident through the period: reading for self-improvement subtly shaped by autodidact culture, and an increase in leisure reading

This thesis examines reading habits in Scotland between circa 1750 and 1820, a subject surprisingly little studied by historians before, given the backdrop of the Enlightenment, and traditional ideas about Scottish education and literacy. From a methodological viewpoint, reading as an activity at this time is often little recorded, frequently invisible in surviving historical records. Nevertheless, enough evidence exists for it to be studied analytically, using individual case studies alongside larger data sets, and varied records such as contemporary accounts and later memoirs, library catalogues and borrowing registers, and evidence for book ownership, such as after-death inventories and records of booksellers. To aid the analysis, a three-part subject classification system is introduced in this thesis to differentiate between different categories of reading - religious, entertainment and improvement - and to facilitate comparisons between individual examples of reading. Successive chapters explore how opportunities for reading evolved, how Scots fitted reading into their lives, what they chose to read, their reasons for reading and styles of reading, and book ownership and its relationship to reading. Each of these chapters explores a particular aspect of reading habits in more detail than has been done before. The final concluding chapter collates the evidence to explore the wider question of change over time. In particular, it argues for the growth of reading, a dramatic change in the subjects people chose to read - specifically the growth of improvement and self-education reading - and a marked permeation of reading throughout Scottish society by the end of the period, not being confined to the leisured classes. In addition, distinctive aspects of Scottish reading during this period are highlighted and discussed, and Scotland compared with England. Overall, the importance of reading to Scottish people during this period is clear, providing a valuable insight into Scottish minds and attitudes two centuries ago.

A Record of what people read is part of the social history of that people, a significant insight into their thinking and emotions. What people read in newspaper, magazines, books, and other printed material is important because in influences their attitudes and opinions. What they fail to read is also important, for persons with the most misconceptions and prejudices are usually the least well read

My essay has three foci. One is the presentation of a survey I gave to two groups of pupils, one grade 7 and the other grade 8 about their attitude to reading books in school, and their attitude to reading books in general. I was interested in how the result would correspond to what many investigations on this subject had concluded. One such result was that girls were usually not only more willing to read, but they were also better readers than boys. Therefore, the answerers must tell if they were boys or girls. The result of my investigation rather corroborated what many others had already said: Swedish young people are not enthusiastic book readers, but when reading, the girls are the ones that take the lead. Another focus is in a way historical. I used a novel by a Swedish author telling about poor people on the Swedish countryside in the nineteenth century dreaming of being able to emigrate from their home country and come to America. What interests me is the story telling of the attitude to reading, both in the characters and the authorities. There is much about reading incapacities, but also of lust for, and skill in reading. The attitudes from the authorities is dominated by churchly paternalism: reading skill in ordinary people has one primary function, to make them good Christians. This common value-system is fixed by the didactic curricula of the time. My third focus is the Swedish curricula especially in what they say about reading and literature. I thought I found that they have at least something in common with the curricula of mid-nineteenth century than might be expected. The older ones have what could be seen as an instrumental attitude to reading and such an attitude I thought could be perceived also in the modern ones: they seem to be eager to point out the usefulness of reading in general and even of reading literature. Another point would be the great importance attached to the strengthening of the common value-system, here, not Christian belief, but a democratic ground of values. In my study of what is said about reading in school by people discussing the subject, and when looking at the result of my own investigation by the questionnaire I very often find a similar instrumental attitude: all reading, be it fact or fiction, is expected to lead to something useful not just pleasure.

Samhället står i ständig förändring, och vi lever i ett informationssamhälle där vi ideligen kommer i kontakt med olika former av texter, vilket har fått till följd att det ställs andra krav på människans läsutveckling. Då forskning har visat på minskad läsförmåga hos elever i årskurs 4, ansåg vi det intressant att utveckla kunskap om hur elevers läsintresse kommer till uttryck i och utanför skolan, vilket också är studiens syfte. I denna studie har kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod kombinerats. För att få svar på vilka förutsättningar som har betydelse för elevers läsintresse utanför skolan, genomfördes en enkätundersökning. Elevernas enkätsvar användes som stöd när lärarna därefter intervjuades. Lärarna kunde också ge svar på vilka förutsättningar som har betydelse för elevernas läsvanor i skolan. Det centrala som studiens resultat pekar på är att det, finns fysiska och intellektuella redskap. Då studien utgår ifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv kan det fysiska redskapet förklaras som böcker, medan det intellektuella redskapet kan förklaras som läsintresset. Det har betydelse för elevers läsintresse, att de fysiska och intellektuella redskapen  samverkar med varandra. / The society is constantly changing, and we live in an information society where weoften get in contact with different forms of texts. Because of that we can see other typesof demands on peoples reading development. Research has shown reduced readingability in students in grade four, therefore we thought it would be interesting to gainknowledge about the condition regarding interests of reading for students in grade four,both in and outside school, which also is the purpose of this study.In this study, quantitative and qualitative methods were combined. To get the answersto what conditions are relevant to the students’ interest in reading outside the school, asurvey was made. The students’ survey responses were then used as support when theteachers thereafter were interviewed. The teachers could also provide the answers onwhat conditions are relevant to the students’ reading habits at school.The most important result of this study is that there are physical instrument andintellectual instrument. As the study is based on a socio cultural perspective, thephysical instrument can be explained as books, whilst the intellectual instrument can beexplained as interests of reading. In order to motivate students’ interest in reading, it isimportant that these instruments interact with each other.

Abstract Forskningen syftar till att studera läsvanor hos tonåringar. Frågor att svara på är: När och vad läser ungdomar i skolan? När och vad läser ungdomar utanför skolan? På vilket sätt kopplas skolans läsning med fritidsläsning? Vilka skillnader har iakttagits mellan pojkars och flickors läsning? Kvalitativa intervjuer har använts i denna studie för att samla in uppgifter från de undersökta eleverna, lärare och bibliotekarier. Deltagarna är 12 elever, hälften pojkar och hälften flickor, en lärare och en bibliotekarie från en skola belägen i en mellanstor svenskstad. De viktigaste resultaten från studien är: Tonåringar läser så ofta som möjligt både i skolan och under fritiden. De läser allt som intresserar dem från romaner till sms. Det finns ingen skillnad av skönlitteratur läste av pojkar eller flickor. Medan flickorna är allvarliga läsare och njuter läsning utanför klassen, pojkarna har lågt intresse att läsa för nöjes skull. Tonåringar idag kommer i kontakt med litteratur genom film, böcker, nätet och Ipad/telefon mobiler. Lärare och bibliotekarier hjälpa tonåringar att öva läsning för att väcka ett intresse för läsning

This study examines the literacy practices of college students in order to determine whether their reading habits are likely to detract from their future professions. Based on reports that many college students and individuals in general do not read regularly, this study examines numerous studies that focus on the reading habits of students and their attitudes toward reading. Findings show that a considerable number of students do not practice what many educators consider to be “good” reading habits; that is, they do not read approved print literature and texts regularly. This study also introduces the idea that perhaps students are supplementing traditional reading with engagement in new types of literacy, including digital literacy, which might still yield positive benefits that are commonly associated with reading in its traditional sense. Educators are called to adopt an expanded notion of literacy that would recognize the validity of new literacies in the lives of students. Viewing literacy in this way would promote literacy amongst students, providing them with valuable tools for their futures. Moreover, adopting an expanded definition of literacy would alter how aliteracy reports such as the ones discussed in this study would be assessed

The ability of reading is an important part of teaching literacy and language acquisition. Reading improves the thinking ability by giving new concepts and ideas and enhances vocabulary and language which is essential in verbal communication. Because of the importance of reading, children and adolescents are encouraged to read by their parents, teachers and sometimes by national reading campaigns as an educational policy. Turkey launched a nationwide reading campaign targeting high school students in 2004, and another one aimed at primary school students in 2005 which is called the 100 Basic Literary Works reading campaign. This study investigated the reading habits of Turkish high school students. It also explored how students are influenced by family, teacher and peer group. Moreover, the study investigated the association between the students reading habits and their gender, school type and region. In addition, the study examined current efforts to encourage students to read. The study was conducted in 8 provinces and 8 districts of Turkey in 2012. The data was gathered thorough questionnaires with 2425 students from 86 high schools of 5 different types and interviews with 31 students, 15 teachers and 4 local education managers. The study found that 82.0% of young people in general read at least once or twice a week outside school for at least 30 minutes and 40.6% read every day or almost every day for leisure. It was found that females were more frequent and enthusiastic readers than males. The students from science high schools and Southern East Anatolia Region read more frequently. It was indicated that the majority of the students reported that they were aware of the 100 Basic Literary Works reading campaign but, in fact, they knew of the campaign in upper-primary school. The qualitative findings indicated that there was little awareness of the campaign in high schools. Libraries are important places to assist inculcate children s and young people s love of reading and provide free access to reading materials and sources but Turkish young people were not frequent users of libraries. Both teachers and students had concerns about lack of reading materials and poor facilities and services in public and school libraries in Turkey.

This thesis is a study concerning Swedish students’ usage of reading strategies, attitudes towards reading and their reading habits when reading in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This thesis also examines what motivates students to read in Swedish EFL-classrooms. To be able to answer the research questions in this thesis, a survey was handed out to 32 students in order to provide an authentic picture of these students’ perspectives. The theoretical background in this thesis concerns motivation, or more specifically intrinsic motivation, which is described and defined through Deci and Ryan (2000) and Ryan and Deci’s (2000) Self-Determination Theory (SDT).    This study concludes that the informants in this study seem to have a tendency to not use reading strategies before, during or after reading texts. The importance of teachers teaching and for students using reading strategies will be discussed in correlation with the results from the students’ surveys. This study also shows that students who do not use reading strategies seem to have a negative attitude towards reading and read to lower extent than students with a positive attitude towards reading. Lastly, this study shows that students benefit from appealing to their intrinsic motivation in order to regard reading as more fun, and therefore read more.

<p>Avsikten med detta examensarbete är att få en uppfattning om hur elevers läsvanor på fritiden påverkar deras betyg, naturvetenskapliga begreppsförståelse och språkbehandling. En grupp om 75 elever i år 8 fick skriftligt redogöra för sina läsvanor och förmodade höstterminsbetyg i svenska samt i de naturvetenskapliga ämnena. De ombads även förklara några vetenskapliga begrepp och sätta de naturvetenskapliga ämnenas svårighetsgrad i förhållande till övriga ämnen i skolan samt gradera sitt intresse för de olika naturvetenskapliga ämnena.</p><p>Undersökningen visar en varierande kvalitet beträffande elevernas skriftspråk utan egentlig koppling till läsvanor. En majoritet har svårt att förklara de angivna begreppen ens ur vardaglig synvinkel. De elever som inte läser alls eller endast seriemagasin har dock till övervägande delen svaga prestationer i undersökningen och låga betyg, medan kopplingen är tydlig mellan goda läsvanor och höga betyg. I fråga om begreppsförståelse och språkbehandling tycks det inte spela så stor roll om eleven läser ofta eller ibland. Den tyngst vägande förutsättningen verkar istället vara intresse.</p> / <p>The purpose of this diploma work is to investigate how leisure time reading habits of students affect their grades, understanding of concepts of science and language handling. A group of 75 pupils in the 8th grade gave written answers to questions about their reading habits and presumed autumn grades in the subjects Swedish and Science. They were also asked to explain some scientific concepts, compare the difficulty level of science to that of other school subjects and rate their interest in science</p><p>The survey shows a variation in writing skills that has no actual connection to reading habits. The majority fails to explain the given concepts even from an everyday point of view. Students who don’t read at all or only read comic books achieves poor results in the survey as well as low grades and students who read every day achieves high grades. In the matter of understanding of concepts of science and language handling it doesn’t seem to matter whether a student is reading every day or more seldom. It appears that the most important factor in this case is the student’s interest in science.</p>