Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-124).

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of M. Bibl. in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, 1997. / The study was prompted by the lack of a reading culture observed at schools in Umlazi area. An overview of the literature on Black family life and its possible influence on reading, pointed to various factors which could have a negative influence on Black pupils' reading, for example, poor home conditions, lack of parent models, oral culture and difficulties with regard to the language of available reading material. Home background was identified as a major factor in preparing children for leisure reading The respondents in the survey on reading interests and habits of pupils at three Umlazi schools, and their parents, represented a cross section of families, i.e. from unemployed to professional parents. Nearly half (47%) had an income of less than R 1 799,00 per month. The majority of the parents (66.7%) came from a rural background in which the oral culture is still predominant. Based on the research conducted for this study, it was concluded that parents, regardless of their cultural and socio-economic and geographical backgrounds were readers, providing their children with positive role models to copy. Parents stimulated the reading habit through pre-school story reading (52.5%) and story telling (77.5%), purchasing of reading material (61.7%), and encouragement of public library use (78.7%). The findings also indicated that factors such as TV watching, listening to the radio, lack of public libraries, inadequately trained teacher-librarians, and lack of encouragement from teachers to use the school library had a negative influence on pupils' reading habit. The results of the survey can however not be regarded as conclusive. With face-to-face contact with respondents and in-depth interviewing different results might be obtained.

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Reading interest is a significant predictor of reading achievement, with effects on both reading comprehension and vocabulary. We measured students’ interest in reading as an estimate of duration of observable reading using whole intervals of silent-reading time. In Experiment 1, we assessed associations among interest in reading (i.e., reinforcement value of reading) and the reading comprehension and vocabulary of 34 second-grade students. There were significant correlations between reading interest and these dependent measures. In Experiment 2, we simultaneously conducted a combined preintervention and postintervention design with multiple probe logic to test the effect of the establishment of a high interest in reading (i.e., conditioned reinforcement for reading) via a collaborative shared reading procedure with a teacher on reading comprehension and vocabulary. This procedure involved periods of reciprocal reading and related collaborative reading activities designed to increase students’ interest in reading. The establishment of a high interest in reading for 7 of the participants resulted in grade-level increases from 0.1 to 2.2 grades on various measures of reading achievement in less than 9 sessions (315 min). In Experiment 3, we implemented a combined small-n experimental-control simultaneous treatment design and a single-case multiple-probe design with multiple-probe logic. We tested and compared the effects of the establishment of conditioned reinforcement for reading, via the collaborative shared reading procedure with a teacher versus a peer, on participants’ gains in reading comprehension and vocabulary. All participants for whom conditioned reinforcement for reading was established in Experiment 3 (n = 7) demonstrated gains in reading achievement after a maximum of nine sessions (412 min), with grade-level increases between 0.2 and 2.5 on measures of reading comprehension and 0.3 to 3.1 on measures of vocabulary. Based on a comparison of the dependent variables included in both Experiments 2 and 3, the modified teacher-yoked collaborative shared reading procedure in Experiment 2 resulted in greatest relative average gains in reading achievement for participants who acquired conditioned reinforcement for reading (n = 3). However, the modified collaborative shared reading procedure with a peer required the least amount of teacher mediation and may be more viable for teachers. This trans-disciplinary effort proposes an account of motivation to read as conditioned reinforcement for reading content and its effects on reading achievement, with the educationally-significant goal of establishing reinforcers for continued learning.

This study explored the relationships among high school students‘ general interests, reading interests, and personality dimensions. Two hundred and fifty one 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students in a rural school district in east central Texas completed three questionnaires. General interests were determined by the Strong Interest Explorer, personality dimensions were determined by the Big Five Inventory, and book reading interests were determined by the Reading Interest Rating Scale. The reading interest scores were adjusted for reading ability based on Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) English/Language Arts scale scores. A factor analysis including six general interest variables, five personality variables, and four reading interest variables was conducted. The analysis yielded five factors. Factor 1 had the highest loadings from Holland‘s general interest types. Factor 2 was dominated by the book categories (Contemporary Fiction, Fact-based Literature, Poetry, and Modern Fantasy). Factors 3, 4, and 5 had the highest loadings from the personality dimensions. Factor 3 included Openness, Factor 4 included Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, and Factor 5 included Extraversion. Factor 3, which accounted for 11.67% of the variance, was the only factor where a personality variable (Openness), a general interest variable (Artistic), and a reading interest variable (Modern Fantasy) loaded moderately to highly together. In this particular case alone, teachers may help students select materials that match their personal needs and personalities (Lau & Cheung, 1988) by recommending texts in the modern fantasy genre to those who exhibit openness and value artistic expression. With the exception of Openness, none of the Big Five Personality Dimensions loaded with a book category. There was also only one strong book category and general interest loading. Reading interests appear to be exclusive of general life interests and personality dimensions. Based on the findings, it appears that text-based situational interest is evoked by topics or ideas that are universally appealing (Hidi & Anderson, 1992). Since text-based interest can be controlled by teachers to some degree (Krapp, Hidi, & Renninger, 1992; Schraw, Flowerday, & Lehman, 2001), promoting student independence and choice should broaden students‘ interests and help increase intrinsic motivation to read (Deci, 1992).

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of instructional strategies based on the preferred interests of adults who had been classified as functionally illiterate on the basis of scores lower than a grade level of 4.0 on the Standard Readinq Inventory, Form A.ProceduresThree criteria were considered in the selection of the experimental and comparison populations. The basic criterion considered was reading achievement as measured by the Standard Reading Inventory, Form A. Only students who scored lower than a grade level of 4.0 on this instrument were chosen as subjects.A second criterion considered was teacher assessment of a student's reading performance as below a grade level of 4.0. These assessment reports were considered during the selection of the two populations.A third criterion considered was the Vocabulary, Reading, and Spelling test scores on the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Level I, Form A. Those students achieving a grade score lower than 4.0 on this instrument were classified as functionally illiterate.The experimental population completing the study was composed of twenty (20) adults attending the Muncie Area Career Center in Muncie, Indiana. The comparison population completing the study was composed of twenty (20) adults attending the Soujourner Truth Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.Instructional sessions occurred over a fifteen-week period. All lessons were taught by the regular teacher. Each session extended over two hours, two evenings weekly. Each experimental lesson was divided into three instructional strategies: teaching, practice, and application. The teaching strategy introduced skills which the student needed to master for that specific lesson. The practice strategy utilized worksheets for reinforcement of skills in meaningful context. The application strategy consisted of each student initially reading an investigator-constructed story silently and then orally to his teacher or a paraprofessional. A supplementary step consisted of each student selecting out-of-class reading materials on his independent reading level. The instructional sessions for the comparison population were not divided into teaching, practice, or application strategies. The comparison group's instruction occurred in a large group arrangement that emphasized commercially prepared instructional workbooks and kits.Hypotheses1. There will be no significant difference between the vocabulary scores as measured by the Adult BasicLearning Examination, Level I, of the two groups.2. There will be no significant difference between the reading comprehension scores as measured by the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Level I, of the two groups.3. There will be no significant difference between the spelling scores as measured by the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Level I, of the two groups.4. There will be no significant difference between the vocabulary grade levels as measured by the Standard Reading Inventory of the two groups.5. There will be no significant difference between the oral reading grade levels as measured by the Standard Reading Inventory of the two groups.6. There will be no significant difference between the silent reading grade levels as measured by the Standard Readinq Inventory of the two groups.7. There will be no significant difference between the attendance record of the two groups.8. There will be no significant difference between the category ratings on the Student Evaluation Checklist of Instructional Materials of the two groups.FindingsAt the conclusion of the study, all of the students were retested on the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Level I, Form B, and the Standard Reading Inventory, Form B. The pre-test and post-test scores were compared. Analysis of covariance was used to test the data.A contrast was made between the performance of the experimental and comparison populations. The major findings of this study are:1. The experimental group scored significantly higher on the tests of the Adult Basic Learning Examination, Level I, than did the comparison group.2. There were no significant differences between the two groups on the vocabulary grade levels and oral reading grade levels of the Standard Reading Inventory.3. The experimental population scored significantly higher silent reading grade levels on the Standard Reading Inventory than did the comparison population.4. The experimental population attended class more than did the comparison population.

Diss. - Göttingen. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 145-149.

Thesis (doctoral)--Københavns universitet. / Summary in English.

by Susanna Hui Cheung Sau Man. / Bibliography : leaves [95-100] / Thesis (M.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1982