The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between attitudes toward reading and achievement in reading in first grade. It was designed to measure attitudes toward reading prior to, and subsequent to, beginning reading instruction. Construction of an instrument specifically designed to measure first grade pupils' attitudes toward reading constituted an auxiliary purpose.The basic hypothesis was that there is a positive correlation between attitudes toward reading and achievement in reading in first grade. Null hypotheses were established to subject the hypothesis to statistical testing.A Reading Attitude Inventory was constructed to measure attitudes toward reading as verbally expressed by first grade pupils in individual interviews. After establishing face validity, a 35-item instrument was administered to 142 pupils in six classes of second graders in a pilot study. Specially-devised response sheets were utilized. A multiple regression equation led to retention of twenty-seven, items for the refined instrument. A Teacher's Rating Scale, constructed by the researcher, provided empirical validity for the RAI. Procedures and techniques of administration were systematized by administering the instrument in interviews with six beginning first grade pupils.From a population of 294 pupils who satisfied the criteria--no prior exposure to reading instruction, no reading ability, and adequate capacity to learn--a random sample of 97 first graders (54 boys and 43 girls) in one Midwest school corporation was selected. The RAI was administered in individual interviews in September, prior to beginning reading instruction, and again in May, subsequent to reading instruction.The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, Primary A, was administered in May. Employing the test as the criterion, a subject's reading achievement was assessed according to the Bond and Tinker Reading Expectancy formula--years in school x I.Q. + 1.0. If a subject achieved a grade equivalent score equal to or greater than his reading expectancy score, he was considered to be successful in learning to read. Conversely, if a subject's reading achievement score was less than his expectancy score, he was considered to be less than successful in learning to read.Statistical procedures employed were: Pearson's product-moment coefficient of correlation, Fisher's t test, and multiple regression equations. Results indicated no significant relationship between initial attitudes toward reading and achievement in reading when RAI items were unweighted. Differential weighting of items resulted in a significant relationship beyond the .001 level of confidence.The correlation between attitudes toward reading subsequent to reading instruction and reading achievement, when RAI items were unweighted, was significant beyond the .001 level of confidence. The t value of the correlation was increased when items were differentially weighted.Findings also showed a significant relationship beyond the .001 level of confidence between reading achievement and change in attitudes toward reading. Successful achievement in reading was positively correlated with a change from less to more positive attitudes toward reading.Based upon the findings, conclusions were: (1) an instrument can be successfully constructed to measure first grade pupils' attitudes toward reading through a quantitative and objective procedure; (2) attitudes toward reading prior to beginning reading instruction do not appear to be well-synthesized; (3) pupils who exhibit more positive attitudes toward reading, subsequent to beginning reading instruction, tend to achieve more successfully in reading than pupils with less positive attitudes; (4) pupils who are successful in learning to read tend to exhibit a change from less to more positive attitudes toward reading; (5) pupils who do not achieve reading grade levels comparable to their expectancy levels tend to exhibit a change from more to less positive attitudes toward reading; and (6) measurement of attitudes toward reading appears to have greater predictability of achievement in reading than measurement of I.Q.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/178586 |
| Date | January 1970 |
| Creators | Miller, Marge Mitchell |
| Contributors | Mauth, Leslie J. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 141 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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