Reading Attitudes, Achievement and Motivation of Adult Male Prison Inmates

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a strong relationship between reading attitudes and achievement of adult male inmates and what motivates them to want to learn to read. Eighty (80) inmates enrolled in the Pre-GED classes at a medium security prison in western New York were given a reading attitude inventory designed by the researcher based on the Estes Reading Attitude Scale. Reading scores for each student were also gathered from the TABE test. The relationship of the attitude inventory and achievement was then analyzed. It was found that in this study, reading attitude was a poor predictor for achievement. Five inmates were then randomly selected from those who scored high on the TABE tests and five from those who scored lowest. These inmates were asked a series of motivation questions which were recorded by the researcher. It was found that in the inmates' view, learning to read was important in everyday living, especially in getting a job and obtaining· a high school diploma.