Interest Books and Engagement in Reading

Abstract

Interest plays an important role in a child's reading development. When a text appeals to a child's interest, that child is motivated to read more. The more children read the better readers they become. Teachers want students to read as often as possible. This will have a positive effect on a child's development. In order for students to be motivated to read, they must have an interest. When students reach preadolescence the desire and motivation to read tends to decrease. Once this occurs students begin to fall behind their classmates. Teachers need to foster the desire to read through supporting the interests of his or her students. The study Interest Books and Reading Engagement was completed in a rural elementary school in western, New York. Three students were chosen to participate in the study. All three students were students with disabilities and struggling readers. The data were collected through interviews, observations, parent surveys, student surveys and a strategy activity. Data were analyzed by three questions. These questions included the type of effect reading interest books has on reading engagement, the impact reading interest books has on the use of reading strategies and how reading interest books impact literacy discussions. The study was created to analyze the impact of using interest books in the classroom on a child's reading development.