How it Started
Like many school librarians, I traditionally give a reading interest survey at the start of each school year. Since I teach preschool through third grade, this survey is specifically for my second and third graders, who are my oldest students. In the past, it has often been a way to fill time. This is a four-question survey that typically takes five minutes to complete. I would collect the responses, but rarely did much with them, often adding them to the recycle bin. However, that changed in the fall of 2023.
What Happened
When I reviewed the survey data last fall, I noticed a trend that was a bit concerning. As I skimmed through the responses from my first class of second graders, I observed that many shared a dislike for reading or admitted they only read when they had to. While I know that not every child will have a passion for reading, the results were higher than usual: eight out of eighteen students in that class reported not enjoying reading. This prompted me to wonder if similar patterns existed in other classes. For the first time, I tracked and compared the responses.
What I discovered was out of the 142 students surveyed, 40 stated they did not like reading. Additionally, 57 students admitted to liking reading only sometimes, while just 45 expressed that they enjoyed it. These findings got me thinking about our school’s reading culture and what the library could do to improve it.
And Then
I had to try to figure out if there was a reason that students were feeling this way. Through observation, student conferencing, and professional literature, I discovered that access to books was not a problem in our school. We have a well-funded library and books are available in classrooms and many students’ homes.
The real challenge is making reading a top priority for students with several other competing activities. Outside of school, children have many entertainment and extracurricular options, while within the school day, various curriculum goals often prioritize activities other than reading for pleasure. I needed to figure out what programming could foster a more positive outlook towards reading.
What’s Next
I decided to give this survey to students again in the middle and end of the year. I included a new section listing various reading activities and programs already available at our school. This allowed students to indicate which activities they found enjoyable. Among these offerings were school-wide reading events, author visits, interactive reading displays, and reading recommendations. My goal was to see if certain programs had a greater impact than others.
What I Learned
Tracking this data kept it at the forefront of my planning. It significantly influenced the types of programs I prioritized in the library when working with students. I can say that we saw improvement in students’ reading interests. By the end of the year, while 26 out of 137 students still expressed that they did not enjoy reading, 48 students reported liking reading sometimes, and 63 students said they enjoyed it. This positive growth is encouraging, yet it also highlights that there is more work to be done!
I also learned that students’ reading preferences did not change in either grade throughout the year. The top five categories that students like to read are books that are funny or scary, mystery stories, and those about animals or sports. While the order of preferences varied, these categories consistently were in the top five. This gives me a clear direction for future purchases. It also highlights the importance of sharing this information with teachers, so they can consider these preferences when selecting classroom materials.
Another significant takeaway is the importance of teacher read-alouds. A majority of students shared that this was one of their favorite reading activities. While most teachers and school librarians recognize the value of reading aloud we now have data specific to our school to support this belief. This data can be helpful when working with teachers to prioritize time to read aloud or to address any concerns about the practice.
The Story Continues
Next year, one of my professional goals will focus on fostering a culture of reading. I have been gathering ideas by listening to podcasts, like School Librarians United: Building Reading Culture with Sandra Davis or Schoolwide Culture of Reading with Melissa Thom, and reading professional books like Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools by Margaret K. Merga. Additionally, I plan to give this survey again to track how reading interest has changed.
One of the more significant changes I plan to make is to share these results with the teachers in my school community. This past year I was mainly collecting data based on my interests, but now I know that to make meaningful change I am going to need to collaborate with others throughout the school community.
What steps have you taken to develop a culture of reading at your school? I would love to hear your ideas!
Although Jared Amato’s “Just Read It” is geared toward secondary, his coverage of reading dashboards is another way this data can be collected and used.
I’ve surveyed my high school students about what genres they’d like me to order but I never thought to ask them about their actual reading practices. I love this idea because even though I informally talk to the students about it, this will give me actual data to share with admins and teachers. I do many reading motivation activities like March Book Madness and Free Comic Book Day but unfortunately, they don’t seem to boost circulation that much. I’m surprised that so many students in elementary also say they dislike reading. I always felt that the HS lack of interest had more to do with their huge amount of work and activities but maybe the phones and devices are the main culprit :(