Group Analysis of Literacy History

Brandon McMurray and Renz Gaviola

Why do people only read for school assignments instead of reading for pleasure?

Does having more than school as a literacy sponsor help prevent students from becoming reluctant readers?

General Areas of Interest

Question #7: What frustrated you about reading and writing as you progressed through school?

The Self-Study

“The only thing that frustrated me about reading and writing was how most people were reluctant on getting them done due to technology-related distractions such as television or the Internet. Another reason was how reading and writing assignments stressed out certain people such as myself due to how everything was graded and how maintaining those grades was always something to worry about, aside from just focusing on the reading and writing itself.”

The Responses

“I never liked when I was assigned a certain book to read, but some of the books were actually interesting and worth my time so I appreciate those assignments. The books that frustrated me were the long books that I had to read on my own like Charles Dickenson. The story was boring and hard to read because I wasn't interested. ”

The Responses Cont’d

“Reading books with unfamiliar vocabulary frustrated me the most, and until about 10th grade writing that involved deep analysis was extremely frustrating.”

The Responses Cont’d

People were adversely conditioned when it came to reading for reasons such as:

1. Technological Distractions2. Irrelevancy and Dullness3. Increasing Standards for deeper analysis

and higher vocabulary

Patterns That Developed

This ties into the Sherman Alexie article. he tells us that none of the other students on his reservation would read because they were expected to be literate. Some people choose not to read because they lack literacy sponsors.

How this Connects with Class

In Breaking Through To Reluctant Readers by Bill Clarke, he explains that most students view reading as a forced activity and that turns them off from reading completely.

In Choosing Not to Read: Understanding Why Some Middle Schoolers Just Say No by Kylene Beers, reading and reading instruction is addressed and it is stated that “Learning to read is a rather fruitless activity if it is not utilized beyond school assignments.”

Outside Sources

Why do people choose not to read? And in the process become “Reluctant Readers”.

Research Question

We will interview people we know and ask them if they read as a hobby and if not, then why they don't read as a hobby.

Method

We believe that most people will say they don't read as a hobby, but one or two will. The reason for not reading will probably be an interest in other hobbies.

Hypothesis