Date Approved

5-13-2000

Embargo Period

6-22-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School and Public Librarianship

Department

Special Educational Services/Instruction

College

College of Education

Advisor

Willett, Holly G.

Subject(s)

Children--Books and reading; Fourth grade (Education); Sixth grade (Education)

Disciplines

Library and Information Science

Abstract

This study attempted to determine whether middle school boys read less for leisure than elementary school boys. Forty-eight boys and 45 girls in fourth grade and 48 boys and 52 girls in sixth grade maintained a log for one week to determine how their time outside school was spent and responded to a survey to describe their attitudes toward leisure reading. Time outside school was divided into three categories; personal, including sleeping, eating, and hygiene; structured or demand time, including homework, chores, and sports and music practice; and leisure, including television, reading, time with friends, etc. The survey asked respondents to classify themselves as readers or non-readers. Readers checked preferred reading materials, non-readers gave reasons for not reading. Respondents reported who reads for leisure at home, how often they visit a library, and whether their friends read. Sixth grade boys logged 53.6% of their waking time outside school as leisure time compared to 48.6% for fourth grade boys. Sixth grade girls logged 48.4% leisure time vs. fourth grade girls' 45.5%. Fourth grade boys read 21% of that time while sixth grade boys read only 6.3%; fourth grade girls read 28.5% of their leisure time vs. 14.3% for sixth grade girls.

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