A Measurement of the Effect of the Teaching of Recreational Reading

Abstract

It is much easier to measure the direct effect of the teaching of the work type of reading than to determine the results of the teaching of recreational reading. Such factors as rate of reading, comprehension of what is read, and ability to outline can be measured by means of standardized tests. While the desirable outcomes of the teaching of recreational reading may ultimately be as definitely defined as those of the teaching of work reading now are, at present there are practically no direct methods of measuring these outcomes reliably. The Minneapolis schools had carried out an intensive program of work reading and planned a similar program for recreational reading. In order to arrange the program intelligently, it was decided to secure some data as to the present status of recreational reading. After some preliminary work, it was decided to make the basis of the initial investigation the determination of the extent to which the pupils in Grades III-VI, inclusive, had library cards. It was felt that the possession of library cards indicates at least potential interest in outside reading on the part of pupils and at the same time shows, to some degree, the extent to which teachers encourage pupils to read widely outside of school. The teachers in the several buildings were therefore asked to report the percentage of pupils in their rooms who had library cards. Certain precautions were to be observed in determining the actual ownership of a card. No attempt was made to determine the extent to which the pupils used their cards because of the obvious magnitude of the task involved. When the data were received from the several schools, the schools were first grouped according to their distance from a library or a