Reading Preferences of Urban Students in Grades Four through Six

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigated the preferences of 597 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade pupils for illustrations, settings, and characters similar to and different from their own environment. A questionnaire was prepared with 15 forced choices, ail taken from modern realistic fiction books for children. Five choices were between illustrations and descriptions depicting either the stark, crowded conditions of inner-city living or uncrowded, pleasant conditions in urban or suburban areas. Another five choices were between descriptions of characters with positive and negative self-concepts. The last five choices were between descriptions of characters in positive and negative group interactions. Significant (.001) preferences were expressed for stories or books depicting middle-class settings, characters with positive self-concepts, and characters in positive group interactions. In analyzing the variables of grade, intelligence and sex, significant (.025) differences existed between grades. The results did not...