“Not comprehension!” An inquiry into pupils’ perception of ability in reading assessments where the discipline of comprehension is at odds with reading for pleasure

Thesis

Children routinely demonstrate a love for reading and conversely a genuine aversion for reading comprehension in year 6. The aims of this research are to ascertain why this dichotomy exists, to establish how pupils view their identity as a reader and to align the strategies children use for reading for pleasure when completing reading assessments. The literature highlights the fundamental need for children to activate their prior knowledge and for schools and home environments to facilitate a rich reading culture that influences a child’s reading experience and subsequent academic achievement. With children who demonstrate frequent and impassioned reading habits, but low academic concept in reading assessments, I hypothesised that if children could emotionally connect to the texts they encounter in assessments, they would subsequently find greater enjoyment and relevance in task, leading to improved results and more importantly, attribute a positive attitude and increased motivation towards comprehension. I investigated an interpretivist approach through qualitative research methods analysed through axiomatic analysis, and comparative assessment data. Through ascertaining the pupil reading habits and attitudes among year 6 pupils, I observed what restricts self-efficacy and motivation in assessments compared to reading for pleasure. The findings conclude that a child’s independent reading experience and broader culture contribute to reading achievement. The findings indicate a positive correlation between discussion and investigation of the children’s cultural capital through Ellis’ Knowledge Domains and independent interrogation of a text using Chambers’ Four Questions as a scaffold for textual analysis and appreciation.

Authors: Adams, AE

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-noa1eaddk
• Type of award: MSc
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: literary culture; metacognition; self-efficacy; academic self-concept; cultural capital; reading motivation
• Subjects: Pedagogical content knowledge; School children; Cognition; Reading comprehension--Ability testing; Reading comprehension