How do children read? : case studies of ten children's classroom reading strategies : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to gain insight into how children read. Using a case study approach, I interviewed ten randomly chosen first-grade students from Bums Laboratory School. Before conducting the interviews, I formulated eight assumptions. Discussion of these assumptions and the research on which they are based constitute Part I of this study. Then, I interviewed the children individually, questioning them about their reading likes and dislikes. Summaries of each of these fifteen-minute interviews and accompanying photos of the children reading in their classroom constitute Part II of this study. In the conclusion, I compare my assumptions to the actual responses of the children and make some recommendations for how the data collected could be used.In the last section of this thesis, I show some information not directly related to my research but connected. Fast, I include some statistics from the children's book market. The book prices and book sales figures from the past 16 years clearly indicate that book sales are down. Second, I collect ideas from my own experiences and from articles in reading journals as a guide for parents or teachers who want to try some new techniques for getting children excited about reading. This study demonstrates what adults can do, either as authors, teachers, or parents, to help children become more involved with reading.