Reading Attitude of Grade 9 Students

Abstract

Literacy skills empower students to seek information, delve into subjects deeply, and enhance their comprehension of the surrounding world.  Proficiency in these skills proved crucial for mastering various macro skills, with reading being paramount.  A student's disposition towards reading significantly influences multiple facets of their educational journey.  When junior high school students exhibited a favorable reading attitude, it indicated their attainment of fluency, adept comprehension, expansive vocabulary, writing prowess, analytical acumen, and more.  Conversely, an unfavorable attitude was not uncommon; however, rectifying these issues was plausible with proper understanding.

This investigation aimed to gauge the extent of reading attitudes held by Grade 9 students.  Employing a modified questionnaire adapted from Jensen (2010), this descriptive research encompassed 84 students from Union Christian College.  The analysis relied on weighted means to portray the participants' reading attitudes.  The findings unveiled a high overall level of reading attitude among the respondents, underscoring their positive perspective on reading.  Most agreed that reading held paramount importance across subjects like science, writing, social studies, art, and math, signifying their recognition of reading as a conduit to knowledge acquisition and academic excellence.

The respondents demonstrated a proclivity for reading materials aligned with their interests, a principle consonant with the progressive educational philosophy advocating engagement with subjects that resonate with students.  Additionally, the inclination to discuss ideas and disseminate information post-reading indicated the participants' enthusiasm for sharing their acquired knowledge, particularly if the subject matter piqued their interest.  Paradoxically, the inclination towards listening while someone read aloud garnered lower enthusiasm, suggesting a preference for silent reading.

The respondents' inclination towards visiting the library emerged as moderately positive, receiving the lowest rating in the survey items.  This suggested a relatively reduced likelihood of students visiting the library for reading purposes.  Likewise, their family's involvement in home-based reading scored low, implying that families needed to be more avid readers.  Nevertheless, reading at home persisted as a pleasurable activity, indicating that the students did not limit reading to the confines of the school environment.

Recognizing reading's pivotal role in a child's holistic literacy development, nurturing positive reading attitudes became imperative to bolster effective learning.  Based on the findings, the researchers inferred that the respondents, on the whole, manifested a positive attitude toward reading. However, concerns surrounding library visits and home reading environments warranted attention.  Consequently, the researchers advised devising interventions to enhance students' attitudes towards reading, specifically fostering a culture of library usage, and transforming homes into conducive reading spaces outside the school setting.  Furthermore, building robust partnerships between the school and parent-teacher associations was recommended to establish parents as guides in nurturing favorable reading attitudes among students.