Reading preferences of Primary Education students according to sex and type of school

Introduction

Reading is of great interest in the school sphere, both because it leads to access to knowledge and culture, and because of its transformative nature. Becoming a competent reader involves the control of actions linked to textual comprehension and adaptation to the proposed reading objectives (Lluch & Zayas, 2015). Addressing this task through literary education fosters the development of literary competence (Dueñas, 2013), which requires the mastery of other sub-competences (textual, genre, metaliterary, intertextual, encyclopaedic and cultural), to which should be added attitudes towards learning and the effect of other factors (linguistic, psychological, social, historical, cultural and literary above all) (Cerrillo, 2007).

Reading literacy leads to the enjoyment and voluntary practice of reading, as well as to making progress in reading literacy and gaining other skills (Clark et al., 2011). This wilfulness - beside school prescription - has an impact on the formation of the reading habit (Moreno, 2005), which increases communicative fluency, the improvement of cognitive abilities and the stimulation of the imagination (Ruiz et al., 2022). Students who read more also obtain better grades, although they are more critical of the education system, as they “believe that more time is spent on traditional methodologies (listening to teachers’ explanations) and less on more participatory proposals that leave autonomy and initiative to students” (Fraguela-Vale et al., 2016, p. 74).

The rewarding encounter with reading determines the future attitude towards reading and learning (Dueñas, 2013; Artola et al., 2017), so the teacher-mediator should consider the students’ reading preferences and select literary works capable of seducing them and accompanying them in their education (Merisuo-Storm & Soininen, 2014; Neira, 2016). Moreover, by perceiving that their preferences influence the teacher’s decision, they will be more motivated to read (Merisuo-Storm, 2006; Jarre, 2008; Artola et al., 2013). In fact, these works could be the prelude to others from the academic canon, promote the reduction of texts notable for their popularity and contribute to the enrichment of “their initial spontaneous interests, with the aim of overcoming gender stereotypes” (Melero et al., 2020, p. 176).

On the other hand, teachers should rethink their role as mediators, as their reading influence on students is limited to 15.38% (Asociación Amigos del Libro Infantil, 2018). This is because the environment is the real mediator, i.e. the dominant cultural conception and way of life in a given context, on the basis of which consumerism is encouraged and cultural homologation is promoted (Cid, 2014). This also affects the family, whose share of influence is reduced to 13% (Cid, 2014), despite the fact that their involvement improves reading attitudes and skills (Jiménez-Pérez et al., 2020).

It is essential to pay attention to these aspects in 6^th grade of Primary Education, becoming an adolescent entails a progressive reduction in reading (Neira, 2015, 2016; Jaraíz et al., 2022), especially among boys (Muñoz & Hernández, 2011). They perceive it as an information tool and not so much as a leisure option (Schwartz, 2002), as well as feeling more demotivated because it does not offer them a repertoire close to their tastes (Jarre, 2008) and because they almost always start from a lower reading competence (Scheiber et al., 2015).

As schools must listen to their students in order to train competent readers (Jover, 2008), generally speaking this paper is aimed at identifying the attitudes towards reading and the reading preferences of students in 6^th year of Primary Education, taking into account two variables: gender and the type of school. In the first case (boys/girls), to verify whether gender stereotypes emerge from initial readings (Schwartz, 2002; Merisuo-Storm, 2006) and to contribute to equity in reading; in the second (public/private), because it is relevant to delve into how diverse ecosystems influence reading (Neira, 2015).

This general objective is specified in other more specific ones such as: to determine the attitude towards reading both as a leisure activity and as a regulated practice; and to establish reading preferences in relation to literary genres, themes, media and language, relevant aspects to stimulate the reading habit and personal enjoyment, which strengthen the relationship between reading competence and performance (Gil, 2011; Viramontes et al., 2019).

Method

This study falls within quantitative research techniques and employs the descriptive non-experimental method to delimit a series of conditions that characterise a given population group (McMillan & Schumacher, 2005).

Results

The reliability of the scale was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha as a tool. The result was α=.824, which is above the minimum required for reliable research ( $\alpha$ =.70) (McMillan & Schumacher, 2005). Moreover, this result is very similar to that obtained by Artola et al. (2017), who used a similar questionnaire on a sample of students of 6^th year ( $\alpha$ =.86).

Items assessing attitudes towards reading include a liking for recreational reading and for reading prescribed in the classroom. As can be seen in table 1, the participants show an acceptable attitude towards this practice, although the preference for recreational reading is higher than that proposed by the teachers. We find a significant gender difference favourable to girls in voluntary reading, but no significant gender dissimilarity in compulsory reading.

The comparison by school (table 2) shows that, although students in public schools like to read more in their free time, such difference is not significant. However, when it comes to the enjoyment of the books prescribed by teachers, students in public schools tend to prefer them to those in private schools, where teachers’ choices seem to be less accepted.

Items on preferences in the choice of literary genre were elaborated on the basis of Lluch’s (2010) classification by literary genre and subject matter. According to table 3, students prefer to read narrative works, comics and picture books, with theatre, poetry and the press being the least popular. In terms of gender, girls gave higher scores to narrative, theatre and press/magazines, while boys gave higher scores to comics.

As for the type of school, table 4 shows that students in public schools have a greater preference for works of poetry and comics than students in private schools.

Thematic preferences were also based on Lluch’s (2010) classification. Table 5 shows that the preferred themes are: adventure and action, humour, mystery and horror, and fantasy. By gender, girls give higher ratings to fantasy, love, family, family, police and detectives, mystery and horror stories. On the other hand, boys give significantly higher scores to sports.

In terms of differences by type of school, table 6 shows that the distribution is similar, except that students in public schools give higher scores to humour books and stories about everyday problems, while those in private schools opt for police and detective stories.

The dimension of the use of new reading media was assessed through item 24 and an open-ended question. Figure 1 shows that almost half of the students read on paper (167 responses), followed by tablet (115 responses), computer (66 responses) and mobile phone (54 responses). By contrast, e-books are the least used medium, with only 14 responses. Statistical results show there are no significant differences according to gender (p=.314) or school (p=.293).

Figure 1Reading media (%) 

The last dimension refers to the usual language of reading (Galician or Spanish). The results in tables 7 and 8 show a preference for Spanish. These results are related to the language of use of the participants: only 9 are Galician-speaking and all belong to public schools.

Finally, the link between the 5 dimensions under study was calculated. The correlation between these was calculated using Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. Table 9 shows that these dimensions are significantly correlated with each other, excepting dimension 4.

Discussion and conclusions

20 significant results in the 26 items of the questionnaire shows that there are remarkable differences between the reading attitudes (prescribed reading/recreational reading) and the reading preferences (gender, subject matter, medium and language) of students in 6^th year of Primary Education, taking into account the variables of gender (boys/girls) and the type of school (public/private). These dimensions are significantly related to each other, with the exception of the reading medium, which shows reading habits are made up of different elements (reading attitudes, preference for literary genre, thematic interests and usual language of reading), which are closely linked. Beyond the particularities detailed below, it can be said that the most favourable results in terms of recreational reading correspond to girls, whose reading is more diversified in terms of literary genre, the subject matter of the stories and the language, while the results of the dimensions addressed for public schools are also more encouraging.

In general terms, it is found that the attitude towards reading of these students is acceptable, as Neira (2015) has shown, and a taste for recreational reading stands out as opposed to that indicated by the teacher, especially in girls. This is because they tend to have a stronger reading habit (Soto et al., 2019) and a stronger intrinsic motivation for reading practice (McGeown et al., 2012), which they enjoy intensely at the beginning of primary school (Merisuo-Storm, 2006). As far as reading prescribed by the teacher is concerned, the difference between girls and boys is not significant, which is different from other studies (Jarre, 2008; Artola et al., 2017), in which it was the boys who did not enjoy their proposals.

If we compare public and private schools, this study shows less interest in recreational and prescribed reading in private schools, results that coincide with Jaraíz et al. (2022), who point out that students in public schools in Cáceres spend more hours reading than those in state-subsidised education. These results contrast with those obtained in a previous study in Spain and 22 other countries, in which Dronkers and Robert (2007) conclude that private schools perform better in reading than public schools. Romero (2007) is along the same lines, explaining these results by the greater number of reading plans and the greater number of people responsible for their implementation in relation to public schools. González et al. (2016) also attribute higher reading activity averages to students in private or state-subsidised schools in their contrastive analysis. However, Ferreiro (2017) dismisses significant divergences between public and private schools in his study in Galicia, which is based on the grades obtained in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature.

The reasons that explain the results in favour of some establishments or others may be due to multiple factors, such as the education of the parents, the economic investment in education of the families, the equipment of the home or the geographic location of the establishment (Jaraíz et al., 2022). In our case, the better position of public schools can be due to their greater involvement in actions related to reading, as revealed in the report of the LIA Plan for School Libraries of the Government of Galicia (https://www.edu.xunta.gal/biblioteca/blog/?q=node/1613), whose commitment is to place the library as a central space for the improvement of reading, writing and research skills and the use of information. Other causes of these results can be linked to the existence of a very dynamic environment in terms of the offers associated with reading and other creative expressions, which have their maximum exponent in the Children’s and Young Adult Book Fair of Pontevedra, as well as to population aspects and socio-economic, educational and cultural conditions of the context analysed, which are largely analogous to those of Jaraíz et al. (2022).

The data collected call for decisions to be taken in all educational establishments in order to stimulate the attraction for reading. It is essential to introduce dynamics to stimulate reading assiduity and intrinsic motivation, especially in children, because, although frequency is essential, a good attitude, the will to read and the ability to derive pleasure or benefit from reading are more important (Lomas & Mata, 2007). For this reason, methodological procedures and materials must be revised to suit the psychological characteristics and interests of the target audience, which are fundamental starting points for successful reading programmes.

As for the preference in the choice of literary genres, the participating students prefer narrative and comics to poetry and theatre (Neira, 2015, 2016), although in this study the press and magazines are not prioritised as a whole, and the album is included because it is explicitly included in the questionnaire. This may be a result of occasional contact with some of these manifestations or the greater difficulty they may entail (Neira, 2016).

By gender, boys have a greater preference for comics, and girls for fiction, theatre and newspapers or magazines. This trend is found in other studies (Conecta, 2013; Neira, 2016), except for the press and magazines, which tend to be among men’s preferences. This is derived from the relationship girls establish with publications on fashion TV programme content, pop culture and the idol phenomenon at that age (Díaz-Plaja, 2009). Despite not being among their main interests, poetry continues to appeal more to girls (Neira, 2016), which is evidence that gender stereotypes, in this case linked to the sentimental, emerge in initial reading preferences (Merisuo-Storm, 2006). Hence the relevance of incorporating poetry into the classroom, so that its word feels closer, its aesthetic value is appreciated and a greater predisposition to read it is developed (Agrelo-Costas & Piñeiro-Casal, 2021).

With regard to the differences between private and public schools, the latter are significantly more inclined to read poetry, probably because poetry has been addressed tangentially and limited to formal issues in public schools. In relation to the greater reference to comics in private schools, this can be understood as a circumstantial issue, as it provides attractive reading for all ages and is a motivating source from which to project diverse learning and the reading habit (Paré & Soto-Pallarés, 2017).

As for thematic preferences, the taste for adventure and action works, humour, mystery and horror, and fantasy stands out, as corroborated by similar studies (Neira, 2015, 2016; Soto et al., 2019). Girls’ greater appreciation of fantasy, family and police stories, and detectives (Clark & Foster, 2005; Merisuo-Storm, 2006; Neira, 2016) or their greater predisposition towards romantic texts with positive characters (McGeown, 2015; Artola et al., 2017; Pérez et al., 2018) also stand out. However, the results obtained differ in that they value mystery and horror stories more highly, which allows us to glimpse a move towards themes linked to masculinity.

Nevertheless, the data obtained suggest that sports are among the most preferred options for boys (Neira, 2016), due to their interest in subjects outside school and their greater preference for short, informative texts (Jarre, 2008;McGeown, 2015; Artola et al., 2017). Although the results are not significant, boys also show a greater inclination for science fiction, historical facts and figures, science or animals (Artola et al., 2017), as opposed to girls’ greater motivation for books from other cultures.

As for the media, reading on paper predominates over other media (Jaraíz et al., 2022), with no significant dissimilarities between the variables of gender and type of school. Its justification lies in the persistence of teaching-learning processes rooted in traditional dynamics and resources, which avoid training in new literacies and digital media. Research on the impact of the medium (physical or digital) on young people’s reading comprehension indicates more satisfactory results for paper-based content (Delgado et al., 2018; Clinton, 2019; Schwabe et al., 2021).

This is due to the difficulty of comprehending digital texts of more than 500 words (Goodwin et al., 2020), visual fatigue from screen exposure (Jeong, 2012) and weaker local processing of text details (Fisher et al., 2011). The meta-analysis by Furenes, Kucirkova and Bus (2021) with primary school students also confirms that results are superior on paper when reading the same text, unless digital books contain tools to make comprehension easier. Therefore, more attention will be paid to the reading practices of neo-readers, fascinated by technology, but with limited competences for reading in different media (Cerrillo & Senís, 2005).

Lastly, the sample of participants’ command of reading in Spanish is justified by their urban context, in which the use of Galician is a minority and their contact with Galician tends to be reduced to the subject of Galician Language and Literature (Mosquera, 2018). This trend is aggravated by the unfavourable bilingual competence of Spanish-speaking youth in Galician, which is alarming in private schools (Loredo & Silva, 2020). Contributing to this situation is the lower level of competence of teachers in relation to the languages spoken in a series of autonomous communities in Spain (Mosquera, 2015), to which is added, in the case of Galician, a limited repertoire of training practices and materials in this language. The balance of reading, both in the two co-official languages of Galicia and in foreign languages, requires planning based on the conviction that literary reading plays a major role in educational processes (Castillo & Santos, 2022).

Although there are differences in the reading habits among students in 6^th year of Primary Education, it is clear that even non-readers have certain stimuli and preferences when it comes to reading. Teachers must therefore undertake an initial prospecting process, basing their selections on providing references appropriate to their abilities and interests, as these texts will help to establish the reading habit and maintain the intrinsic value of reading. Experience shows that this empathetic encounter will be the beginning, from which communicating vessels will open up towards more heterogeneous and complementary reading selections. However, this will be implemented by designing programmes aimed at discovering, experiencing and valuing literary reading. It should not be forgotten either that the involvement of the class group is fundamental, as peer-to-peer recommendations are effective in reading dynamics (Margallo & Mata, 2015).

Beyond the above, the present study has some limitations because, although research has been conducted with students in 6^th grade of primary school (see Neira, 2015, 2016, among others), more detailed studies on reading preferences determined by gender and by whether they belong to a public, state-subsidised or private school would be necessary (Jaraíz et al., 2022). Furthermore, the size of the sample, which depended on the availability of the participating schools and was only carried out in the area of Pontevedra, does not allow the results to be extrapolated to all students in 6^th year of Primary School in Galicia. It would also be advisable to broaden the field of study of reading interests according to the medium, language in multilingual contexts or other aspects associated with the mediation and evaluation of reading actions. It is therefore necessary to get involved in these tasks, which will have a positive impact on the academic and social sphere.