The Impact of Language and Environment on Primary Students’ Reading Preferences and Habits
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Reading habits are behaviors that demonstrate preferences for reading, explain why one reads, and indicate how often one reads. The present study aims to investigate the primary students’ preferences and habits and the impact of language and environment in improving reading. A quantitative approach using survey questionnaire was utilized to conduct the study. The targeted sampling was used to collect the data which were 124 primary school students, 61 female and 63 male learners from one of the international primary schools in Sulaimani, Kurdistan region of Iraq. The participants were in grade 5 and grade 6. The data was analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The findings showed that students are interested in reading activities in the English language, and they enjoy reading activities in the classroom. Reading could be an important factor to elevate the knowledge level of the learners if it could be implemented as a habit. Besides, it is essential that reading could be a culture and one of the daily activities for students so as to make it habitual among the primary students. These outcomes could be beneficial for teachers, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into students’ preferred reading languages and environments, enabling them to design more engaging reading programs and curricula. Understanding these preferences can help integrate reading more effectively into daily classroom activities, foster a reading culture, and ultimately improve literacy levels among primary school students.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
TESOL Today is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY-4.0).
References
Adnan, A., Akram, F., & Akram, A. (2016). Identification of factors promoting reading habits of students: A case study on Pakistan. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(17), 56-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gssr.2019(IV-IV).51
Ahmad, Z., Tariq, M., Iqbal, Q., & Sial, T. A. (2021). Exploring the factors affecting the development of reading habits among children. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2021, 1-20. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/6307
Ahmed, A. (2024). Improving Grammar Mechanics Among Kurdish EFL Learners: A Case Study. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies. 11(2), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v11i2p41
Ahmed, A., & Fatah, S. (2024). The Assessment of Self-Directed Learning Readiness Among Generation Z Kurdish EFL Undergraduates. Journal of University of Human Development, 10(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.21928/juhd.v10n1y2024.pp1-9
Ahmed, A. A. (2023). The use of gamification in language teaching and education: A content analysis study. Journal of Philology and Educational Sciences, 2(2), 33 - 45. https://doi.org/10.53898/jpes2023223
Ahmed, K., Hamasaeed, D., Ahmed, A., & Ahmed, D. (2023). The Effects of English File Coursebook on Enhancing Listening Comprehension Skills in the IELTS Proficiency Test: The Case of Kurdish EFL Learners. Koya University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(1), 212-222. https://doi.org/10.14500/kujhss.v6n1y2023.pp212-222
Ahmed, S. (2016). Reading habits and attitudes of UMSKAL undergraduates. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 5(2), 189-201. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.5n.2p.189
Amara, M. A., & Abdesslam, I. H. (2023). Exploring Students’ Reading Habits, Ibn Khaldoun University, Algeria. http://dspace.univ-tiaret.dz/handle/123456789/14761
Awan, H. (2023). Role of Classroom Teachers in Cultivating Voluntary Literacy Habits among School Going Children: An In-depth Analysis. Journal of Childhood Literacy and Societal Issues, 2(1), 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.71085/joclsi.02.01.22
Balan, S., Katenga, J. E., & Simon, A. (2019). Reading habits and their influence on academic achievement among students at Asia Pacific International University. 11th International Scholars Conference, 7(1), 1490-1516. https://doi.org/10.35974/isc.v7i1.928
Blake, M. B., & Dearborn, W. F. (1935). The improvement of reading habits. The journal of higher education, 6(2), 83-88.
Bråten, I., Johansen, R. P., & Strømsø, H. I. (2017). Effects of different ways of introducing a reading task on intrinsic motivation and comprehension. Journal of research in reading, 40(1), 17-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12053
Celik, B. (2020). A Study on the factors affecting reading and reading habits of preschool children. International Journal of English Linguistics, 10(1), 101-114. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v10n1p101
Cheki, L., Rinzin, K., Desi, P., Yangtsho, Y., & Gyaltshen, S. (2023). Improving grade five students’ recreational reading habits: An action research. International Research Journal of Science, Technology, Education, & Management (IRJSTEM), 3(3), 24-34.
Clark, C., & Foster, A. (2005). Children's and Young People's Reading Habits and Preferences: The Who, What, Why, Where and When. National Literacy Trust.
Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-determination theory in work organizations: The state of a science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), 19-43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). The general causality orientations scale: Self-determination in personality. Journal of research in personality, 19(2), 109-134. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(85)90023-6
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Self-determination theory. Handbook of theories of social psychology, 1(20), 416-436. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.4135/9781446249215.n21
Dungworth, N., Grimshaw, S., McKnight, C., & Morris, A. (2004). Reading for pleasure?: A summary of the findings from a survey of the reading habits of year 5 pupils. New review of children's literature and librarianship, 10(2), 169-188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1361454042000312284
Edeole, I. M., & Adejoke, A. M. (2016). Promoting reading habit among secondary school students in Lagos State: The Role of Library & ICT. Asian Journal of Education and e-Learning, 4(5) 145-151. https://www.ajouronline.com/index.php/AJEEL/article/view/4067
Ehiobuche, C. (2013). Reading Through Motivational Theories. Clear International Journal of Research in Commerce & Management, 4(11) 23-47.
Ferriman, N. (2013). Associations of the home literacy environment with Thai university students’ leisure reading habits. The International Journal of Literacies, 19(4), 69-87. https://doi.org/10.18848/2327-0136/CGP/v19i04/48803
Fishbach, A., & Woolley, K. (2022). The structure of intrinsic motivation. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 9(1), 339-363. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-091122
Froiland, J. M., & Oros, E. (2014). Intrinsic motivation, perceived competence and classroom engagement as longitudinal predictors of adolescent reading achievement. Educational Psychology, 34(2), 119-132. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/01443410.2013.822964
Garces‐Bacsal, R. M., Tupas, R., Kaur, S., Paculdar, A. M., & Baja, E. S. (2018). Reading for pleasure: whose job is it to build lifelong readers in the classroom? Literacy, 52(2), 95-102. https://doi.org/10.1111/lit.12151
Ghani, M. F. A., Zulkifli, M. F., Radzi, N. M., & Ghani, M. A. (2021). Issues of Reading Habits Among Malaysian Students: School and Home Perceptions. Journal of Islamic Education Research, 2(2), 115-132. http://dx.doi.org/10.35719/jier.v2i2.154
Guthrie, J. T., & Coddington, C. S. (2009). Reading motivation. In Handbook of motivation at school (pp. 517-540). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203879498
Hassan, I., Latiff Azmi, M. N., Muhamad, S. N., & Abdullah, A. T. H. (2021). Reading habits and their correlation with reading achievement among ESL learners in selected Malaysian secondary schools. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ), 12(3) 385-399. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol12no3.27
Ip, K., Chu, S., & Sit, D. K. (2021). Primary students’ reading habits of printed and e-books. IASL Annual Conference Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.29173/iasl7965
Jabbar, A., Mahmood, K., & Warraich, N. F. (2021). Influence of Family Factors on Children’s Reading Habits: A Review of Literature. Bulletin of Education and Research, 43(3), 121-144.
Johari, A., Tom, A. A., Morni, A., & Sahari, S. H. (2013). Students’ reading practices and environments. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 3(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v3i1.187
Kannan, V. D., Peters, K., & Chapman, B. P. (2023). The relationship between adolescent reading habits and older adult social engagement–A longitudinal cohort analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 334, 116174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116174
Kanonire, T., Lubenko, J., & Kuzmina, Y. (2022). The effects of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation on reading performance in elementary school. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 36(1), 1-13. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1080/02568543.2020.1822961
Lee, A. (2018). Physical and digital reading habits of adult Singaporeans. Journal of library administration, 58(6), 629-643. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2018.1491189
Lee, M., & Yeo, K. (2014). Influence of home literacy environment on children reading attitude. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(8), 119-138. https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/11648
Leppänen, U., Aunola, K., & Nurmi, J. E. (2005). Beginning readers' reading performance and reading habits. Journal of research in reading, 28(4), 383-399. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2005.00281.x
Lindenberg, S. (2001). Intrinsic motivation in a new light. Kyklos, 54(2‐3), 317-342. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6435.00156
Loan, F. A. (2017). Survey of the literature reading habits and preferences of adolescents: A study of a public school in India. Library and Information Science Research E-Journal. 27(2):80-96. https://doi.org/10.32655/LIBRES.2017.2.3
Loh, C. E., & Sun, B. (2019). “I'd still prefer to read the hard copy”: Adolescents’ print and digital reading habits. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(6), 663-672. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaal.904
Majid, S., & Tan, V. (2007). Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore. Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences, 45(2), 187-198.
McEown, M. S., & Oga-Baldwin, W. Q. (2019). Self-determination for all language learners: New applications for formal language education. System, 86, 102124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102124
McGeown, S. P., Duncan, L. G., Griffiths, Y. M., & Stothard, S. E. (2015). Exploring the relationship between adolescent’s reading skills, reading motivation and reading habits. Reading and writing, 28, 545-569. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-014-9537-9
Miyamoto, A., Pfost, M., & Artelt, C. (2019). The relationship between intrinsic motivation and reading comprehension: Mediating effects of reading amount and metacognitive knowledge of strategy use. Scientific studies of Reading, 23(6), 445-460. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2019.1602836
Morrison, T. G., Jacobs, J. S., & Swinyard, W. R. (1998). Do teachers who read personally use recommended literacy practices in their classrooms? Literacy Research and Instruction, 38(2), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/19388079909558280
Mugambi, F. N. (2015). Exploring reading habits and academic success in rural Kenya. IFLA journal, 41(4), 353-363. https://doi.org/10.1177/0340035215610303
Mujan, K., Sigan, D., & Dawn, K. (2019). Value and self-concept: a study on reading habits among primary school students in sarawak. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 9(12), 709-721. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.1.2019.912.709.721
Mushtaq, S., Soroya, S. H., & Mahmood, K. (2021). Reading habits of generation Z students in Pakistan: is it time to re-examine school library services? Information Development, 37(3), 389-401. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666920965642
Newman, I., & Benz, C. R. (1998). Qualitative-quantitative research methodology: Exploring the interactive continuum. SIU Press. https://ecommons.udayton.edu/eda_fac_pub/122
Owusu-Acheaw, M., & Larson, A. G. (2014). Reading habits among students and its effect on academic performance: A study of students of Koforidua Polytechnic. Library philosophy and practice, 1130, 1-22. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1130/
Pandey, D., Subedi, A., & Mishra, D. (2022). Improving language skills and encouraging reading habits in primary education: A Pilot Study using NAO Robot. 2022 IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration (SII), Narvik, Norway, 827-832. https://doi.org/10.1109/SII52469.2022.9708843
Poedjiastutie, D. (2018). Indonesian school students reading habits: A sociocultural perspectives. International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 7(4), 94-100. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.23.2018.74.94.100
Pradhan, S., & Wangchuk, K. (2024). Promoting Reading Habits of Upper Primary Grade Learners. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 30(5), 784-802. https://doi.org/10.9734/jsrr/2024/v30i51998
Printer, L. (2021). Student perceptions on the motivational pull of Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS): a self-determination theory perspective. The Language Learning Journal, 49(3), 288-301. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2019.1566397
Ramasamy, K., & Padma, P. (2020). Does the gender influence the reading habits, preferences and attitudes of school students?: A case study. Library philosophy and practice, 1-64. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3549
Ramzan, M., Perveen, F., & Altaf, S. (2022). An Analysis of Reading Habits of Students. Pakistan Journal of Social Research, 4(04), 565-576. http://dx.doi.org/10.52567/pjsr.v4i04.841
Suárez-Fernández, S., & Boto-García, D. (2022). Unraveling the effect of extrinsic reading on reading with intrinsic motivation. In The economics of books and reading (pp. 63-89). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18199-3_4
Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R. (2011). Making sense of Cronbach's alpha. International Journal of Medical Education, 2, 53-55. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfd
Tella, A., & Akande, S. (2007). Children reading habits and availability of books in Botswana primary schools: Implications for achieving quality education. The Reading Matrix. Library Philosophy and Practice.
Tshering, K. (2021). A study on reading habits of primary school children in Lhuentse District. Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 27(8), 36-43. https://doi.org/10.9734/jsrr/2021/v27i830422
Vandenhoek, T. (2013). Screen reading habits among university students. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, 9(2), 37-47. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/130282/
Wigfield, A., & Guthrie, J. T. (1997). Motivation for reading: An overview. Educational Psychologist, 32(2), 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep3202_0
Yusof, D. A. A. (2021). Reading habits among students in the digital era: changes of trends and behaviours. Journal of Academic Library Management (AcLiM), 1(1), 43-54. https://doi.org/10.24191/aclim.v1i1.5
Yusof, N. M. (2010). Influence of family factors on reading habits and interest among level 2 pupils in national primary schools in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 1160-1165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.07.253
Zenelaga, B., Miftari, V., & Shehu-Lokaj, A. (2024). New Trends in Students' Reading Habits. Human Research in Rehabilitation, 14(1), 177-192. https://doi.org/10.21554/hrr.042417