Browsing by Subject "lukutottumukset"

The purpose of this study is to describe and compare the leisure reading habits of sixth grade students from a Finnish elementary school and fifth grade students from the Finnish-speaking departments of two European Schools. This study brings to light some of the reasons why some students read fiction during their leisure time and why some don't. The results of this study are compared with two theories: Appleyard's (1990) theory of developing as a reader of fiction and the extensive work with the leisure reading habits of Finnish school children of Saarinen and Korkiakangas (1997; 2009). The research data consists of questionnaires filled out by three different sixth grade classes from one school in the capital area of Finland during the spring of 2015 and Finnish-speaking fifth grade students from two European schools during the winter of 2016. The data analysis was performed using statistical methods. The answers to the questionnaire were used to determine the students' general attitude towards reading. The reasons for why some students read and why some students don't were also investigated. More specific information on what kind of literature the students read was gathered by determining the relative popularity of different genres of literature among the students. Students were also asked to give concrete examples of their favorite books, magazines and other literature. Many of the books the students read were similar to Appleyard's theory of what the typical reader who identifies with fictional characters reads. The main reason why some students didn't read was that they didn't have enough time. Lack of time was usually due to a large amount of school work or various time-consuming hobbies. The results of this study should be considered in relation to how the functions of reading and a child's need to identify with fictional characters can be taken into account when improving literary education in primary schools. Literary education and reading in school are particularly important to the students who have no motivation to read and to those who, despite their enthusiasm for reading, do not have the time to read in their leisure time.