Rosalind Larsen

Teenage Recreational Reading and Academic Success

Introduction:

I
t is a widespread belief that recreational While existing studies have indicated
reading has a correlation to reading com- that there is a correlation between things like
prehension and other academic skills. In reading comprehension and cognitive skills,
Jim Cipielewski and Keith Stanovichs there has been little study of how it effects stu-
article, Predicting Growth in Reading Ability dent performance in the classroom. Things
from Children's Exposure to Print it says, It such as preparation and participation are indi-
is thought that more exposure to print via home cators that the student is willing and ready to
reading will lead to further growth in reading succeed. When students show up to class un-
comprehension and related cognitive prepared and unwilling to participate, it hinders
skills (Cipielewski). In other words, educators their learning ability. There have been many
and parents constantly encourage adolescents studies that have administered certain tests to
to read from home, stating that it will help gain a better understanding of how recreational
them with their school work and other aspects reading affects reading comprehension. Aca-
of their life. While this sounds like a reasona- demic success has also often been equated to
ble assumption, there is little evidence to sup- high grades; however, I believe that success
port it. can also be indicated by participation and pre-
Although the evidence may seem paredness in the classroom. When a student is
sparse, there still is some indication to support willing to participate, they are willing to share
the idea that students are more likely to be suc- their knowledge with their peers. This shows
cessful if they read recreationally, or on their that they understand the materials taught, and
own time. In their article The Impact of So- have been attentive during the class period.
cial Influences on High School, Margaret Participation comes in a variety of forms in-
Megra and Brian Moon found that, Daily cluding: volunteering to answer a question dur-
readers are 13 times more likely to read above ing direct instruction, helping their peers, and
age level than their non-reading peers (Clark). participating in group work. Preparedness is
Recent research has found that reading novels also important because it shows how much ef-
stimulates the part of the brain known for com- fort the student is willing to put in for that
prehension (Megra,2016). class. The more a student is willing to prepare,
and is prepared, the more motivated that stu-

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 dent is to succeed in that class. on where students spend most time reading. It
is focusing on how much they read outside of
Although there may not be a lot of
the classroom and what kind of literature they
studies on the subject, I have a belief that rec-
read when they do. The focus here is literature.
reational reading benefits adolescents greatly.
With this, one question that is important to ask
Not only does it help with reading comprehen-
is: are students who read novels more likely to
sion and vocabulary, but it also helps with
succeed than their comic-reading peers? What
overall success in the classroom. I hope to take
about students who read poetry as opposed to
this general belief and prove it. I assert that the
more time a student spends time reading recre- mangas? Also, if there is other literature they
read, what is it and what affect does it have on
ationally, the more likely they are going to be
student success?
prepared, willing to participate, and be suc-
cessful in the classroom. The Experiment:
What is recreational reading? Teachers are most concerned with stu-
dent success, and if there is an obvious way to
In their article The Impact of Social
boost student success, then they would do
Influences on High School, Margaret Megra
what they need to get their students to read
and Brian Moon said, Students' Recreational
more. I hope to learn if recreational reading
Reading Recreational book reading, also
helps student success, and if it
termed independent reading, reading for
does, why and how it does.
pleasure (Clark & Rumbold, 2006) or Free
This new knowledge would With this knowledge,
Voluntary Reading (Krashen, 2004), is the
just provide evidence and fur-
reading of books by choice, in contrast to read-
ther data to the assumption that I can expand that
ing assigned by a teacher. It reflects the read-
recreational reading helps stu- perspective and go
ers personal choice of the books to be read, as
dents academically. There will
well as the time and place to read. No one as- even deeper and see
be more study to this topic,
signs this reading; no one requires a report or
therefore adding more insights how the students
checks reading comprehension (Cullinan,
and perspectives on an im-
2000). Choice is paramount (Megra). own choices effect
portant subject. I would offer a
Choice is paramount. With the differ- new perspective because as a their own success.
ent genres and types of literature out there, the former Elementary Education
question also comes up as to whether genre major, I understand how reading to students
has a role in the success of the students. A lot would influence their success. With this
of the time, when adolescents do read, they knowledge, I can expand that perspective and
read things like captions on YouTube videos, go even deeper and see how the students own
and Facebook posts. While it is good that there choices effect their own success.
is some reading involved, the idea that stu-
The findings of this experiment will
dents spend most of their reading time outside
of the classroom on social media is a disheart- also go beyond the classroom setting. Teachers
ening. For this study, however, the focus is not and students and not the only people interested
in the success of adolescents. Knowing the

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 correlation between recreational reading and
academic success will be beneficial to parents
and caretakers. Parents and teacher have an
influence on the students reading choices.
They can either persuade or dissuade a
student one way or another. This study will
help educators and parents know what is best
for their student/child when it comes to reading
choices.
I am currently doing my practicum in a
sophomore English class at Sugar Salem High
School in Sugar City, Idaho. The class consists
of 25 students, 13 male and 12 female. All stu-
dents are Caucasian. I handed out a survey ask-
ing the students two questions. The first ques-
tion asked: how many minutes a day do you
read for fun? The second question asked:
When you do read for fun, what do you usually
read?
this students success in the class overall? The
I also handed out a survey for the third question is up to his own interpretation,
teacher. Because Mr. Johansen has been work- since he has a better feel of how success looks
ing with the students all year, he has a good in his own classroom.
feeling of how successful each individual stu-
Mr. Johansen filled out a survey for
dent is. Due to FERPA laws, I was unable to
each individual student. In the end, he filled
base student success off grades. Due to this, I
will ask Mr. Johansen three questions for each out 25 surveys that dealt with his opinion on
whether his students are typically prepared,
individual student. These questions are: 1.
whether they participate, and whether or not he
How would rate this students in-class prepar-
believed them to be successful. He noted that
edness? 2. How would you rate this students
he felt as though the questions were ambigu-
participation in class? 3. How would you rate
ous, and not an ideal way to measure their suc-
Name ___________________________
cess. On one survey he said this, This student,
How many minutes a day do you read for fun? I would say, is moderately successful. These
0-15 survey responses are difficult, because of the
15-30 ambiguity of the standards by which I am to
30-60 determine what it means to be successful. I
60+ know Im overthinking this (Johansen, 2017).
When you do read for fun, what do you usually read? There are a couple things to consider: 1. The
(circle all that apply) teachers opinion of student success is biased.
Novels
Poems
Mangas 3

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 He has a good indication, but it is not perfect. start on an intensive study. Below are the find-
2. Due to timing, this study is not a proper in- ings before the student surveys were turned in:
dication of how recreational reading affects Student Surveys:
academic success. This is just an insight on
On the day when the surveys were adminis-
Preparation: Participation: Success:
tered, four students were missing. 21 students
Always: 9/25 36% Always: 9/25 36% Very: 10/25 40%
turned in their surveys. The results were vary-
Usually: 12/25 48% Usually: 12/25 48% Moderate: 12/25 48%
ing. The surveys showed that of the 21 stu-
Never: 4/25 16% Never: 4/25 16% Not: 3/25 12%
dents that turned in the survey 52% read for a
how recreational reading could affect academ- total of 0-15 minutes a day. 24% of students
ic success. There are many flaws, but it is a read for a total of 15-30 minutes a day. 14%
read for 30-60 minutes a day, and only 5%,

Always Prepared:
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping

0-15 3 38% Novels 5 63%

15-30 2 25% Mangas 0 -
30-60 3 38% Comics 0 -
60+ 0 - Other 3 38%

Sometimes Prepared:
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 6 55% Novels 8 44%
15-30 3 27% Mangas 2 11%
30-60 1 9% Comics 4 22%
60+ 1 9% Other 4 22%

Never Prepared

Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage

Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 3 75% Novels 0 -
15-30 1 25% Mangas 0 -
30-60 0 - Comics 1 25%
60+ 0 - Other 3 75%

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one student, reads more than 60 minutes a day. esting that the majority of students who are
Of the 0-15 minutes a day category, only one never prepared fall into the category of reading
student admitted to not reading at all. 0-15 minutes a day. Another interesting thing
to point out is that the students that fall into the
Below are the surveys:
Always Prepared and Sometimes Prepared cat-
As can be seen by the results, the students who egories mostly read novels. In the Never Pre-
are always prepared read for longer periods of pared category, the students tend to lean to-
time compared to their classmates. It is inter- wards other which means they are reading

Always Participates:
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 3 38% Novels 7 70%
15-30 2 13% Mangas 0 -
30-60 3 38% Comics 1 10%
60+ 0 - Other 2 20%

Sometimes Participates:

Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage

Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 6 67% Novels 5 38%
15-30 3 33% Mangas 2 15%
30-60 0 - Comics 1 8%
60+ 1 1% Other 3 23%

Never Participates
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 4 100% Novels 1 20%
15-30 0 - Mangas 0 -
30-60 0 - Comics 1 20%
60+ 0 - Other 3 60%

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 The data found in terms of participa- category spend most of their time recreational
tion is alike to preparedness. Generally, the reading time reading novels. The Sometimes
more time a student spends reading, the more Prepared students spent recreational reading
likely he/she is likely to participate in class. time all over the board and the students that
Like with the previous data, those in the top never participate spend most of their time
Very Successful:
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 3 38% Novels 6 66%
15-30 2 25% Mangas 0 -
30-60 3 38% Comics 1 11%
60+ 0 - Other 2 22%

Moderately Successful
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Per-
Day dents based on dents centage
grouping
0-15 6 54% Novels 6 43%
15-30 4 36% Mangas 0 -
30-60 0 - Comics 2 13
60+ 1 9% Other 6 43%

Not Successful:
Minutes per Number of Stu- Percentage Genre Number of Stu- Percentage
Day dents based on dents
grouping
0-15 3 100% Novels 0 -
15-30 0 - Mangas 0 -
30-60 0 - Comics 0 -
60+ 0 - Other 3 100%

The findings of this subject are about the same Conclusion

as the Prepared and Participation questions. I
think it is most interesting to note that the
unsuccessful students all marked that they
read 0-15 minutes a day, and the things they
do not read do not fall into the other three cate-
gories.
According to the experiment performed, the
more time student reads recreationally, the
more likely they are to participate, be pre-
pared, and be successful in the classroom.
Most of the students that were unprepared, not
participative, and unsuccessful spent little to

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no time reading recreationally, and none of
their time was spent reading novels. Results
also showed that successful students read gen-
erally read novels, amongst other things. The
study also shows that those who are moderate-
ly successful read from a variety of different
genres.
This study is beneficial to educators,
parents, and students alike. Although just a
sample size, it gives an insight on how recrea-
tional reading has an effect on students likeli-
ness to participate, to be prepared, and to be
successful within the classroom. Parents and
teachers should encourage their children/
students to read no matter what circumstance.
A parent should not dissuade their child from
reading things like comics and mangas. Read-
ing is reading, and although the study shows
that there is a higher correlation with reading
novels and success, there is still a correlation
between reading other things and success as
well.

Rosalind Larsen is a senior at Brigham Yong Uni-

versity Idaho. She is studying English Education
and pursues a career as a high school English
teacher. She hopes to one day be able to help ado-
lescents reach their full protentional and find joy
and excitement out of reading.

References
Cipielewski, J., & Stanovich, K. E. (1992).
Predicting growth in reading ability from chi drens
exposure to print. Journal of Experimental
Child Psychology, 54(1), 74-89.
doi:10.1016/0022-0965(92)90018-2
Johansen, Samuel (2017). Personal Interview.
Megra, M. K., & Moon, B. (2016). The Impact of
Social Influences on High School Students'
Recreational Reading. High School Jour
nal, 99(2), 122-140.

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