Content uploaded by Shaheen Majid
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Shaheen Majid on Mar 10, 2016
Content may be subject to copyright.
Available via license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007) : 187-198
Understanding the Reading Habits of
Children in Singapore
Shaheen Majid*
Associate Professor
E-mail: asmajid@ntu.edu.sg
Venus Tan
Graduate Student
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information
Nanyang Technological University
Singapore
Abstract
Leisure reading contributes signif icantly to improving language competen-
cies of children. This study investigates the reading habits and preferences of
children, motivations behind reading, and their attitudes towards reading. A
pre-tested questionnaire was used for collecting data and 440 upper primary
students participated in the study. The ndings suggest that a majority of the
participating students were motivated to read for academically-related reasons,
such as to improve language skills and to obtain better grades in examinations.
Reading was the third most preferred leisure activity after hobbies and playing
on computer or the Internet. It was also found that girls were generally more
avid readers than boys. This paper offers certain suggestions for promoting
reading habits among children.
Keywords: Reading habits; Leisure reading; Fiction; Non-ction; School students;
Singapore
Introduction
The reading habits of children have long been a matter of much interest to
educators, parents, librarians, publishers, and other stakeholders. An understand-
ing of the reading habits and preferences of children would help them to take
necessary measures for promoting reading among children. It is widely acknowl-
edged that the life-long habit of reading can best be inculcated and nurtured at
an early age. It is, however, a general observation that there is an overemphasis
on study-related reading thus ignoring the recreational or free voluntary reading
among children. With increasing pressure on children to perform well academi-
cally, it is not surprising that children often associate books and reading with
learning, schoolwork, school projects, and passing examinations. Cheah (1998)
* To whom all correspondence should be addressed.
2007/08/23 received; 2007/11/09 revised; 2007/11/09 accepted
188 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
noted that while students in Singapore will not hesitate to read school-related ma-
terials, getting them to become life-long readers and to read for pleasure remains
an uphill task.
Studies have shown a positive correlation between students’ free time read-
ing for fun and their reading achievement (National Center for Education Sta-
tistics, 1993; Shefelbine, 1998). Pleasure reading furthers the development of
reading as a life-long habit which strengthens both language skills and uency.
Royce (1995) noted that children improve their reading skills when they enjoy
reading, that is, when they read for pleasure. Many studies have revealed that free
voluntary reading results in improving reading comprehension, writing style, vo-
cabulary, grammar, and spelling. Cunningham and Stanovich (1998) reported that
reading volume, both inside and outside the school, has a signicant impact on the
development of reading speed and uency, vocabulary, general knowledge, over-
all verbal ability, and academic achievements. An international comparative study
of reading literacy among children in 35 countries showed that the more often a
child reads for fun, the higher is his/her average reading literacy scale score (Ogle
et al. 2003).
There are many factors that motivate reading among children. An interna-
tional survey has shown that nearly one-half of the UK students participating in
this study said that they read for relaxation while a majority of the children from
12 developing countries revealed that they read books for passing examinations
(Books Aid International, 2003). A study of young people in Britain, aged be-
tween 11 and 18 years, found that peer inuence was the top most reason for read-
ing books (Market & Opinion Research International-MORI, 2004). A survey of
431 pre-kindergarten through grade eight students in the United States found that
71 percent of the students who perceived themselves as good readers had a posi-
tive attitude towards reading while none of the students who regarded themselves
as ‘poor’ readers enjoyed reading (Cosgrove, 2001).
A survey of 8,000 children in Britain, aged 10, 12 and 14 years, found that
children had very diverse reading tastes (Hall & Coles, 1999). A similar survey
conducted in Denmark on children, aged between nine and twelve years, noted a
great deal of variation in children’s reading preferences. It was found that, over a
span of one month, the children read a total of 1,598 ction and non-ction books
written by more than 700 authors (Steffensen & Weinreich, 2000). Among the
Singapore children, adventure stories were the most popular, followed by mystery
stories (Balasundram, 1991). In Australia, primary school students liked read-
ing action adventure as much as science ction and fantasy (Woolcott Research,
2001) while in Britain, fantasy ction was at the top, followed by humour, horror
189
Majid & Tan: Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore
and thriller books (MORI, 2004).
Hall & Coles (1999) reported a trend where fewer books being read as chil-
dren grow older. A study of reading habits of boys in primary schools found that
the number of children who liked reading books dropped by one-third between
the ages of ve and nine (Times Educational Supplement, 2000). A similar trend
was observed in Ireland where over 2200 children, aged between 7 and 16 years,
showed a considerable decline in book reading with increasing age (Children’s
Books Ireland, 2000).
Many studies have shown differences in reading interests based on gender.
Steffensen and Weinreich (2000) reported that Danish boys preferred reading
suspense, humour, thrillers, and historical books while girls read more realistic
books, fairy tales and fantasy stories. A study on the information and reading
preferences of children in North Carolina concluded that boys liked sports, trans-
portation, and military topics whereas girls enjoyed reading about arts and crafts,
health, fashion, and beauty topics (Sturm, 2003). An earlier study in Singapore
reported that boys preferred reading adventure stories while girls liked mysteries
and fairytales (Balasundram, 1991). Some other studies also suggest that general-
ly boys show lesser interest in reading than girls. A survey of 801 young Austra-
lians, aged between 10 and 18 years, concluded that females were more likely to
enjoy reading books than males (Woolcott Research, 2001). A similar trend was
noted in Demark where girls reported spending more time on reading than boys
(Steffensen and Weinreich, 2000).
As compared to children a couple of decades back, the young generation
now has access to a wide array of leisure activities. There is an intense com-
petition between books and recent innovative, attractive and engaging gadgets
for capturing children’s time and attention. A study investigating the favourite
pastime activities of primary and middle school students in China reported that
‘watching TV’ was the most popular leisure activity, followed by reading books
(Liu, 2000). A similar survey of Primary 1 to Secondary 5 students in Hong Kong
found that watching TV and playing computer games were the two most preferred
after-school leisure activities (Education Department, 2001). Another survey in
Britain concluded that young people, aged between 11 and 18 years, were more
likely to watch TV or use the Internet than reading a book (MORI, 2004).
The literature review suggests that several factors, particularly technological
changes, are likely to inuence reading habits of children. Singapore government
is making concerted efforts to prepare a new breed of students who will become
life-long learners. To achieve this objective, a network of public libraries is of-
fering a variety of programmes to inculcate and promote reading habits among
190 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
children. However, very little is known about the current reading habits and pref-
erences of children in Singapore. The purpose of this study was to investigate
attitude, motivation, and preferences of children related to leisure reading. It is
expected that the ndings of this study will be useful for school and public librar-
ies, teachers, parents, and book publishers in developing appropriate policies and
plans for promoting reading among children.
Method
The questionnaire-based survey method was selected for collecting data for
this study. Considering the young age of the potential respondents, those words
and phrases were used in the construction of the questionnaire that primary school
students were expected to understand easily. The overriding concern in the design
of the questionnaire was to ensure that students should not confuse study-related
reading with free voluntary reading. The questionnaire consisted of three parts
and the first section collected demographic information about the respondents.
The second section of the questionnaire gathered information about the reading
habits and attitudes towards leisure reading. The third section solicited data on
respondents’ preferences for reading materials, subject interests, and the factors
that often encourage them to read.
The questionnaire was pre-tested on ve upper primary students, represent-
ing the demographic characteristics and age groups of the sample population. The
purpose was to determine the appropriateness of language and responses used for
constructing the survey questions. All the students participating in the pre-test ex-
ercise were able to complete the questionnaire without any assistance. However,
based on their feedback, some minor changes were made in the questionnaire.
The data for this study was collected from 12 upper primary classes of three
schools. The questionnaire was administered personally by the second author
to ensure a better response rate as well as to avoid any misunderstanding while
providing responses. All the participating schools were requested to set aside 30
minutes for the survey exercise which included a short brieng to the students
on the objectives of the study and some basic instructions for completing the
questionnaire. The participating students were also reminded that their responses
should only cover their free voluntary reading. Each question was read out and
the students were encouraged to seek clarication, if needed, before answering
the question. A total of 440 upper primary students, aged between 9 and 12 years,
from three primary schools in Singapore participated in this study.
191
Majid & Tan: Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore
Findings
Demographics
Table 1 provides the distribution of respondents by their gender and grade
level. Student distribution among different grade levels was fairly equal: 142 stu-
dents from Primary Four, 142 students from Primary Five, and 156 students from
Primary Six. Of these, 216 (49.1%) were boys while 224 (50.9%) were girls. A
majority (76.3%) of the students were Chinese; 16.1 percent were Malays; 5.7
percent Indian, and 1.9 percent belonged to other ethic groups.
Table 1 Distribution of Respondents by Grade Level and Gender
Grade level Number of respondents Total
Boys Girls
Primary 4 76 66 142 (32.3%)
Primary 5 62 80 142 (32.3%)
Primary 6 78 78 156 (35.5%)
Total 216 (49.1%) 224 (50.9%) 440 (100%)
Reasons for leisure reading
The students participating in the study were asked to indicate their motiva-
tions for leisure reading. An overwhelming majority (62%) of the students said
that most of the time they read to get better grades in their tests and examinations
(Table 2). Improving language skills was another reason often cited by the re-
spondents for reading non-study related books. Other common motivations for
leisure reading ‘most of the time’ were: to learn more things (45.5%), reading to
relax (41.4%), and ‘reading is my hobby’ (38.2%). Slightly over 20 percent of the
students said that most of the time they read as their parents or teachers ask them
to do so. It appeared that academically-related reasons such as better grades and
improving language skills were the main motives for leisure reading and only a
limited number of the students were reading for relaxation.
Table 2 Reason for Reading
Reason Frequency
Most of the time Sometimes Rarely
For better grades in tests and examinations 273 (62.0%) 117 (26.6%) 50 (11.4%)
For improving my language skills 270 (61.4%) 123 (27.9%) 47 (10.7%)
For learning new things 200 (45.5%) 191 (43.4%) 49 (11.1%)
For relaxing 182 (41.4%) 173 (39.3%) 85 (19.3%)
Reading is my hobby 168 (38.2%) 140 (31.8%) 132 (30.0%)
For my homework and projects 138 (31.4%) 229 (52.1%) 73 (16.5%)
When I have nothing else to do 103 (23.4%) 172 (39.1%) 165 (37.5%)
When my parents or teacher ask me to read 90 (20.5%) 141 (32.1%) 209 (47.4%)
192 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
Frequency of leisure reading
The participating students were asked how frequen tly they do leisure
reading. It was found that slightly over 80 percent of the students reported
reading for fun at least once a week (Table 3). Some 47.3 percent of the students
said that they read for fun almost daily while 13.9 percent were doing so every
other day. The proportion of students who were doing fun reading only during
school holidays was 19.2 percent.
Table 3 Frequency of Leisure Reading
Frequency Number of respondents Total
Boys Girls
Almost daily 78 (36.3%) 129 (57.8%) 207 (47.3%)
Every other day 31 (14.4%) 30 (13.5%) 61 (13.9%)
During weekends 51 (23.7%) 35 (15.7%) 86 (19.6%)
During school holidays 55 (25.6%) 29 (13.0%) 84 (19.2%)
Total 215 (100%) 223 (100%) 438 (100%)
It appeared that boys were less avid readers than girls. As compared to
57.8 percent girls, only 36.3 percent of the boys were reading daily for fun. It is
possible that boys might have preferred engaging in other leisure activities than
reading. Another interesting trend was observed where, as compared to 13 per-
cent girls, over one-quarter of the boys said that they read for fun during school
holidays. It is possible that during school working days, boys might be more
involved in extra-curricular activities, enrichment classes, or attending private
tuition classes and, as a result, left with only limited time for leisure reading. It is
possible that, during school holidays these boys were trying to catch up with their
fun reading.
Sources of reading materials
The participating children were asked to indicate from where they get books
for their leisure reading. It was found that 34 percent of the children were get-
ting their leisure reading books from public libraries (Figure 1). Another 32 per-
cent of the children mentioned that they buy their books from bookstores. One-
quarter of the children said that they borrow books from their school library. This
phenomenon could be attributed to rapid expansion of public library network in
Singapore during the last two decades as well as the establishment of international
mega-bookstores such as Borders and Kinokuniya. The increase in book-buying
activity could also be due to the rising afuence in Singapore. It was, however,
a matter of concern that only one-quarter of the surveyed students were borrow-
ing materials from their school libraries. One possible reason could be the non-
availability of professional teacher-librarians in the majority of primary schools in
193
Majid & Tan: Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore
Singapore who can select and purchase more relevant and engaging leisure read-
ing materials for young children.
Figure 1 Preferred Sources for Getting Reading Materials
Preferred place for leisure reading
The students were asked to indicate where they often read their leisure mate-
rials. It was found that an overwhelming majority (64%) of the students preferred
doing their fun reading at home (Figure 2). Another 22 percent of the students
mentioned that they do their leisure reading in school, while 5 percent of the stu-
dents said that they read while travelling on Mass Rail Transit (MRT) trains, buses
or in their cars. Only 4 percent of the students reported doing their leisure reading
in public libraries. It was interesting to note that while the public libraries were
the most likely place for borrowing leisure materials, a majority of the children
were not using the library premises for reading. One possible reason could be that
public libraries in Singapore are heavily used and probably it was difcult for these
young children to easily get a comfortable place to sit and enjoy reading. Another
possible explanation could be that parents of these children were too busy and unable
to stay with their children at public libraries for a long duration of time and, therefore,
were encouraging their children to borrow materials and read them at home.
Figure 2 Preferred Place for Leisure Reading
194 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
Preferred type of reading materials
The students were asked to indicate what type of materials they like to read.
It was found that storybooks were the most preferred type of leisure time reading
materials and 62.7 percent of the children reported reading such materials most of
the time (Table 4). Comics also had a strong following with 45.7 percent of the
children reading them most of the time. These were followed by magazines, the
Internet and informational non-ction books. So far as gender differences were
concerned, more girls liked reading storybooks and magazines whereas boys pre-
ferred reading non-ction books and comics.
Table 4 Preference for Reading Materials (multiple responses)
Subject Frequency
Most of the time Sometimes Rarely
Storybooks 276 (62.7%) 123 (28.0%) 41 (9.3%)
Comics 201 (45.7%) 132 (30.0%) 107 (24.3%)
Magazines 125 (28.4%) 148 (33.6%) 167 (39.0%)
Internet/ Websites 124 (28.2%) 142 (32.3%) 174 (39.5%)
Information non-ction books 116 (26.4%) 200 (45.5%) 124 (28.1%)
Newspapers 99 (22.5%) 202 (45.9%) 139 (31.6%)
Preferred subject for ction books
For the ction books, boys and girls alike showed a strong preference for
mysteries and adventure books. Some 63 percent of the surveyed children report-
ed reading mysteries and detective stories while another 60 percent were reading
adventure stories (Table 5). Comedy and horror stories were also equally popular
among these children. Comparatively less number of children were interested
in reading storybooks on animals and relationships. It appeared that mysteries,
crime, detective, and adventure were the most popular subjects among the chil-
dren. Surprisingly, despite the popularity of Harry Potter books, science ction
and fantasy were not among the top three most preferred genres.
Table 5 Preferred Subjects for Fiction Books (multiple responses)
Subject Frequency
Most of the time Sometimes Rarely
Mysteries, crime & detective stories 277 (63.0%) 113 (25.6%) 50 (11.4%)
Adventure stories 264 (60.0%) 132 (30.0%) 44 (10.0%)
Humorous stories/ jokes 249 (56.6%) 131 (29.8%) 60 (13.6%)
Horror stories 223 (50.7%) 115 (26.1%) 102 (23.2%)
Science ction and fantasy 150 (34.1%) 155 (35.2%) 135 (30.7%)
Fairytales and folktales 152 (34.5%) 125 (28.4%) 163 (37.1%)
Animal stories 116 (26.4%) 162 (36.8%) 162 (36.8%)
Stories about relationships 91 (20.7%) 149 (33.9%) 200 (45.4%)
195
Majid & Tan: Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore
So far as gender preference for different genres was concerned, no clear dis-
tinction was found as the top three subjects liked by boys and girls were the same.
Girls preferred reading books on adventure, mysteries, and comedy as well as
books on fairytales and relationships. On the other hand, boys preferred reading
books on adventure, comedy and mysteries. The horror and science ction books
were equally popular among both the genders. On the other end of the scale, boys
least liked reading stories about relationships while girls were not much interested
in ction stories on animals.
Preferred subject for non-ction books
Among the non-ction books, the most popular subject among the surveyed
children was hobbies such as handicrafts and cooking (Table 6). In addition,
books on animals and plants as well as those on sports were also very popular
among these children. The preference for non-ction books on animals and plants
could be due to interest developed during science lessons which encouraged
them to read more books on these topics. Similarly interest in sports, particularly
among boys, could be due to extensive coverage given to sports by television
channels. On the other hand, books on life and people in other countries were the
least popular. It was not an expected nding as Singapore is a multi-cultural and
multi-ethnic society with a large population of expatriates. It was expected that
children would be more interested in knowing about other countries and cultures.
On the whole, as compared to boys, girls were less inclined to read non-
ction books. However, almost one-half of the girls said that most of the time
they like reading books on handicrafts and cooking. The most preferred subject
for boys, which obtained one of the lowest score from girls, was sports. This nd-
ing was not unexpected as generally boys show more interest in sports than girls.
Boys also liked to read about science and supernatural phenomenon such as UFOs
and aliens. The least preferred subjects among the boys were ‘life and people in
other countries’ and ‘history and geography’.
Table 6 Preferred Subjects for Non-ction Books (multiple responses)
Reason Frequency
Most of the time Sometimes Rarely
Hobbies (handicrafts, cooking, etc.) 182 (41.4%) 150 (34.1%) 108 (24.5%)
Animals and plants 168 (38.2%) 179 (40.7%) 93 (21.1%)
Sports (field and in-door sports, car
racing, etc.) 168 (38.2%) 110 (25.0%) 162 (36.8%)
Science (inventions, experiment, etc.) 160 (36.4%) 163 (37.0%) 117 (26.6%)
UFOs and aliens 128 (29.1%) 141 (32.0%) 171 (38.9%)
History and geography 103 (23.4%) 151 (34.3%) 186 (42.3%)
Life and people in other countries 86 (19.5%) 169 (38.4%) 185 (42.1%)
196 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
Preferred leisure activities
The children were asked to select the three most favourite activities from a
list of 8 common leisure pursuits and rank them according to their preferences.
When all responses, regardless of their priority were considered, hobbies and
sports came at the top as 257 (60.9%) of the children selected it as one of their
three favourite activities (Table 7). The second most popular activity was playing
on computer or the Internet, with 57.6 percent of the children indicating it as one
of their top 3 favourite activities. Reading came at the third position, just before
watching television.
Table 7 Favourite Activities among Children (multiple responses)
Activity Number of respondents Total
1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice
Hobbies and sports 80 (19.0%) 87 (20.6%) 90 (21.3%) 257 (60.9%)
Playing on computer
or the Internet
113 (26.8%) 64 (15.2%) 66 (15.6%) 243 (57.6%)
Reading 73 (17.3%) 69 (16.4%) 44 (10.4%) 186 (44.1%)
Watching TV 56 (13.3%) 59 (14.0%) 64 (15.2%) 179 (42.4%)
Playing or going out 36 (8.5%) 68 (16.1%) 70 (16.6%) 174 (41.2%)
Listening music 43 (10.2%) 66 (15.6%) 56 (13.3%) 165 (39.1%)
Sleeping 19 (4.5%) 5 (1.2%) 24 (5.7%) 48 (11.4%)
Other activities 2 (0.5%) 4 (0.9%) 8 (1.9%) 14 (3.3%)
Total 422 (100%) 422 (100%) 422 (100%) 1266 (300%)
The boys and girls were split over their most favourite leisure activities.
The top three favourite activities among boys, in the order of preference, were
playing on computer or the Internet, engaging in hobbies or sports, and watching
television. The order was the same regardless of whether total responses or only
the rst-choices were to be considered. Girls preferred participating in hobbies
or sports, followed by reading and listening to music. However, when only the
rst-choices were considered, reading emerged as the most favourite leisure time
activity for girls. These ndings conrm that girls are generally more likely to
enjoy reading than boys.
Conclusion
Reading is a basic skill which should be developed at an early age and nur-
tured continuously to help individuals become lifelong learners. One established
way for improving the overall reading skills is through encouraging leisure read-
ing. However, the ndings of this study suggest that a majority of the students
were reading to improve their academic performance. This could possibly be due
to stressful Singapore education system which places high emphasis on meritocra-
197
Majid & Tan: Understanding the Reading Habits of Children in Singapore
cy and good grades. Students often face pressure from their parents and teachers
to improve their academic performance. The ndings of this study suggest that
probably even primary level students are not free from this pressure. Many chil-
dren also expressed the wish to have more time for fun reading. It is, therefore,
desirable that Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) should consider reducing
workload of primary school children so that they may nd enough time for fun
reading.
Another dimension of this problem is that often children have a xed amount
of time and energy for leisure activities and, in addition to fun reading, many
other activities are competing for their time and attention. Recent technological
advancements such as affordable computers and other gadgets, cable television,
improved connectivity to the Internet, enhanced capabilities of video and comput-
er games, and the increasing popularity of SMS, chat rooms, discussion forums,
blogs, and Wikis are influencing the reading habits of children. Teachers and
parents can play an important role in educating children how to keep a balance in
their leisure activities, including the fun reading. Similarly, school and public li-
braries need to make concerted efforts in providing access to more interesting and
engaging reading materials.
References
Balasundram, S. (1991). A survey of children’s reading interests. Singapore Book World, 20,
82-105.
Books Aid International. (2003). Is reading a dying pastime? Readers across in globe say no!
(Press Release). Retrieved November 8, 2006, from http://www.bookaid.org/cms.cgi/site/
news/
Cheah, Y.M. (1998). Nurturing the Singapore reader. Reading, 32(1): 33-35.
Children’s Books Ireland. (2000). What’s the story: The reading choices of young people in
Ireland. Retrieved March 1, 2006 from http://www.literacytrust.org.ok/databse/stats/read-
child.html#ireland
Cosgrove, M.S. (2001, July). Students’ view on the purposes of reading from three perspectives:
Students, teachers and parents. In Proceeding of the 12th Europen reading conference.
Ireland: Dublin.
Cunningham, A.E., & Stanovich, K.E. (1998). What reading does for the mind? American Edu-
cator, 22(1): 8-15.
Education Department. (2001). Survey on the reading habits of students in Hong Kong. Retrieved
March 27, 2007, from http://www.emb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=679&langno=1
Hall, C., & Coles, M. (1999). Children’s reading choices. London: Routledge.
Liu, Z. (2000). Reading is on the rise in China. Retrieved March 3, 2006, from http://www.
honco.net/100day/02/2000-0526-liu.html
Market & Opinion Research International (MORI). (2004). Retrieved March 26, 2007, from
198 Journal of Educational Media & Library Sciences 45 : 2 (Winter 2007)
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/polls/2003/nfm17.shtml
National Center for Education Statistics. (1993). NAEP 1992: Reading report card for the na-
tion and the states. Report No. 23-ST06. Washington, DC.
Ogle, L.T, Sen, A., & Pahlke, E. (2003). International comparisons in fourth-grade reading
literacy: Findings from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of
2001. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/2003073.pdf
Royce, J. (1995). Lifelong reading element #4: Interest and enjoyment. Retrieved March 13,
2005, from http://vm.robcol.k12.tr/~jroyce/read6.htm
Shefelbine, J. (1998). Literacy as a way of life. Retrieved on March 26, 2007, from http://teach-
er.scholastic.com/products/readingcounts/pdfs/reading_voluminously.pdf
Steffensen, A. & Weinreich, T. (2000). Children read books: Reading habits, reading abil-
ity, reading aloud (summary). Retrieved March 28, 2007, from http://www.cfb.dk/site.
aspx?p=301
Sturm, B.W. (2003). The information and reading preferences of North Carolina children,
School Library Media Research, 6. Retrieved March 26, 2007, from http://www.ala.org/
ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume62003/readingpreferences.htm
Times Educational Supplement (2000). Boys drop books in favour of computer and TV. Re-
trieved March 25, 2007, from http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/database/boys/english.html
Woolcott Research. (2001). Young Australian reading: From keen to reluctant readers. Re-
trieved March 26, 2007, from http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pdfs/aboutus/publications/
yar_report.pdf
