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Chapter 7
141
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-4906-3.ch007
ABSTRACT
Secondary school as a gateway for the development of other sectors of the educational
system provides primary school leavers with the opportunity for qualitative education,
the platform for skills and knowledge for vocational work, or higher institutions
admission. In Nigeria, public discussions frequently focus on educational standards.
This study aims to examine the influence of students’ reading habits on students’
academic performance. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The schools
in Ibadan North LGA were randomly selected, making a total of five schools.
Each of the participants was randomly selected, totaling 300 students. There was
Inuence of Reading Habit
on Student Academic
Performance in a Senior
Second School in Ibadan
Grace Adeola Popoola
National Open University of Nigeria, Nigeria
Oluwafunmilayo Kunbi Amoo
Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria
Ojoma Gloria Umar
Kogi State Univeristy, Nigeria
Ayobami Abayomi Popoola
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9742-0604
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Olaronke Modupeoluwa Olatunji
HillCrest High School, Nigeria
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
INTRODUCTION
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Education
(FME) (2004), in the National Policy on education highlighted the broad aims
of secondary education as preparing students to play their role by contributing to
the nations’ economic, political and social development and sustainable goals, for
useful living within the society and preparing them for higher education. Secondary
school is generally considered the gateway for the development of other sectors
of the educational system. It provides primary school leavers the opportunity for
qualitative education and provides the platform from which higher institutions draw
students for admission into their various programs. It also provides students who will
not go for higher education in the colleges’ and university’s skills and knowledge
for vocational work.
In Nigeria, public discussions frequently focus on educational standards. The
public’s unhappiness becomes more prominent in the reported cases of poor and
continued decline in the academic performance in the Senior School Certificate
Examination across Nigeria (Umameh, 2011; Alimi et al., 2012; Ajayi and Osalusi,
2013; Duruji et al., 2014) as student outcomes did not match the government and
parental investments. In the view of Duruji et al. (2014), their study reported that
student non-commitment and quality of teaching had been a limitation to excellent
academic performance. With the reported incidence of examination malpractice
(Adeniyi et al., 2010), the low level of commitment among students, as mentioned
by Duruji et al. (2014), cannot be downplayed. All stakeholders are concerned about
why the system is turning out students with poor results. Authors (Ogunsaju, 2004;
Owoeye and Olatunde, 2011; Bertoni et al., 2017; Taylor et al., 2017; Ibrahim et
al., 2017; Suleiman et al., 2019) states that the academic standard in all Nigerian
educational institutions has fallen considerably below societal expectations. Blumende
(2001) corroborated this view when he reported that the decline in the quality of
education could not be ignored by anyone aware of the significant role of education
as an instrument of societal transformation and development. Bertoni et al. (2017)
traced the decline in education in Nigeria to the increasing incidence of communal
conflicts, which has resulted in displacement and forced migration and relocation.
a significant positive relationship between student reading habits and student
academic performance (r = 0.84). At F=1.31, there is no significant difference in
the reading habit of male and female students. Reading habit enhances the academic
performance of students. Therefore, students should be encouraged to inculcate in
them the reading habit by providing enabling environment and infrastructures that
will stimulate students to read.
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
The poor state of Nigerian secondary schools calls for concern. Many educators
(Usman, 2015; Kayode and Ayodele, 2015; Igboanusi and Peter, 2016) have
observed in the recent past that secondary schools have derailed in the provision
of qualitative education expected of them. Igboanusi and Peter (2016) reported the
public mass knowledge of senior school students’ failure. Many problems seem
to bedevil the system, thereby affecting student academic performance. Student
academic performance needs to be high in order to meet the country’s goal for
political, economic, and socially sustainable development. The extent to which
the school system can accomplish its stated objectives of the national policy on
education determines its level of effectiveness. It has, however, been observed that
students are not doing well in the secondary education level, and this seem to make
the society lose confidence in the educational system. For instance, student academic
performance, which members of the society used mainly to measure the effectiveness
of schools, has witnessed unprecedented setbacks. Studies (Ezenwafor and Amobi,
2016; Musah et al., 2017) have shown in their studies the extent of poor academic
performance of students in external examination. Musah et al. (2017) mentioned
that for science subjects such as Biology, there had been an increasing concern for
the public. Ezenwafor and Amobi (2016) reported the same for business-oriented
subjects. In their study, improved parental support and study habit were suggested.
Studies (Akibuiro and Joshua, 2004; Abdu-Raheem, 2015) reported that the
academic performance of secondary school students in the South-Western region of
Nigeria is poor. As Chauhan (2003) puts it, poor school achievement is a behavioural
deviation that is symptomatic of maladjustment. Similarly, national policy on
education FME (2004) and Okegbile (2003) noted that students’ achievement is
not only focused at preparation for a useful living but also eligibility for higher
education, which are attainable through excellent study skills, attitudes or methods.
Achievement processes have been viewed by the characteristics of students and
their environments, utilization of teaching-learning models, instructional materials
as well as the structural ability of the students. Several factors have been linked
with poor academic performance of students, which include poor reading or study
habits of a student. An Individual’s studying pattern/behaviour affect the amount of
information that such an individual adds to his or her short and long term memory.
In promoting academic excellence, study habits (Gbore, 2006a&b) and factors such
as effective use of time, student concentration, learning procedure, and consultations
(Adeyemo, 2005) have been identified to dictate the academic performance of students.
In Nigeria, the poor academic performance of secondary school students with its
negative consequences has been of concern to many parents, teachers, counsellors,
and educational administrators. The poor academic performance has been attributed
to lack of adequate teaching facilities, unqualified teachers, students’ poor study
habits, psychological adjustment problems such as anxiety, stress, and depression,
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
and students’ lack of financial support such as scholarships, bursary awards, and
loans. The problem in the educational system has been attributed to factors such
as poor remuneration of teachers, academic dishonesty, lack of school physical
facilities, and underfunding. Others are industrial disputes and corruption among
teachers, school administrators, and civil/public servants in Ministries of Education.
The numerous problems permeating the entire educational system in Nigeria to
be addressed considering the importance of education to national development.
Hence, this study intends to examine the influence of reading habits on the academic
achievement of students in Ibadan North local government.
Hypotheses
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between student reading habits and student
academic performance
HO2: There is no significant difference in the reading habit of male and female students
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Study Habit: This is a behavioural style that is systematically formed by students
towards learning and achievement. According to Ghulam (2013), study habits
are the students’ way of study, whether systematic, efficient, or inefficient.
It is viewed that good study habits are perceived to be the determinants of
academic performance. According to Prof. Dr. Thomas Wilmer in Ghulam
(2013), study behavior is mental readiness to learn. It is organized through
experiences, objects, and situations in the study. That means with the information
and Solutions of the Problems to keep the study behavior for academic goals
positive.
2. Study Skills: These are peculiar strategies developed by the students in studying.
3. Academic: This has been variously defined, but for this study, academics
are defined as college studies or learning; in other words, it designates the
intellectual aspect of education, particularly the final subject, which deals with
organized knowledge.
4. Academic Performance: This refers to the performance that falls within a
specified standard. The specified standard is usually called pass mark, and the
pass mark is a score above average in which students are considered having
passed and below which students are considered having failed. Ghulam (2013)
asserted that the performance of education besides other factors depends
upon study habits and study behavior of Students. Furthermore, the quality of
education is reflected through motivation, which is a function of study habits
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
and study behavior of students. A positive or adverse reaction to a specific
object of the study represents the study behavior.
5. Student: A person who is learning or studying at a place of higher or further
education. Without someone being a student, such a person cannot be said to
have study skills and habits. Without a person targeting a particular thing, which
in most cases is to be educated, there cannot be a performance to measure.
From the above, all the terms defined above are a function of the zeal to learn or
to be a student.
METHODOLOGY
The study employed a descriptive survey design.
Participants: A sample size of 300 students who were randomly selected from
five senior secondary schools participated in the study
Instrument: A self-constructed questionnaire was designed to elicit the necessary
information from respondents. The questionnaire was divided into four sections. The
first part was on the demographic characteristics and the socio-economic status of
the respondents, while the second part elicits information on the reading pattern of
the students. The third part gathers information on the study habit on the students.
The last section elicits information from the respondents on the factor affecting the
reading habits of students. Test-retest reliability was carried out using the Pearson-
Product Moment Correlation coefficient, which gave a value of 0.856 for two weeks,
and this was meant to ensure the stability of the scores over a while.
Method of Data Collection: Based on the human sensitivity of the students,
five classroom teachers were interviewed and also served as support staff in the
administering of the questionnaires.
Method of Data Analysis: Data was analyzed using inferential statistics. The
inferential statistics used were the Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient Technique
and ANOVA.
Results
The results of the study are presented here
Hypothesis 1
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between student reading habits and student
academic performance.
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
Table1 shows that there was positive significant relationship between student
reading habit and student academic performance (r = 0.84, N = 300, P < .05).
Therefore, the alternative hypothesis is accepted, and the null hypothesis is rejected.
Hypothesis 2
Ho2: There is no significant difference in the reading habit of male and female
students on students’ academic performance
The table shows that at F=1.31 and P>0.05, there was no significant difference in
the reading habit of male and female students. Therefore, the alternative hypothesis
is rejected, and the null hypothesis is accepted.
From the test of the two hypotheses set, the results showed that there was a
significant positive relationship between student reading habits and student academic
performance (r = 0.84, N = 300, P < .05). Although the relationship did not account
for any significant difference across gender as the analysis shows that at F=1.31
and P>0.05, there was no significant difference in the reading habit of male and
female students.
Table 1. Correlation between Students’ Reading Habit and Students’ Academic
Performance.
Mean S.D N R P-value Remark
Reading habit 14.6167 2.32977
300 0.84 <0.05 Sig.
Academic performance 1.8167 0.76047
Source: (Authors’ Compilation)
Table 2. Analysis of Variance of Reading Habit of Male and Female Students on
Students Academic Performance
Gender N Mean SD F P Remark
Male 145 14.3172 2.41438
1.31 >0.05 Not significant
Female 155 14.8968 2.21909
Dependent variable Reading habit
Source: (Authors’ Compilation)
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
READING HABIT OF STUDENTS
The concepts study habits, study method, learning method, study skill, learning
skill, and study attitude have been used differently and sometimes interchangeably.
However, the common characteristic of these concepts is the objective behind their
theoretical and practical explanations, which is directed towards enhancing students’
academic achievement (Biggs, 1970; Brown and Holtzman, 1976; Northey et al.,
2018; Albrecht and Karabenick, 2018). Study habit in this context is a behaviour
style which is systematically formed by students towards learning and achievement.
Bojuwoye (1993) asserted that one major area in which students need preparation in
order to improve their performance is in learning how to study. That lack of adequate
study habits is a common educational problem among secondary school students.
Study habits are learning tendencies that enable students to work privately.
Ikegbunam (1998) identified ‘making of study time-table’ as one of the study ‘skills’
for students. It is a propeller of better academic performance. This suggests that
study habit can either be excellent or poor; hence, Vipene (2005) opines that good
study habits are assets to the leaner because they (habits) assist students to attain
mastery in areas of excellent performance while the reverse constitution constraints
to learning and achievement leading to academic failure. Slain (2000) in Agina-Obu
et al. (2011) explain that study habits help to develop necessary student skills amid
at improvement in reading, comprehension, and examination performance.
An effective study technique (habit) could, therefore, be seen as a goal-oriented
or result-determined and systematically patterned way a student willingly and
consistently adopts in his private studies with a view to attaining success in his
academic activities. It could also be regarded as a success-driven device consciously
and consistently adopted by a student in his private study engagement in order to
achieve excellence in his period of academic tutelage. From the preceding, therefore,
he cannot achieve this without the awareness and use of various effective study
techniques (Habits).
Table 3 shows the study habit of the respondents. The researchers based on the
secondary school experience as an educator and the forty-five minutes scheduled for
each subject taught in the school investigated the students’ study habits. The result
shows that the distribution of the study habit of the students interviewed. From the
sample, some 7.3% find it difficult to private study of 45minutes. These 22 students
raise perceived classroom concerns for the teachers and educators. The students’
level of assimilation and capacity to sustain reading for this period is a significant
concern as many find it challenging to have a complete forty-five minutes study.
Based on an interview with some class teachers, one interviewee reported that in
some instances, a class teacher must incorporate visual renditions against complete
aural to accommodate some students that may be easily distracted before the forty-
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
five minutes subject tutorial time elapses. Although the table also reveals that some
(11.7%) students might find it difficult to get serious during study time. This can be
traced to uncoordinated study time among 16.3% of the students. The researchers
raise issues of uncoordinated study time among many students, as this might limit
the effectiveness of study among uncoordinated students. Chand (2013) mention
the dimension that study habit brings when subjects are planned for. The argument
is that the students defer in their capacity to plan and coordinate their study pattern.
From Table 3, the majority (85.7%, 70.3%, 80%, and 91.3%) reported to engage
in the habit of reviewing each subject regularly during the term, adequate preparation
without cramming, outline their course work when preparing for exams towards
Table 3. Secondary students study habits in Ibadan North LGA
S/N ITEMS YES NO
1 Are you able to study for a sustained period (at least forty-five minutes)? 278(92.7%) 22(7.3%)
2 Are you in the habit of getting right down to serious work at study time? 265(88.3%) 35(11.7%)
3Do you arrange your study time and area so that distractions and
interruption are minimized? 251(83.7%) 49(16.3%)
4 Are you in the habit of reviewing each subject regularly during the term? 257(85.7%) 43(14.3%)
5 Do you prepare for examination without cramming? 211(70.3%) 89(29.7%)
6 When preparing for exams, do you outline your course work? 240(80.0%) 60(20.0%)
7Are you able to anticipate important topics that might be covered on
exams? 274(91.3%) 26(8.7%)
8Do you make it a habit to prepare possible answers to essay questions in
advance? 257(85.7%) 43(14.3%)
9 Do you study regularly at a regular study time? 240(80.0%) 60(20.0%)
10 Do you schedule your time intelligently to cover all subjects? 249(83.0%) 51(17.0%)
11 Do you schedule social activities so that it will not interfere with
studying? 247(82.3%) 53(17.7%)
12 Do you rest adequately so that fatigue does not reduce efficiency? 239(79.7%) 61(20.3%)
13 Do you recognize the need to devote extra time to over learn certain
subjects? 240(80.0%) 60(20.0%)
14 Are you able to concentrate in class? 293(97.7%) 7(2.3%)
15 Are you able to listen while taking notes? 226(75.3%) 74(24.7%)
16 Do you use the library regularly? 113(37.7%) 187(62.3%)
17 Are you able to isolate and learn definitions? 277(92.3%) 23(7.7%)
18 Do you make it a habit to review daily for each class? 228(76.0%) 72(24.0%)
Source: (Authors’ Compilation)
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
the anticipation of topics to expected in the examination respectively. Many of the
students reported that they prepare a draft of possible essay questions in advance
in a way that they make efficient use of their time to cover all subjects intelligently.
The result reveals about 2 out of every ten respondents do outline their course work
when preparing for examination; do study regularly at a regular study time; do rest
properly so that fatigue does not reduce efficiency and do recognize the need to
devote extra time to over learn specific subjects. Also, almost all the respondents
can concentrate in class; this shows that the inability to concentrate in class is not
a problem among the respondents. It can also be observed that more respondents
do not use the library regularly compared to those that use the library regularly.
Furthermore, about 3 out of every ten respondents cannot prepare for examination
without cramming.
PATTERN OF READING HABIT OF STUDENTS
IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Reading habits, for this study, are defined as how often, how much, and what students
read. Over the years, researchers have devoted efforts to examining learners’ reading
habits concerning gender (Scales and Rhee, 2001; Razia, 2015; McGeown, 2015),
income (Razia, 2015), age (McGeown, 2015), educational background (van Bergen
et al., 2017), employment status (Ahmad et al., 2014), and career and professional
growth (Womack and Chandler, 1992; Wood et al., 1995; Erdem, 2015). McGeown
(2015) opine that teacher awareness of gender and age differences is a crucial factor
in encouraging reading habits among adolescents. Studies (Stanchfield and Fraim,
1979; Scales and Rhee, 2001; Summers, 2013; McGeown, 2015) reported that
choice of what to read ranges from automobiles, physical and masculine activity,
sports, occupations, music, and travel for males and sexes, shopping, cooking,
advertisements, Bible, magazine cartoons, and comic books for females. Despite
the diversity in the choice of what to read, Patterson (1986) iterates that girls devote
more time to reading than boys.
The quality of time spent and reading habits often determine varied on academic
performance. Especially as a technological effect on reading presents mixed results
(Caverly and Peterson, 2000). For instance, Sheorey and Mokhtari (1994) indicated
that there is no significant difference between high and low- proficient readers about
the amount of time spent reading academic or nonacademic materials, Gallik (1999)
study established a positive relationship between students’ cumulative grade-point
average and time spent reading for pleasure during vacations. Also, in a study that
comprised of 600 secondary school pupils across 100 secondary schools, Ogunrombi
and Adio (1995) found that home conditions did interfere with reading. The study
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
contends what the authors’ termed “induced reading” owing to the rigid time table,
well-structured reading venues, clubs, and libraries, and update reading resources
(professional teacher and librarians, equipment, and materials) that are available to
encourage student reading culture. Ameyaw and Anto (2018:1) narrated that the lack
of a conducive home environment hinders their reading habits t when they are at
home. Their study suggested that parents should help their children to have a serene
reading environment when they are at home. This finding aligns with the views of
Morrison and Cooney (2001), who iterates that conducive home conditions towards
learning and studying provide a necessary emotional and psychological stability for
students. Le et al. (2019) further mentioned that home condition often dictates the
choice of reading and the time spent to read.
The study attempts to examine students’ reading patterns. The authors’ classified
the sources of reading materials based on the country experience and preliminary
informal discussions with the classroom teachers of the schools that were sampled
for the study.
From the analysis, Table 4 shows the distribution of the reading pattern of students.
The result shows that the majority of the respondents sometimes read newspapers
and magazines. When student choices of reading a textbook and class notes were
made, it was revealed that the majority of the respondents sometimes read their class
notes compare to textbooks and other kinds of material. The reading of emails was
quite low based on the analysis (Table 4), which shows that only 69 respondents out
of the 300 respondents sometimes read emails. It can be discovered from the result
that a majority (34.3%) of the respondents never read emails. Also, the majority
(56.3% and 50.0% respectively) of the respondents sometimes read newspapers and
magazines. Most of the often read textbooks but read their notebooks very often.
Table 4. Frequency of reading according to material sources
S/N ITEMS Never Rarely Sometimes Often Very often
1 Newspaper 16(5.3%) 56(18.7%) 169(56.3%) 41(13.7%) 18(6.0%)
2 Magazines 33(11.0%) 52(17.3%) 150(50.0%) 51(17.0%) 14(4.7%)
3 Textbooks 2(0.7%) 22(7.3%) 44(14.7%) 133(44.3%) 99(33.0%)
4 Class notes 4(1.3%) 20(6.7%) 32(10.7%) 95(31.7%) 149(49.7%)
5 Novels 16(5.3%) 52(17.3%) 95(31.7%) 74(24.7%) 63(21.0%)
6 Email 103(34.3%) 59(19.7%) 69(23.0%) 35(11.7%) 34(11.3%)
7 Online information 59(19.7%) 60(20.0%) 78(26.0%) 51(17.0%) 52(17.3%)
Source: (Authors’ Compilation)
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
The result also reveals that the respondents do not consult or read other material
much except their textbooks and class notes, this is more important considering
the amount of information available online on the internet, and they rarely consult
it. This is asserted by only 34.3% that regularly consult online related educational
information. Esther and Oluwatoyin (2018) pointed that despite the relevance of
information communication technology of education development, the focus is placed
on the financial (legal and illegal) and social relevance of the online information
bank. It was iterated that why the internet service might not be readily available in
some schools, the use among the students for educational related learning and reading
is limited. Situated within the discussion of Arohunmolase (2006), where Yoruba
language and has been trending on the global scene, the relevance of the internet
and email cannot be downplayed. Idehen and Oshodin (2008) identified that all the
necessary learning materials are key to both learning and teaching.
This internet material limitation is further affected by a lack of reading material
and textbooks in many of the public secondary schools. Observation revealed that
access to the textbook is often based on private individual access to text materials,
as most teachers depend on repeatedly used reading material. Studies by Adebayo
(2001), Idehen and Oshodin (2008), and Owoeye and Olatunde (2011) all point
to lack or weak development of textbook that speaks to the education quality and
sustainability in Nigeria. In the view of Nwafor and Umoke (2016), aver the access
and use of quality textbooks towards improving students’ education and teachers’
teaching process. Willaims (2016) iterated this when it was mentioned that education
regulating the body must create ensure the quality of the textbook used for the
teaching must be up to standard.
STUDENT READING CULTURE AND
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Access to information is crucial to individual advancement as well as corporate,
educational development. Information is indispensable, and it bridges the gap
between knowledge and illiteracy (Yusuf, 2007). Kolawole (2005) sees reading as
the fulcrum or cornerstone of literacy, and that without it, there can be no literacy.
Reading offers a productive approach to human development as it is the foundation
upon which other academic skills are built. Tella and Akande (2007) assert that the
ability to read is at the heart of self-education and lifelong learning and that it is an
art capable of transforming life and society. Yani (2003) posits that reading habits
of Nigerians are a matter of concern in our educational and national development,
stating further that in a developing country like Nigeria, the concept of reading
habits should not be relegated to the background.
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
Reading is the bedrock of any formal form of education. It is a cornerstone of
any academic endeavour or success. Its proficiency is the royal road to knowledge
and success in all academic subjects. Kolawole (2005) also noted that reading is
fundamental to learning, and so a child’s ability to read is the centre of the education
process. The complexity of reading is mainly geared at recognising and understanding
written and printed words (Mabekoje, 2005). It is essential in all phases of life
because of the practical purposes it serves. Therefore, if the child must develop
well as a social being, he needs to cultivate desirable reading attitudes and interests.
To ascertain if there is a relationship between reading interests and reading
achievement, scholars, and teachers have all along with advanced possible causes
of low or under-achievement of students in school subjects. Subject teachers have
concentrated on diagnosing textbooks used, teachers’ method and personality, difficult
concepts, curriculum contents, among others, as influencing students’ performance.
However, educational researchers have identified poor motivation, study habit,
attitude, planning (pre- and post- by teachers and students), adjustment, and lack
of self-concept, among others as possible causes of poor academic achievement
(Akinboye, 1974; Emeke, 1984; Ezewu 1987; Oheari, 1994; Akinsolu, 2010). A
study by Aduwa (2004), on determinants of students’ academic success, reported
that a student’s home environment, their cognitive abilities, self-esteem, self-concept,
study habits, and motivation affect their academic success. Contrary to this, Iyamu
(2005) contended that the provision of all these factors might not have a significant
impact on successful learning if the learners are not exposed to competent principals,
teachers, and other school teams.
FACTORS INFLUENCING STUDENTS READING HABIT
Reading habits are the practices of people to seek reading material and devote
time to reading deliberately. The need for information and knowledge motivates
people toward reading. Reading is a source of pleasure, intellectual satisfaction,
and knowledge attainment. There are two types of non-readers, those who know
how to read but do not read enough, and those people who have not been trained to
read. There are many reasons for these poor study habits and attitudes. This includes
absence of a reading culture, illiteracy, weak purchasing power, weak education
system and inadequate library systems, poor preparation of teachers, lack of interest,
poor libraries, absence of a conducive reading environment, home background,
unmotivated library staff, non-availability of required reading material, lack of adult
readers as models, lack of resource materials (Ojo, 2003). Jung (2016) mentioned
that why there is no clear implication of male reading role models among students
as investigated, the change in the overall reading attitude cannot be ignored as the
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
intervention brought about a better appreciation in the reading activity. Applegate
and Applegate (2004) mentioned that the peter effect might better serve as a means
of promoting student reading engagement by teachers as they are pupils, main
role models. Mansor (2013:363) mentioned that good role modeling by mothers
who are themselves readers have an additional impact on sealing-in the potential
reading habit. The argument here is that parents as role models are better reading
influencers for students.
The relevance of the environment (home, physical, parent interest and structure
of study time) that are conducive for developing reading habits among students has
been contended by Iftikhar (2002, pp. 21-26). Iterating the environment effect, a
comparative study between high and low socio-economic status students parents’ in
Ile-Ife, Nigeria by Lasisi and Adeyanju (1991) revealed a variance in story preference
among school pupils. Evidence shows that low-income primary two children showed
high interest in fairy tales and in stories that focus on animals. At the same time,
their high-income counterparts preferred stories based on the foreign (western)
culture, although they also preferred animal stories. The researchers thus inferred
that both socio-economic status and cultural background seemed to influence the
learners’ reading preferences.
Obafemi (2006) opined that the unsustainable economic condition of the country,
which has subjected many citizens to poverty, indirectly dictates reading culture
among Nigerians. The perception is that reading was expensive and had become
leisure; most people could ill afford it. Also, the in-thing, according to him, was
that people prefer to stay in their homes and watch home videos. Commeyras (2001)
sermonize the downtrodden nature of the quest for education and knowledge owing to
weak socio-economic level and quality of life. She recommended an anthropological
approach to the concept of reading, meaning the examination of the broader existing
culture in which reading is to be promoted. This is because, according to her, it has
been acknowledged that there may be values in the broader culture that interfere with
the culture of reading that is being promoted—Nigerians like talking and interacting
socially when they are in the company of one another. Reading is individualistic
and is bound to meet with specific difficulties since Africans find it idle and boring.
Responding to the research question of what factors influence students’ habits,
the researchers developed a Likert scale based on some identified modifiable factors
from literature discussed above. Table 5 shows that about 78% of the respondents
believed that the home environment as a significant influence on students reading
habits. Narrating this, a teacher reported that there where instances when experiences
of students at home affect their performance, assimilation, and reading habit. This
was explained as about 6 out of every ten respondents believe parental interest affect
the respondents’ reading habit. In the same vein, 3 out of every ten respondents do
not believe that physical environment do influence student reading habit.
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Evidence from Table 5 shows that only 61% of the respondents believed that
illiteracy has a significant influence on students reading habits. Investigating the
table further, 4 out of every ten respondents do not believe that reduced purchasing
power can affect students’ reading habits. Although 70% of the sample respondents
believed that a weak education system and inadequate library system influence
students’ reading habits. The lack of adequate educational resources such as the library
conditions and lack of library facility influenced almost half of the respondents,
not believing that lack of information about published journals is an influence on
students’ reading habits.
CONCLUSION
Reading is the bedrock of any formal form of education. It is a cornerstone of any
academic endeavour or success. It is the fulcrum or cornerstone of literacy, and
without it, there can be no literacy. Reading is a communication process in which
information is transmitted from a writer to a reader. The transmission can be through
written symbols, which the reader decoded as a result of experience. It is at the school
setting that the importance of reading is best appreciated because books constitute
the bulk of learning resources. Student’s success depends on the extent to which he/
she can obtain information from prints quickly and efficiently.
Table 5. Modifiable factors that influence students study habits
S/N ITEM SA A D SD
1 Home environment 100(33.3%) 135(45.0%) 36(12.0%) 29(9.7%)
2 Parent’s interest 77(25.7%) 118(39.3%) 64(21.3%) 41(13.7%)
3 Physical environment 68(22.7%) 137(45.7%) 73(24.3%) 22(7.3%)
4 Distribution of study time 76(25.3%) 129(43.0%) 53(17.7%) 42(14.0%)
5 Absence of a reading culture 97(32.3%) 107(35.7%) 59(19.7%) 37(12.3%)
6 Illiteracy 102(34.0%) 83(27.7%) 70(23.3%) 45(15.0%)
7 Poor purchasing power 73(24.3%) 104(34.7%) 78(26.0%) 45(15.0%)
8Weak education system and inadequate
library system 97(32.3%) 120(40.0%) 50(16.7%) 33(11.0%)
9 Absence of conducive reading environment 85(28.3%) 130(43.3%) 59(19.7%) 26(8.7%)
10 Non-availability of required reading
material 85(28.3%) 132(44.0%) 60(20.0%) 23(7.7%)
11 Lack of information about published
journal 49(16.3%) 114(38.0%) 105(35.0%) 32(10.7%)
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A) and Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD)
Source: (Authors’ Compilation)
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Reading is one of the most fundamental components of school curricula. It
involves the recognition and understanding of the nature of the linguistics symbols
that constitute written language. Reading is an active process that requires full
concentration and thinking ability of the reader. Reading proficiency is the royal
road to knowledge; it is essential to success in all academic subjects. It is an essential
means of acquiring success in formal education; reading plays a significant role.
Efforts should be made to teach the pupils how to read. Kolawole (2005) also noted
that reading is fundamental to learning, and so a child’s ability to read is the centre
of the education process. The success or failure of students is often attributed to
the student attitude to reading. A student who could not read cannot benefit from
formal education. The ability to read and comprehend is a skill that a student requires
to be successful in his/her academic pursuit. That is why this study examined the
effects of reading habits on the academic performance of students in Ibadan North
local government.
The study reveals that there was a significant positive relationship between
student reading habit and student academic performance (r = 0.84, N = 300, P <
.05) and at F=1.31 and P>0.05 there is no significant difference in the reading habit
of male and female students.
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the findings from this study, the researchers suggest the following:
• The study suggests the redesigning of the study materials according to the
design ideology and templates of a magazine to further encourage reading
among students. The study suggests the redesigning of the study materials
according to the design ideology and templates of a magazine to further
encourage reading among students.
• Improved coordination and organisation of study time are suggested, as this
will bring about more productive study time.
• Reading culture should be inculcated into the students at an early stage.
Teachers should use teaching methods and approaches that would make
students have an interest in reading. The parents, the teachers, and curriculum
developers should play their part collectively and individually in developing
interest, positive perception, and attitude of students towards reading.
• The government should provide an enabling environment that will stimulate
students to read. The media, in conjunction with curriculum developers,
should develop programmes that would develop, enhance, and promote
excellent reading habits in the students.
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Inuence of Reading Habit on Student Academic Performance in a Senior Second School
The researchers believe that if these recommendations are implemented
holistically, the reading habit of students will be further enhanced hence impacting
their academic performance.
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