A survey of the leisure reading of junior high school students in the province of Newfoundland

Lane, Barbara Ann (1985) A survey of the leisure reading of junior high school students in the province of Newfoundland. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This study was designed to gather information on the leisure reading habits and interests of junior high school students in the province of Newfoundland. The population surveyed was randomly selected from four Newfoundland School Boards considered to be representative of the Newfoundland school population. The questionnaire method was used to collect the necessary information from the students and one hundred percent return was achieved. -- Results showed that a high percentage of the students surveyed enjoyed reading in their leisure time, although girls were more likely than were boys to read for enjoyment. Although there were some interests common to both sexes, there was a marked difference between reading choices of boys and girls. -- Both boys and girls indicated a strong interest in mystery/adventure stories and stories about young people. With respect to the genres, girls reported a preference for novels and boys a preference for short stories. Poetry was of little interest to either sex. Both sexes preferred fiction to fact, prose to poetry, plays to essays and magazines to newspapers. -- The students reported that the greatest deterrents to their leisure reading were lack of time and the lack of interesting books. The books on the supplementary reading list were not widely read by the students of either sex. The book's title and the influence of movies and television were the two greatest influences on students' choices in books. -- A number of recommendations for improvement in the leisure reading programs in Newfoundland are presented as a result of the conclusions reached in this study.

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