| There is a common belief that as children get older, their interest in reading declines. Young children, from preschool to approximately fourth grade, enjoy a "reading romance," but this begins to disappear around fourth grade and continues to decrease during adolescence.; This research study provides a unique and intense retrospective of sixth grade students. Open-ended interviews were conducted in which 12 sixth grade participants (4 high readers, 4 average readers, and 4 low readers) related their literacy experiences. They provided insight into their reading interest and identified specific reading motivators and specific reading inhibitors at each grade level (grades 1 through 6).; Findings suggested that children enjoy reading. Not one participant experienced a decline in reading interest with age. Six participants experienced a gradual increase in reading throughout the grades. Three students began first grade with a high desire to read, which was maintained throughout the grades. The remaining three students reported sporadic interests in reading throughout the grades, but rated their reading interest high in sixth grade.; In general, the results suggested that an increase in reading interest was the result of identifiable reading motivators, and a decline in reading interest was the result of identifiable reading inhibitors. Reading motivators most frequently were "home run books," "sustained silent reading at school," "teacher read alouds," "visits to school library," "free reading at home," "series books," "visits to public library," "classroom library," "sustained silent reading at home," "teacher's enjoyment of reading," and "book recommendations." Reading inhibitors most frequently identified were "worksheets/written assignments," "assigned books/stories," "round robin reading," "limited classroom library," "limited/no sustained silent reading at school," "homework," and "limited/no teacher read alouds."; High, average, and low readers identified the same reading motivators and inhibitors. High readers experienced a greater number of reading motivators than average or low readers, with low readers experiencing the least amount of reading motivators. Low readers experienced a greater number of reading inhibitors than average or high readers, with high readers experiencing the least amount of reading inhibitors. |
