| This study examined two groups of eighth-grade readers to determine whether those who participated in a literature-based approach to reading would differ significantly in the areas of reading achievement, attitude toward methodology and materials, and relationship of attitude to achievement, than would those who participated in a basal approach to reading instruction. The subjects for the study were 80 students ranging in age from 13 to 16 who attended the junior-high school of the Daniel Boone School District in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.;Reading instruction for both groups took place during three, 42 minute periods of a six-day cycle in the 1992-1993 academic year. A randomized pretest-posttest control group design was utilized to compare the gains demonstrated by each group in reading achievement, attitude toward methodology and materials, and relationship of attitude to reading achievement. Measures of central tendency and variations, Pearson r correlation coefficients, and analysis of covariance were utilized to examine the data.;The statistical analysis indicated that neither group demonstrated significant differences or gains in the areas of reading achievement, attitude toward methodology and materials, and relationship of attitude to reading achievement. However, two interesting results occurred from the analysis. One, the basal group was more satisfied with the reading of a basal textbook and the interest level of the reading materials. Two, the basal group demonstrated a significant difference between total attitude toward methodology and materials and posttest scores of reading comprehension and total reading achievement.;From the findings, several recommendations were considered for practitioners and further research. Reading instruction should not be relegated to one specific approach, but rather to a multitude of approaches which incorporate the optimal goals and objectives for subsequent gains in reading achievement and attitude toward reading. Additional studies in the field of secondary reading are necessary not only to further investigate literature-based and basal approaches to reading instruction, but also to provide ancillary reading research for practitioners. |
