Middle School Reading Clubs: A First Step Toward Increasing Pleasure-Reading Time

• Main Author: Fazzone, James
• Format: Others
• Published: NSUWorks 2000
• Subjects: education; middle school; reading; Education
• Online Access: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/70; https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1069&context=fse_etd

This report describes the plans for, implementation of, and results of a reading club program conducted at a middle school. This program was a modification of an unsuccessful one that was criticized by the staff and students for lack of structure and meaning. The literature supported the need for students taking time out of the school day for pleasure reading. Krashen (1993), Atwell (1998), and Irvin (1998) all have recommended that students should be permitted to read appropriate reading materials of their choice and that they should be provided with a wide range of materials from which to choose. Therefore, a revised club program, the Take Time To Read Club, designed to offer an alternative to pullout clubs, was agreed upon by a club revision committee. Three objectives were established. The 1st objective was to increase the amount of time students spent reading for pleasure. The 2nd objective was to improve the perception of the reading club program as measured by an 80% positive response rate to a faculty survey. The 3rd objective was to increase reading achievement levels by at least 5% as measured by Metropolitan Achievement Test and Grade 8 Early Warning Test (New Jersey State Department of Education, 1997) scores. None of the 3 objectives was completely realized as the result of this practicum. However, increases did occur in pleasure-reading times in instances when motivational factors were present. Also, teachers' positive perceptions did increase by 22% to 57%. There were slight increases in test scores in the 6th and 7th grades.