Welcome all! Happy new year! It’s been a minute! Between the holidays and the new year, who has time to write anymore?! Well, I guess it needs to become of my new year’s resolutions, because I genuinely enjoy to write and really miss it. As a mom it’s sometimes hard to find the time, but I was specifically motivated to write about something today that has been on my mind. As an elementary teacher who has a passion for books and reading I am always trying to come up with ways to ensure children have a positive experience during a read aloud or their own independent reading time but have most importantly understood everything that was said.

And so, as the title suggests, today’s blog post will be about a student’s ability to have a choice and pick the piece of writing they will read. The question in fact is then on whether or not that positively or negatively affects their reading comprehension and how much so. There is a huge variety of written works that students can choose from for a reading session. Students can buy books outside of school as well as check out books from inside their school. It is important to note that if students can read any book they want outside of school that then teachers should pick the book they read? Well, not necessarily right? Because not all students have the ability to go and buy any book they want. Many factors come into play with that such as background and economic abilities. However, even with that being said, not all educators allow their students to choose their book for assigned reading. While some teachers do encourage students to pick any book from their classroom or school’s library and read from it, other teachers will pick the book that the entire class has to read. In the end, reading is a very positive thing, and in both scenarios teachers mean well with their actions ofcourse. However, which group of students ends up understanding their text better? Does it make a difference? Ultimately, the goal is for students to be able to read a text and fully understand it to the point where they can explain it themselves. However, what does choice have to do with that? Does it play a significant role? Or can students just as easily understand a text they dislike compared to one they do find interesting?

In the academic journal: ”The effects of manipulating choice on children’s enjoyment and performance in a reading task” Lisa Fridkin and Jane Hurry included the following: ”Choice has long been recognised as an important and powerful motivational variable (e.g., deCharms, 1968; Lewin, 1952; Patall, 2012) and may be highly effective in educational settings, successfully impacting intrinsic motivation and interest levels (e.g. Asher & Harackiewicz, 2024; Tegmark et al., 2022; Wang & Eccles, 2013).”

Is it worth to say then that a student that has chosen a written work for reading purely based on their own interests automatically means that they will instantly be more motivated to complete the reading task? Does that alone however ensure their understanding of the text as well? In the academic journal: ”The effects of manipulating choice on children’s enjoyment and performance in a reading task” Lisa Fridkin and Jane Hurry mention the following: ”Choice was found to significantly affect comprehension scores (Cohen’s d = 0.52) and reported task enjoyment (Cohen’s d = 0.23), indicating that choice impacts engagement with a reading text. Effects did not vary by gender or ability. Reading motivation promoted by situational interest may play an important role in reading comprehension and choice may be an effective trigger for situational interest in a reading task and a powerful intrinsic motivator. Situational interest, triggered by choice, may be effective in raising enjoyment levels for a reading task.”

As a teacher myself, I personally believe that giving students the choice to pick what they will read is a good thing to do. However, I also believe that it is ok to have an assigned book for the class too which would count as group work. Group work is just as important as individual work, because students can unite and combine knowledge coming up with better ideas. It is a good thing then for students to come together with a piece of literature and discuss or debate about it. Students can learn better or more efficiently by working together and sharing their thoughts. However, if motivation impacts their interest I feel it is safe to say that giving the whole class the ability to pick the class book is a good way to go. Although, it might be difficult and not all students will be satisfied with the end results, there are ways to go about this. An interesting and plausible idea would be for students to put it to a vote. The classroom can vote for certain books in order to decide the one book for the whole classroom. This process also promotes the ideals of democracy, automatically teaching students future skills and the importance of voting for what you believe in and understanding the responsibility that comes with that. The book that gets voted will be the book that everyone ends up with, and so the students will learn to take the process seriously. However, also knowing that just because you voted and believed in something, the majority always rules and that is the reality of life. It’s a good lesson for students and a fair way for students to pick the top book for their class. A clever way for an educator to promote ideals while ensuring comprehension and the improvement of skills indeed.

In the end, any and all reading is encouraged on this site. And it is safe to say, that as long as students are reading you have done something right! However, it’s always best to keep in mind your target audience and to keep it fun! I have to get back to my own book now . . . one that I picked myself to read during the holidays 🙂 But let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Talk soon,

Georgette – Teaching Little Readers