The data set I plan to examine comes from the Digest of Education Statistics. It lists the “average reading scale scores and percentage distribution of 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds, by amount of reading for school, frequency of reading for fun, and time spent doing homework and watching TV/video: Selected years, 1984 through 2008.” The link to the data set is http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d09/tables/dt09_118.asp.
I plan to examine the effects of the listed behaviors and choices with reading performance. I would like to analyze the relationship between frequency of reading for fun and time spent watching TV or videos with reading scores. As a teacher, I have found that students who voluntarily spend more time with books tend to be better readers. This leads to higher test scores and greater overall academic achievement.
Looking back at your own school experiences, or perhaps drawing on your children’s experiences, do you agree with my view? Do you think that children (and adults) who are avid readers of fiction are better at analyzing and understanding academic material? Do you think TV viewing has a negative effect on reading ability?
1 comment:
Sandra,
I love the concept for your research.
My daughter love to read, she's three and will 'read' the Economist from front to back and then back to front. ~10 hours a week of tele
My little sister, 11, unlimited access to TV's, and they are usually on all day long in three different rooms in the house, including her own room. She was an extremely extraordinary avid reader until time stipulations from school changed her relationship to reading last year, and since, does not read for her own pleasure much.
I had unlimited TV as well growing up and love to read.
I would say that familiarity with fiction in personal experiences would facilitate understanding academic material.
I am hesitant to say that TV viewing has a negative effect on reading ability.
I saw an interesting study on Yahoo within the last week about the negative social and psychological effects of even 2 hours a day, on children due to TV viewing.
Good luck!
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