Good readers but at a cost? Attitudes to reading in England

The results of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2001 (PIRLS) were reported in 2003. In addition to data about the reading achievements of 10-year-olds in 35 countries, the study also collected questionnaire information from children, their teachers, headteachers and parents. One aspect of the data that attracted comment in the media was the fact that, despite high achievement on the reading tests, children in England were reported as having relatively poor attitudes to reading, compared to children in many other countries. A review of the results of selected surveys over the past 30 years suggests that there may be some evidence of attitudes to reading in primary schools becoming less positive. Preliminary analysis of the attitude and achievement data from PIRLS suggests a more complex picture than that presented in the summary index published in 2003. What has been shown with rather more certainty is twofold. First, there is a lack of data gathered consistently concerning reading attitudes – the cycle of international surveys (PIRLS and PISA) and the proposed repeat surveys by Sainsbury should go some way to ameliorating this situation, although the marked absence of longitudinal studies remains. Second, the precise construction of items concerning attitudes is critical, especially when the instrument is being administered to young children. This suggests the need for trialling and review of attitude instruments before their large-scale use.