“I Hate to Read-Or Do I?” Low-Achievers and Their Reading

Phase 2 of the Barnstable Study of a web-based summer reading program focuses on low-achieving students who had a low participation rate in the first two years of the program. The researchers interviewed and surveyed seventy students who formed seven focus groups. This study challenges assumptions about struggling readers. Do struggling readers consider themselves readers outside of school, where they have choices that relate to what they like to do? Do they read? What do they read? Do they really hate to read? Gender and grade level emerged as factors in participation rates in the program. Student responses emphasized the importance of relevance of reading materials to reading preferences. Low achievers had a strong preference for alternative reading materials.