The Joy of Reading Annette Ukkola Riitta-Liisa Korkeamäki University of Oulu

Background many researches, such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), indicate that Finnish students are among the top- readers in international comparison since the first survey PISA 2000 BUT... students' motivation, commitment to reading and attitude towards reading are not on the same high level than their skills the school alone can not support students enough to engage and get motivated in reading (Kupari, Sulkunen, Vettenranta, Nissinen 2012)

Reading motivation Relatively good readers tend to read more, which increases their competence and reading ability. Increasing competence is motivating, and increasing motivation leads to more reading Guthrie & Wigfield 2000, Guthrie & al Motivation is the link between frequent reading and reading achievement Guthrie & Wigfield 2000

Supporting motivation choice challenge controlconstructing meanings cooperation MOTIVATION

The Education and Culture Ministry of Finland founded a literacy programme called (literally “joy of reading” or “desire to read”) Implemented by the University of Oulu during the years The target groups are students (6-16 years), teachers, librarians and parents

aims to support students' diverse reading and writing skills and desire to read, and their use of different texts, including media content create a co-operating model for teachers, librarians and students' parents to enhance their awareness, expertise and resources in the field of new literacies/ multiliteracies

Howworks? 32 school and library pairs around Finland develop ways to improve teaching and learning the piloting schools and libraries share conventions and working models they have created themselves during the programme the students have an important role in testing of appropriate activities that inspire their own age group, and their parents are taken along in efforts to inspire children to read

Research the goal is to research possible impact of the programme on students' reading habits and reading amount, and find out the best practises the best models and practises will be distributed nationally Study is ongoing

Howworks? 32 school and library pairs around Finland develop ways to improve teaching and learning the piloting schools and libraries share conventions and working models they have created themselves during the programme the students have an important role in testing of appropriate activities that inspire their own age group, and their parents are taken along in efforts to inspire children to read

Methods Quantitative data is collected by internet questionnaires the pilot groups are compared with control groups which are not participating in the programme Qualitative data is collected by observations and interviews

Howworks? 32 school and library pairs around Finland develop ways to improve teaching and learning the piloting schools and libraries share conventions and working models they have created themselves during the programme the students have an important role in testing of appropriate activities that inspire their own age group, and their parents are taken along in efforts to inspire children to read

What the pilot schools have done? Traditional practices: reading diplomas, booktalk, reading aloud to teddy bears, genre months, reading circles, presentations... New practices: literacy market, orienteering in the library, animating comics and movies, digital booktalk, collaborative writing competitions, information retrieval lessons, literary arts, making computer games, writing blogs...

Reading diploma A student can perform a reading diploma by reading books from different groups (picture books, comic books, fairytales, domestic tales, foreign tales, poems) Book worm A student can add one body segment to the book worm for each book he or she has read

Newspaper on the wall Students write their own news and they are printed on the wall

Virtual author visit content/uploads/sites/2/2014/04/Epp uJaIsla.jpg

Literacy market There are various market booths where students have different kinds of literacy exercises File:Kyoto_shimogamo_book_ market.jpg

Fishing poems A student can catch a poem with a fishing pole (with help of an adult behind the folding screen)

Creating miniature worlds

Some results n=198, 6-8 year olds/ 0-2 grade