“We’re Never Going to Make Readers if Reading Is Always Difficult”: How Students’ Reading Habits Affect Upper-Secondary-School Teachers’ English Literature Instruction

Abstract: Despite the consensus that reading is good for the individual, teachers seem to report the existence of a different mindset in the classroom as they struggle to motivate students to read. Research has indicated the existence of a growing gap between weak and strong readers, and that the fast-paced and technologically advanced society of today is noticeably affecting students’ reading habits. However, previous research has often chosen to focus on specific topics concerning students’ reading but has failed to address how teachers are affected by this situation and how it affects their literature instruction. This thesis attempts to understand how seven English upper-secondary teachers in Sweden are affected by their students’ disposition to read fiction, their levels of motivation, and how their attitudes towards doing so are demonstrated in the classroom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with these teachers to gather information about how they experienced this situation, along with which methods and strategies they chose to use when teaching fiction to students of varying levels of reading proficiency. The results of this study confirm the existence of a gap between levels of reading proficiency and highlight how important it is to provide support and strategies adapted to the students’ varying needs. An appropriate reading environment, a focus on students’ interests and backgrounds, and a well-structured literature unit are necessary when working to improve students’ reading habits and their ability to read for pleasure.