An investigation into factors relating to the reading habits of Indian secondary school pupils in the Phoenix area

Abstract

This research is concerned with an investigation into the factors relating to the reading habits of Indian secondary school pupils in the Phoenix area. It is important to acknowledge that among our youth there are both avid and reluctant readers during and after the period of formal education. It is the group of reluctant readers that has to be lured by the magic of reading. There is a remarkable variation in the reading habits of pupils from the same school. A self-designed questionnaire was administered to 544 boys and girls from standards 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The descriptive data available were then analysed and interpreted. The study revealed that the amount of time spent on reading and the number of books read (which together determined reading habits) by pupils was influenced by such factors as home, school, social environment, socioeconomic status, the influence of other media and the personal aspect