Promoting affective and cognitive aspects of reading through read alouds: Reading engagement for Saudi Arabian fourth grade students

Most students in the KSA read only in school to meet the benchmarks for passing the grade level as set by the reading curriculum. The culture and environment of Saudi Arabian schools reduces the likelihood that students will read for enjoyment and personal growth. The purpose of this case study was to examine the positioning of students and the teacher with regard to their understanding of reading and reading activities before and after the implementation of a reading intervention program. More specifically, the research focused on how reading aloud influences students’ understanding of reading and their level of reading engagement by creating a reading culture that give students access to books, choice in reading, and time to read. The qualitative study participants included five female students and the classroom teacher. Data collection in one fourth grade classroom over a five-week period of time included interviews, surveys, classroom observations, and researcher’s reflective journal. Findings suggest that reading aloud practices positively influence students reading for pleasure; students exhibited improved attitudes toward reading and more prolonged engagement with reading. Findings further suggest that providing students with access to books, choices about what they read, and time to read enhances their reading development in both the cognitive and non-cognitive realm. Moreover, there is a relationship between the cognitive and affective aspects of reading. When students value reading and enjoy reading, they tend to better understand the necessary skills and strategies of a good reader. The classroom teacher was enthusiastic about the introduced reading program and was excited by the changes in students’ interest in reading and their cognitive development. However, she expressed reservations about how she might incorporate the reading intervention program, with its increased focus on student reading for pleasure, into the existing reading curriculum and instruction. That notwithstanding, the findings suggest the potential of the program for helping students to become more motivated readers and more strategic readers.