E. van Schooten

The relation between attitude toward reading adolescent literature and literary reading behavior

Abstract The research presented in this article concludes that the widely accepted Model of Planned Behavior (MPB) is an adequate model for measuring the attitude toward reading adolescent literature [By ‘adolescent literature’ we mean works of fiction to be read by middle grade students. These can be works like ‘Huckleberry Finn’, but also more modern works of fiction aiming at middle grade readers or even adults] of students in grades 7–9 of secondary education. Of all attitude components distinguished in the MPB the strongest predictors of the actual reading of adolescent literature appear to be the cognitive and affective attitude and the intentions. The subjective norm and the perceived behavioral control are hardly connected with the reading behavior. On average, students in higher grades, students following lower types of education and boys appear to have less favorable attitudes to adolescent literature and to read less adolescent literature. Results are discussed in relation to educational implications and implications for theories and research into reading behavior and the attitude towards reading adolescent literature.

The development of literary response in secondary education

Abstract In a longitudinal study the development of literary response of students in upper secondary education is investigated. The theoretical model of literary response is corroborated. In addition, all seven aspects of literary response measured for this study decrease with age from grade 7 to 11. On average, in grade 7 students take a positive position towards six of these response aspects. The one negative response score indicates that students do not like to link characteristics of the author to aspects of his or her work. In grade 11 students show a negative response towards three of the seven aspects of literary response. The decrease in literary response scores is less for girls, for students with larger vocabularies, for students who read much fiction in their spare time and for students coming from a culturally more sophisticated home environment. Literary education that emphasizes text experiencing slows down the decrease in literary response scores in all grades. Structural analysis and literary history also slacken the decrease in response scores, but only in higher grades. Structural analysis seems inappropriate for students younger than 15 years. Educational and research implications are discussed.

Ethnic Disparities in Dutch Juvenile Justice

In the Netherlands, ethnic minority boys are heavily overrepresented in prisons and secure judicial institutions for juveniles. In a sample of 324 juveniles of both native Dutch and ethnic minority origin who have come into contact with the Dutch criminal justice authorities, we compared the number of days the 2 groups were kept in detention. We also looked to see if there was any correlation between specific features of their court files and the number of days in detention. Our study shows that, in their reports to the courts, what we call “forensic behavioral experts” and social workers interpret youth crime among ethnic minorities differently from behavior of equal seriousness exhibited by young native Dutch people. These reports and expert opinions, combined with the difficulties experienced in interacting with offenders when studying their personality and life circumstances, has an influence on the decisions reached by courts and the severity of sentencing.

Literary response and attitude toward reading fiction in secondary education: trends and predictors

The present article synthesizes the results of four studies that concern attitudes towards reading fiction and the literary response of students in secondary education. Both cross sectional and longitudinal data sets were created with the cross sectional data used for establishing ‘model fit’ of both the attitude model and the literary response model. Relations between different components of both models used are charted among reading behavior and relations between model components and student characteristics. The longitudinal data is used to establish trends in attitude and response. Also relations between student characteristics and characteristics of literary education lessons on the one hand and trends in attitude and literary response scores on the other are examined. Results indicate that both the attitude and the response instrument show adequate model fit. Of all attitude components, ‘affect’ appears to be the best predictor of reading behavior. Response factors appear to be structured in two secondary order factors: ‘trance’ and ‘literary interpretation’. Attitude and response scores diminish with age. Literary education lessons appear to slow down the diminishing trends. The text experience method seems especially promising for stimulating literary response and attitude toward reading fiction. French Cet article synthetise les resultats de quatre etudes. Celles-ci portent sur l’attitude a l’egard de la lecture litteraire et les reponses aux textes litteraires des lyceens. Des donnees a la fois transversales et VAN SCHOOTEN & DE GLOPPER 100 longitudinales ont ete recueillies. Les donnees transversales ont permis de verifier la validite des modeles de l’attitude et de la reponse litteraire utilises. Les relations entre les differentes composantes des deux modeles ont ete reperees, parmi lesquelles le comportement en lecture et le rapport entre les composantes des modeles et les caracteristiques des lyceens. Les donnees longitudinales ont ete utilisees pour reperer des tendances dans l’attitude et la reponse. En outre, nous avons examine les liens entre les caracteristiques des lyceens, ainsi que le contenu des cours de litterature, et les orientations qui se degagent de leur attitude et de leur reponse. Les resultats confirment notamment la validite des instruments de recueil de l’attitude et de la reponse. De toutes les composantes de l’attitude, la dimension affective semble etre le meilleur predicteur du comportement de lecteur. Les facteurs lies a la reponse semblent se structurer autour de deux facteurs d’ordre secondaire : « l’extase » et « l’interpretation litteraire ». Les scores obtenus dans la mesure de l’attitude et de la reponse diminuent avec l’âge mais l’enseignement de la litterature semblent ralentir cette tendance, l’approche experientielle du texte semble particulierement prometteuse pour stimuler les reponses litteraires et l’attitude a l’egard de la lecture de fictions. Chinese 本文综合了四个研究,这些研究有关中学教育对阅读小说的态度,及其语言反应。横断 研究与纵贯研究的同时进行。横断研究所得的数据,用以测试态度模型和语言反应模型的适切性 。两个模型中,不同元素之间的关系都被记录,它们的包括阅读行为和学生特征。纵贯研究所得 的数据,用以建立态度和反应分数的趋势。此外,本文研究了学生特征与语文教育课堂特点之间 的关系;以及态度和语文反应的趋势。研究结果指出,态度及反应的研究工具,它们的适切性都 很高。在众多的态度元素之中,情意似乎是预测阅读行为的最佳元素。反应因素则似乎被规限在 两个二阶因子(secondary order factors)之中:迷离状态和语言理解。态度及反应分数随着年纪渐 长而下降,而语文教育课堂则可以减慢这个下降的趋势,尤其以文本经验法,能有效地刺激对小