The book selection process of third grade students during library

by Caperna, Carolyn Grace.

Dr. Nancy Fordham, Advisor Reading in elementary school is a fundamental; however, it is often times difficult to discover what truly motivates children to read particular books. This study was created as a way of trying to further discover the motivation behind students’ book preferences when they are permitted choice. The purpose was to examine students’ book selection processes during library time as they explored possibilities for independent reading. Six students from a third grade classroom were observed during separate library times. The students were selected by the classroom teacher based on her belief that the students would be comfortable being observed and interviewed. One boy and one girl were selected from the advanced reading group, from the on-level reading group, and from the intervention reading group. Following the observations, the researcher interviewed the students in a separate room. The interview questions were created to gain further insight into their reasons and methods for selecting the books. The field notes obtained from observations and interviews of all six students were then analyzed to look for patterns and themes. Some of the students were influenced by the book’s pictures, author, and inclusion of funny characters; however, the researcher concluded that the topic of the book had the strongest influence on the students’ choices. The students’ interest in “what the book was about” was a repeated response throughout the interviews. iii