Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Master of Education

School

School of Education

First Supervisor

Julia Morris

Second Supervisor

Anabela Malpique

Third Supervisor

Margaret Merga

Abstract

The benefits of reading for pleasure are diverse. As evidence supporting the value of reading for pleasure grows, so does its legitimacy as a catalyst for positive personal and cognitive development, and as a stand-alone subject in education. Reading for pleasure pedagogy (RfPP), distinct from reading instruction, is evolving in tandem with these findings. This pedagogy is predicated on the profile of a Reading Teacher (RT) as a reader who enjoys reading and is prepared to share their personal reading lives to teach their students to read for pleasure. However, this profile may be an ideal rather than the norm. Verbal and nonverbal communication as a professional skill set is already being embraced by disciplines and professions to achieve best practice. This study explored RT verbal and nonverbal communicative approaches used to foster reading for pleasure in secondary school and how RTs perceive the effectiveness of these approaches. Qualitative data were collected by email questionnaire from 23 RTs currently teaching reading for pleasure in Australian secondary schools and the data analysed using thematic analysis. The results showed RTs are already intuitively using verbal and nonverbal communication skills to some extent to teach reading for pleasure and intuitively utilising RfPP. However, professional development in communication skills relevant to RTs would help to expand RfPP, particularly given the unique challenges of the secondary school environment and profile of learners within this context.

Comments

The author also known as Claire Patricia Gibson

DOI

10.25958/jcae-9502

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