Currently, i been working on my thesis.. (penat gak dok pk nk wat ayt.. tp rse cm hebat gak la kalu supervisor ak approve. ) The reason why i choose dis title ( ak sndri pn xtau) hahahaahaha
Student literacy levels have long been a concern of not only education professionals, but society in general. Research has shown that reading is beneficial to academic achievement (Cherian & Thomas, 1995), encouraging further studies on student reading habits.
Reading is one of the four basic language abilities that an individual will develop at an early stage of life. After approximately 11 years in formal education, majority of Malaysian students are able to read efficiently after finishing their secondary education. However, even equipped with literacy skills particularly reading skills, the reading habits of students are still at an unsatisfactory level.
Based on the statistics issued by the National Statistics Department during the year 2002, Malaysian students only read two books a year. Many students perceived that reading is a waste of time and they only read for purpose of passing examinations. We are quite aware the myriad of benefits that can be acquired by reading books and the positive progressive result that it can induce for the country.
Reading is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practices, development, and refinement. Readers use a variety of reading strategies to assist with decoding to translate symbols into sounds or visual representations of speech and comprehension. Readers may use morpheme, semantics, syntax and context clues to identify the meaning of unknown words. Readers integrate the words they have read into their existing framework of knowledge or schema (Wikipedia, 2011). Reading is one of the most important components of our language and it is an essential tool for lifelong learning for children. In order to face the 21st century, education has to prepare children to be able to adapt to social and technological changes that are taking place at an unprecedented rate. Education under these circumstances depends largely on language competency. In this context, reading especially is a resource for continued education, for the acquisition of new knowledge and skills, for gaining information through media, especially newspapers, books, radio, television, and the computers. Thus, it is evident that reading and information skills need to be improved to attain the best education (Narangoda, 2000).
The onslaught of ICT era has influenced the prevailing cultures of the young and the population at large. To rectify the worrying trend, the Nilam Reading Programme was drawn up as the national agenda in 1998. The latest concern came from our Prime Minister himself when he personally called on parents to encourage their children to ‘fall in love with books and share the fascinating tales together during their free time instead of watching television all the time’ (2005). Malaysians must inculcate the reading habit to face the challenges of globalization and learning is a lifelong campaign. Ng Jueh Hiang (2008)
Recent research shows that while reading skills have improved in the UK Massey, Elliot and Johnson, (2005), there is some indication that fewer pupils nowadays read for enjoyment. An international study of reading and literacy, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study PIRLS; Twist et al., (2004), compared 35 countries on a variety of literacy-related measures. It ranked England third in reading achievement of 10-year-olds, following behind Sweden and the Netherlands. However, the same study also found that primary school children were less confident about their reading ability and enjoyed reading less than children in other countries. More specifically, 13% of English children disliked reading, compared to an international average of 6%. Similarly, when asked how confident they were about reading, only 30% of English children were highly confident about their ability, compared to an international average of 40%. Christina Clark and Amelia Foster, (2005)
1.2 Nature of Problem
Based on his survey, Prof. Pandian also outlined a profile of a habitual reader in English. People who read often in English are likely to live in an urban than in a rural area, belong to a family with a high socio-economic standing, come from a home where there is a greater variety and amount of materials in English, with more influence and reading models at home, attend a school with a greater variety and amount of materials in English, with more teachers who encourage students to read and more friends who read English., be exposed more to English, have a more positive attitude towards reading in English.
The Malaysian education system is in dire straits. With the education system reverting back to Malay language as the medium of instruction in schools and the government desperately plugging all holes in a sinking boat, I strongly believe the key to improving our education is the inculcation of a strong reading habit among all Malaysians. Although the government has launched several reading campaigns (the recent one is the Mari Membaca 1Malaysia, launched in March 2010) to increase the reading habit among Malaysians throughout the years, obviously these campaigns aren’t quite working as desired. Christopher Teh (2010)
Although research has been made on reading habit among teenagers and student, we are still lack of research on the student preferable materials and which gender doming the reading habit. Therefore, we should pay more attention on this matter in order to encourage student to read for long life. Most students read book for examination or completing their assignment. In order to develop society that love to read we should encourage them to read from child. Now day, students prefer internet access rather than book to get information and update their knowledge but the information from the internet can`t be trusted.
1.3 Purpose / Objective
This is an exploratory study to investigate the reading habits and interests among adolescent in Malaysia. The objectives are:
(1) To recognize the preferable reading material for secondary student
(2) To identify the dominant gender in reading
(3) To identify the other place for student to do reading activities
1.4 Research Question
(1) What is preferable reading material for secondary student?
(2) Who is the dominant gender in reading?
(3) What the other place for student to do reading activities?
1.5 Significant of the study
There is no easy way to learning other than reading. The more you read the more knowledge and information you get. Self interest and efforts are two basic requirements to start this process. What you read is referring who you are. Reading is important to develop knowledge society. People who read more will not be easily fooled. In order to develop reading habit among secondary student, we should know what they need and want. This study would therefore, try to provide feedback from secondary student concerning the reading habit. The study will also provide the reasons why those targets read less. Besides that, this study will also provide guideline for publisher in their publication for example what types of reading materials that been like most. It can help the publisher in publish their material. It also will give guide line for parents and government to encourage them develops reading habits. Lastly, the significant of this study is to identify the factor that effect environmental factors related to the environment, prefer and the way they influence student’s reading interest.
1.6 Limitation
This research is based only one boarding school. The number of student who was sampled for the experiment presented in the study was quite small in proportion to the target population the researcher intended to generalize. Besides that, the location is far from researcher place. This study investigated student based only on questioners. It is difficult to ascertain whether they understand or not the question. It is also to ensure respondent gave true and honest responses.
1.7 Definition of term
Reading: a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practices, development, and refinement. Habits: an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary: the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.
Student: a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term (or its cognate in another language) is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English (or an equivalent in other languages). In its widest use, student is used for anyone who is learning. Secondary school: a high school or a school of corresponding grade, ranking between a primary school and a college or university.
Boarding school: a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," that is, food and lodging. Some boarding schools also have day students who are students that live off-campus with their families Preferable: having greater value or desirability: being preferred
Dominant: commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others
Place: a space or area for example a particular point on a surface or a room , building, town, city etc.
Gender: the fact of being male or female.
By the tyme, post ni di tulis.. ak dh siapkn questionnaire n prepared to be distribute... pas 2 wat finding.. waaa........... terseksa jiwa ni.. hopefully everthing gonna be fine.. AMIN
