Gender differences in regards to reading attitudes and interests: a research based on spanish primary school pupils

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The aim of this article is to contribute to the study of the gender gap in reading through the analysis of the differences between Spanish sixth grade boys and girls in regards to their motivation towards reading, reading interests and choices and the perception of their reading proficiency. METHOD. The research was carried out with a sample of 968 Spanish students, 478 boys and 490 girls, attending the sixth grade of Primary Education in 15 different schools. An adaptation of a questionnaire employed in previous research conducted in 2013 with second grade students was used for assessing their attitudes and interests towards reading. RESULTS. This study found significant differences between sixth grade boys and girls in their motivation towards reading, their attitude towards social reading, and their overall general reading attitude. Among other things, this study shows that girls have more favorable attitudes related with these variables. Likewise significant differences were found in regards to reading interests and the type of materials that girls and boys preferred. No significant differences were found in their perception of reading competence. DISCUSSION. This study leads to interesting conclusions related with the use of strategies to promote reading, for both girls and boys, as well as to information that can be useful for motivating children towards reading at this important stage of transition between primary and secondary education.