Influence of Exposure to Children’s Literature on Teachers’ and Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Reading

Abstract

This study explored the influence of exposure to children’s literature on both classroom teachers and their students. The investigation involved 21 teachers and 222 second grade students in an elementary school located in the Southeastern United States. Using a Title Recognition Test (TRT) and Reading Attitude Survey (RAS), three hypotheses were explored. The first hypothesis considered the relationship between teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature and the students’ knowledge of children’s literature. The second hypothesis considered how exposure to children’s literature influenced teachers’ and students’ knowledge. The third hypothesis explored the relationship between teachers’ attitudes toward reading and students’ attitudes toward reading. While the study provided support for the second hypothesis and indicated that exposure to children’s literature was positively associated with teachers’ and students’ knowledge of children’s literature, it did not confirm the first or third hypothesis. However, additional analysis did indicate a relationship between reading attitudes and students’ gaining in knowledge of children’s literature.