High‐interest books, choice, and independent reading: Piloting a reading program with male adolescents in Chile

Abstract

Reading is linked to numerous positive outcomes, including academic achievement, reduced stress, and enhanced life expectancy. However, a significant portion of Chilean adolescents engage in limited reading. Notably, male students tend to exhibit lower levels of reading motivation compared to their female counterparts, with declining reading self‐concept over time. To address this challenge, this study explores the impact of a 9‐month‐long pilot reading program aimed at increasing students' reading motivation and volume in an all‐boys rural school in southern Chile (N = 120), guided by Self‐Determination Theory and adapted from Atwell's reading workshop. The program included four pillars: access to high‐interest print books, 90 min per week of in‐class independent choice, and peer interactions around reading. t‐Tests showed a significant increase in students' reading volume but not in their reading motivation. Nevertheless, multiple regression analyses revealed that, when controlling for students' pre‐program reading motivation, achievement, and volume, post‐program reading motivation and time allocated for independent reading were significantly associated with the number of pages read during the program. Implications for practice and future research avenues are discussed.