The influence of book talks on reader engagement in fourth grade students

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the influence of a classroom teacher acting in a teacher librarian’s role on students’ book selection processes within an environment rich with book promotion strategies, specifically book talks by the teacher and students. The research question posed in this study is: What strategies do students demonstrate when selecting books for pleasure reading in a classroom influenced by the book talk strategies of a library-trained teacher? Participants interviewed in the study were 21 fourth-grade students ages 9 and 10 in a rural school district in the midwest. Data collection for this study included three components: the teacher’s notes and descriptions on classroom book talk activities, the analysis of a classroom reading list of book talk books, and a student questionnaire in which each student completed a student questionnaire book response form (see Appendix A) with feedback about two book talked books of their choice. A student questionnaire (see Appendix A) was used at the conclusion to study what students remembered from the book talks and the books students would have chosen if students had not heard the book talk. Though the classroom teacher and students completed book talks throughout the school year, data collection took place during the spring semester. Findings include students chose more books of interest with more time to read, students have positive attitudes toward the books they read, the book talk summaries of books were the most memorable piece, students overwhelmingly believe it’s important to mention a book’s themes in book talks, and students state that they read books specifically because they heard book talks for the