To understand teenagers’ low reading of fiction : An examination of Swedish students’ interest of reading

Previous research shows that Swedish teenagers’ reading of fiction have decreased during the last decade (Skolverket 2006). As future librarians we found ourselves asking why, and an interest to look into this was triggered. The purpose of this Bachelor thesis is therefore to examine why teenagers’ reading of fiction is decreasing. Focus lies on students’ perception of their own reading, both inside and outside the school environment. Based upon this we will try to create an understanding for their low reading of fiction. Seven students in the ninth grade were interviewed using qualitative interviews. The material from the interviews were then thematically structured and thereafter analysed on the basis of theories from John Dewey (2002) and Louse M. Rosenblatt (2002). John Dewey’s theory is mainly about the individual’s education through democracy and Louise M. Rosenblatt deals with literature as a tool in maintaining a democracy. The reason for the use of two different theories is because they complete each other in a way that suits the purpose of our thesis. Another source of information used in the analysis is Gunilla Molloy's doctoral thesis (2002) about differences in teachers and students selection of literature. The results show that there are several indications to teenagers’ low interest of reading fiction. Amongst others, the teachers’ selection of fiction within the school environment does not agree with those of the students’ and therefore affect their joy of reading. The literature within the school environment also often lacks content for the students to relate to and consequently they loose the experience of reading.