Reading Outcomes Framework Toolkit

Reading engagement outcomes

Attitudes to reading

   

Here are some things people have said about themselves.

Please tell us for each row if you think that sounds like you or not.

  • Reading is more for girls than for boys
  • I only read when I have to
  • Reading is cool
  • I prefer watching TV to reading
  • I would feel embarrassed if my friends saw me reading outside class

Source: Summer Reading Challenge Family survey (2016) developed by The Reading Agency - Question 5

   

How much do you agree or disagree with these statements?

Please tell us for each row if you think that sounds like you or not.

  • I read only if I have to
  • I enjoy reading
  • I think I am a good reader
  • Reading is harder for me than for other people

Scale: Agree a lot / agree a little / not sure / disagree a little / disagree a lot

Source: Reading Ahead 'before' survey (2015) developed by The Reading
Agency - Question 4.

   

We would like to find out whether the statements below are like you or not like you. Please tick the option that shows how much each statement is like you.

Please tell us for each row if you think that sounds like you or not.

  • My child likes to talk about stories and rhymes
  • My child finds visiting the library boring
  • Books do not interest my child
  • My child uses a pen, pencil or crayon to make marks on paper
  • My child doesn't often ask for stories to be read to them
  • My child has a favourite book
  • My child is too young for books

Scale: A lot like my child / quite like my child / not sure / not much like my child / not like my child at all

Source: Evaluation of Bookstart England : Bookstart Corner (2013) - Questions in section B1 from page 47 onwards.

Tip: This is an extract from a larger set of statements - refer to the full source for more.

   

What do you think about reading? Tell how much you agree with each of these statements.

Please tell us for each row if you think that sounds like you or not.

  • I read only if I have to
  • I like talking about what I read with other people
  • I would be happy if someone gave me a book as a present
  • I think reading is boring
  • I would like to have more time for reading
  • I enjoy reading (see more...)

Scale: Agree a lot / agree a little / disagree a little / disagree a lot

Source: PIRLS 2011 Student Questionnaire Grade 4 (2011) developed by TIMSS & PIRLS - Questions R7 and R9. Click here

Tip: This is an extract from a larger set of statements - refer to the full source for more.

   

How much do you enjoy reading?

Scale: Very much / quite a lot / not very much / Not at all

Source: Bookbuzz student survey developed by BookTrust and Chatterbooks survey developed by NLT and The Reading Agency

   

How much do you agree or disagree with these statements about reading?

  • I read only if I have to
  • Reading is one of my favourite hobbies
  • I like talking about books with other people
  • I find it hard to finish books
  • I feel happy if I receive a book as a present
  • For me, reading is a waste of time
  • I enjoy going to a bookstore or a library
  • I read only to get information that I need
  • I cannot sit still and read for more than a few minutes
  • I like to express my opinions about books I have read
  • I like to exchange books with my friends

Scale: Strongly disagree / Disagree / Agree / Strongly agree

Source: Student Questionnaire for PISA 2009 (2008) developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development - Question 24.

   

Please circle the picture that describes how you feel when you read a book.

  • How do you feel when you read a book on a rainy Saturday?
  • How do you feel when you read a book in school during free time?
  • How do you feel about reading for fun at home? (see more...)

Scale: Visual Garfield scale

Source: Elementary Reading Attitudes Survey - Garfield Scale (1990) developed by Michael McKenna and Dennis Kear Questions 1 -- 10.

Tip: This is an extract from a larger set of statements with a visual scale - refer to full source for more.

Awareness of reading preferences & how to choose what to read

   

Here are some things that people have said about themselves. Please tell us on each row if you think that sounds like you.

  • It's easy to find things to read that are not too hard or not too easy for me
  • I prefer someone else picking books for me to choosing for myself
  • I don't know what kind of books I like
  • I know how to choose a book that I will enjoy
  • I cannot find things to read that interest me

Scale: A lot like me / quite like me / not sure / not really like me / not at all like me

Source: Chatterbooks survey (2015) developed by NLT and The Reading Agency - Questions 10 and 17

   

How easy is it to choose a book?

  • Very difficult
  • Quite difficult
  • Okay
  • Quite easy
  • Very easy

Why is it difficult to choose a book?

  • There are too many good books to choose from
  • There are not enough good books to choose from
  • I don't have enough information
  • I don't understand the information that is available
  • I'm not used to choosing books for myself
  • I don't know where to start
  • Other

Source: Adapted from Bookbuzz student survey developed by BookTrust

   

We would like to find out whether the statements below are like you or not like you. Please tick the option that shows how much each statement is like you.

  • I am not sure which books are best for my child
  • When we read books together I encourage my child to choose the book

Scale: A lot like me / quite like me / not sure / not much like me / not like me at all

Source: Evaluation of Bookstart England: Bookstart Corner (2013) - Question A1 of questionnaire available from page 47 onwards of report.

Confidence about reading

   

On a scale of 1 to 10, how good a reader do you think you are?

Scale: 1 = not very good, 10 = very good

Here are some things people have said about themselves. Please tell us for each row if you think that sounds like you or not.

  • I do not read as well as other pupils in my class
  • The more I read, the better I become at it

Scale: A lot like me / quite like me / not sure / not really like me / not at all like me

Source: Chatterbooks survey (2015) developed by NLT and The Reading Agency - Questions 6 & 10

   

On a scale of 1 to 10, how good a reader do you think you are?

Scale: 1 = not very good, 10 = very good

How well do you read? Tell how much you agree with each of these statements.

  • I usually do well in reading
  • Reading is easy for me
  • Reading is harder for me than for many of my classmates
  • If a book is interesting I don't care how hard it is to read
  • I have trouble reading stories with difficult words
  • My teacher tells me I am a good reader
  • Reading is harder for me than any other subject

Scale: Agree a lot / agree a little / disagree a little / disagree a lot

Source: PIRLS 2011 Student Questionnaire Grade 4 (2011) developed by TIMSS & PIRLS - Question R8.

Identifying as a reader

No questions that meet our criteria have been identified for 'Identifying as a reader'. You might like to look at the existing evidence about this outcome in the evidence section or refer to the methods section for information about different methods and how to develop your own questions to measure outcomes.

If you know of a question that can be used for this outcome let us know and we will consider it for future versions of the toolkit - we plan to update it when possible. Send full details to The Reading Agency at: [email protected]

Motivation to read

   

Please read each item and check the word that best describes you as a reader and writer. Thank you.

  • I enjoy reading for efferent purposes (i.e. information, ideas, directions, conclusions).
  • I read often to help me obtain a good job.
  • I read to get good grades.
  • I enjoy reading for aesthetic purposes.
  • I read for many purposes.
  • When I have trouble reading, I solve the problem.
  • I need to know and understand.

    Scale: Strongly Agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly Disagree

Source: Voorhees, S, Bausch, L. and Inserra, A. Validation of the Literacy Representations Survey: A Tool for Assessing Reading and Writing Affect. Journal of Reading Education. Volume 32, No. 3. Spring/Summer 2007.

Reading behaviour (frequency, quantity, breadth & depth)

   

Have you and your child done any of the following as part of [the activity]? Please tick all that apply.

  • You or a family member read to your child
  • You or a family member listened to your child reading to you
  • Your child read on their own
  • Your child listened to audio books
  • Your child read ebooks or used book apps
  • You talked about reading

Source: Summer Reading Challenge Family survey (2016) developed by The Reading Agency - Question 5

   

How often do you do these things?

  • Buy books
  • Borrow books from a library
  • Talk about your reading with other people
  • Read with children
  • Read for pleasure (eg books, newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs)

Scale: Never / less than once a month / once or twice a month / once or twice a week / every day or almost every day

Source: Reading Ahead 'before' survey (2015) developed by The Reading Agency - Question 5.

   

How often do you read?

Scale: Every day / A couple of times a week / Once a week / A couple of times a month / Once a month / Rarely / Never

How many books (fiction, nonfiction) do you read in a month in your free time?

Scale: None / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / More than 10

Source: Chatterbooks survey (2015) developed by NLT and The Reading Agency - Questions 7 and 9

   

Example question: Since you took part in [the activity] do you do the following:

  • Use books, stories & rhymes with your child?
  • Have more books in your home?
  • Borrow books from the library for your child?
  • Buy books as a present for your child / other children?
  • Look forward to reading with your child?

Scale: Much more / a little more / a little less / a lot less / no change

Source: Adapted from Bookstart Corner Survey (2013) developed by BookTrust - Questions 22-24 and 29-34

Tip: This is a reflective question to be asked after an activity / intervention.

   

What types or genres of books do you find most enjoyable?

  • Biographies / autobiographies
  • Celebrities / television
  • Classic novels
  • Crime, thrillers and mystery
  • Graphic novels
  • Historical fiction
  • History
  • Horror
  • Humour
  • Modern fiction
  • Poetry
  • Politics / current affairs
  • Religion and spirituality
  • Romance
  • Science
  • Science fiction and fantasy
  • Self-help
  • Special interests / hobbies
  • Sports
  • Travel

Source: Reading Habits survey (2013) developed by BookTrust

   

How often do you read with or to your child? (Tick one)

Scale: Every day / Several times a week / Once or twice a week / Once or twice a month / Less often than once a month / Not at all

Source: Millennium Cohort Study (2008) developed by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies. Page 145.

Tip: In the source above, the questionnaire can be found as the first PDF under the 'Downloads' panel on the right of the webpage

   

About how much time do you usually spend reading for enjoyment? (Please tick only one box)

  • I do not read for enjoyment
  • 30 minutes or less a day
  • More than 30 minutes to less than 60 minutes a day
  • 1 to 2 hours a day
  • More than 2 hours a day

How often do you read these materials because you want to?

  • Magazines
  • Comic books
  • Fiction (novels, narratives, stories)
  • Non fiction books
  • Newspapers

Scale: Never or almost never / A few times a year / About once a month / Several times a month / Several times a week

How often are you involved in the following reading activities?

  • Reading emails
  • Reading online news
  • Using an online dictionary or encyclopaedia
  • Searching online information to learn about a particular topic
  • Taking part in online group discussions or forums
  • Searching for practical information online

Scale: I don't know what it is / Never or almost never / Several times a month / Several times a week / Several times a day

Source: Student Questionnaire for PISA 2009 (2008) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development - Questions 23, 25, 26.

Reading environment

   

Please read each item and check the word that best describes you as a reader and writer. Thank you.

  • My parents influence my reading development.
  • My parents read to me when I was young.
  • My family thinks reading is important.
  • My parents did not encourage me to read at home.
  • My friends think reading is important.
  • My friends and I share what we have read.
  • My parents/siblings read every day.
  • My family and I share what we read.

Scale: Strongly Agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly Disagree

Source: Voorhees, S, Bausch, L. and Inserra, A. Validation of the Literacy Representations Survey: A Tool for Assessing Reading and Writing Affect. Journal of Reading Education. Volume 32, No. 3. Spring/Summer 2007.

Sharing enjoyment of reading

   

How often do you talk about what you read (with your family, and with your friends)

Scale: Every day / A few times a week / Once a week / A few times a month / Once a month / Rarely / Never

Source: Chatterbooks survey (2015) developed by NLT and The Reading Agency - Question 12

   

Since [activity] have you done any of the following?

  • Recommended a book to a friend or family member
  • Lent a book to a friend or family member
  • Read a book to a brother or sister
  • Talked to your parents/carers about a book
  • Talked to your friends about a book

Source: Taken from Bookbuzz student survey developed by the BookTrust

Tip: This is a reflective question to be asked after the activity has taken place.

Understanding how to find reading materials

   

How often do you visit a library for the following activities?

  • Borrow books to read for pleasure
  • Borrow books for school work
  • Work on homework, course assignments or research papers
  • Read magazines or newspapers
  • Read books for fun
  • Learn about things that are not course-related, such as sports, hobbies, people or music
  • Use the Internet

Scale: Never / A few times a year / About once a month / Several times a month / Several times a week

Source: Student Questionnaire for PISA 2009 (2008) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation & Development - Question 39.

   

Are you/your child a member of a public library?

  • Yes
  • No

Source: Evaluation of Bookstart England: Bookstart Corner (2013) - Question A6 of questionnaire available from page 47 onwards of report.