”Vad skulle krävas för att du skulle läsa mer? – Ett mirakel” : En undersökning av läsattityder och läsvanor hos yrkeselever i gymnasieskolan

Sammanfattning

This study aimed to investigate the attitudes towards reading and literature of vocational students in Swedish upper secondary schools. Reading as an activity has been in steady decline among Swedish teenagers, especially between the ages of 13 and 18, despite being a tool for self-development and understanding of foreign experiences. The objective of the study was to develop strategies, based on student experiences and perceptions of reading and literature, to encourage more reading. To collect data, a voluntary and anonymous survey was sent to all upper secondary schools in Sundsvall’s municipality that provided vocational programs. The survey yielded 169 answers. The study found that vocational students expressed an overall negative attitude towards reading and literature, more so than upper secondary students as a whole. Boys were more inclined to express a negative attitude compared to girls. Therefore, the study suggested that schools should work preventively with boys to hinder the development of a negative attitude towards reading and literature, and themselves as readers. Furthermore, it was suggested that teachers be more creative in choosing literature, either by using social media, such as the reading community BookTok, as a resource or by bringing back children’s literature. Lastly, further research on the attitudes of vocational students was requested, as this group appeared to need more support.