High-Interest Books, Choice, and Independent Reading: Piloting a Reading Program with Male Adolescents in Chile

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.