Publication Date
4-1-1987
Abstract
Today's teachers are confronted with children who display a poor attitude toward school in general and reading in particular. This situation is anxiety-producing for the teachers, as well as for the administrators. The Dictionary of Education defines attitude as "the predisposition or tendency to react specifically towards an object, situation, or value; usually accompanied by feelings and emotions" (Good, p. 49). Attitudes vary among students and cause children to respond to a situation either favorably or unfavorably. Thus children's attitudes serve as guides to behavior and profoundly affect the progress made toward educational goals and the level and degree of children's participation in educational activities. A positive attitude produces a motivational stimulus that promotes and sustains learning. On the other hand, a negative attitude results in a lack of persistent effort, a lack of motivation, an abundance of avoidance maneuvers, and various misbehavior problems.
Recommended Citation
Briggs, L. D. (1987). A Poor Attitude: A Deterrent to Reading Improvement. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 27 (3). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol27/iss3/7
