In Mid Term 1, which was Week 5 of Term 1, I was assigned eight low-achieving learners from the Year 5 class. This was unexpected, but it took me about two weeks for those students to become familiar with my class routines and daily schedule. Initially, I was told that the learners would only be in my class for a few weeks. However, by the end of Term 1, it was confirmed that the eight Year 5 students would stay with me until the end of the academic year. This change had a significant impact on my teaching and planning, as I had originally prepared lessons and activities specifically for Year 4 students. The addition of Year 5 students meant I needed to adjust my teaching strategies and lesson plans to suit both year levels. It also prompted me to reconsider and reshuffle my participants for my survey. As a result, I selected four students from Year 4 and four from Year 5. I successfully developed ten questions for my eight participants to answer.
Below is the slideshow of the questionnaire.
If you think the modern young learner is glued to a screen, has forgotten what a library is, and uses Google for everything, you might want to think again. A recent survey of 8 learners from Term 1, 2025, has given us a fascinating glimpse into their real-life reading habits, and the results challenge some of our biggest assumptions.
Let's dive into what these young readers had to say.
📚 Surprise #1: Print is Still Powerful
In an age of tablets and e-readers, we often assume physical books are gathering dust. According to this survey, that's far from the truth.
No Preference for Devices: When asked if they prefer reading on a device or a physical book, an incredible 0% of learners chose "Device" exclusively.
A Love for the Tangible: The group was split evenly, with 50% preferring physical books/paper and the other 50% enjoying both formats.
Weekly Habit: This preference translates into action. The majority of learners—6 out of 8 (75%)—read a physical book by themselves "a few times a week".
The Takeaway: The allure of turning a physical page is still very much alive. Classroom and home libraries are as important as ever.
💬 Surprise #2: Reading is More Social Than You Think
When a reader gets stuck, what do they do? You might assume they ask a teacher or look up a word online. For this group, the answer is much more social.
Friends Are the First Responders: When reading something difficult, a staggering 75% of learners said the most helpful thing is "My friends' help". This was far more popular than help from a teacher (12.5%).
Skipping the Search Engine: When faced with a tricky word, not a single student reported using a device like Google or a dictionary app. Their most common strategy is trying to work it out themselves (62.5%), followed by asking a friend (37.5%).
The Takeaway: Peer learning is a powerful force. Reading isn't just a solitary activity; it's a collaborative one. Encouraging book clubs or paired reading could tap into this natural tendency to learn together.
💥 Surprise #3: Comics Aren't Just Fun—They're a Gateway
Wondering what to give a young reader to spark their interest? The answer from this survey is loud and clear: comics.
Comics for the Win: The most popular type of reading material by a landslide was "Comics," chosen by 5 out of 8 learners (62.5%).
Fiction Over Facts: Stories, adventures, and poems also got some love. However, "Information or facts" received zero votes, suggesting narrative and visual storytelling are key entry points for this group.
The Takeaway: Graphic novels and comics are not a lesser form of reading; they are a preferred and valid format. They can be a fantastic tool to build reading confidence and fluency.
What Does This All Mean?
These learners paint a picture of a thoughtful, social, and print-oriented reader. They are a group that:
Values the feel of a real book.
Leans on their friends for support.
Feels only moderately confident in their skills (half the group described themselves as "sometimes confident").
Understands the value of improvement, with a majority (62.5%) believing that learning new skills will help them become more independent readers.
So, the next time you want to encourage a young reader, the data suggests you can't go wrong by handing them a great comic and encouraging them to share it with a friend.
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