A Study on Father’s Perception
and Practice of Reading Books to Children

Shin, Seung-hee

Major in Early Childhood Education
Graduate School of Education
Kyungsung University

Advisor : Hong, Soon-Ohk. Ph. D.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how fathers are perceiving and practicing reading books to children at home, ultimately providing ways to improve father’s participation in parenting, especially in relation to children’s reading. For this purpose, the study set up the following research questions.

Question 1. How is father’s perception about reading?
1-1. How is father’s perception about reading books to children?
1-2. How is father’s difficulty in reading books to children?

Question 2. How is father’s practice of reading books to children?
2-1. How are father’s conditions for reading books to children?
2-2. How is father’s participation in the practice of reading books to children?
2-3. How are children’s response to fathers’ reading books to them and their needs for that reading?

Participants of this study were 260 fathers whose children were attending early childhood education institutions located in Busan metropolitan city. The measurement device used for the study was a questionnaire whose items ask about father’s perception about reading books to children at home, the degree of practicing that reading, father’ conditions that allow reading in such way, children’s response to and needs for father’s reading books to them and difficulty that father has in reading books to children. Those items were finally determined to be appropriate for the purpose of this research through modification and supplementation by this author and some experts(1 kindergarten director, 1 professor of early childhood education, 1 early childhood teacher) with reference to prior research on reading books to children(Cho Hae-yeon, 2006; Kwon Tae-min, 2014; Seo Hyeon-jin, 2016).

Data collected here were processed by using the SPSS 23.0 Program. More specifically, the frequency analysis was made to identify the demographic characteristics of the participants. And then, the chi-square test was conducted to determine how much fathers are different among them in conditions for reading books to children, practical participation in that reading, children’s response to the reading and needs for it and difficulty in the practice of reading books to children. Here, by the way, the Fisher exact test was additionally made when the cells each of whose expected frequency are found 20% or over in proportion. Furthermore, the descriptive statistics was conducted to examine how fathers perceive about reading books to children. Finally, the One-way ANOVA and then the Scheffe test as a follow-up were made in order to determine whether there’s difference in that perception depending on the demographic characteristics of fathers surveyed here.

The findings of this study can be summarized as follows.
First, fathers found themselves considerably high in perceiving that reading books to children is needed. Especially, they think that the biggest benefit of reading in that way is the formation of rapport and friendliness between them and children. Meanwhile, the perception is not significantly different depending on variables related to children. But in terms of father-related variables, fathers who are higher-educated or who is a clerical worker or a specialist perceive the importance of children’s reading activity even more than those who are lower-educated or who engage in the other types of occupation.
Second, father’s difficulty in reading books to children was investigated to find that the participants said it is hardest to identify which types of books are suitable to children’s interest and developmental level. Most of them also responded that it is most difficult to read fairy tale books to children in an interesting way.
Third, father’s conditions for reading books to children were examined to find that the higher fathers are in the level of education, the more they are the monthly investment of amount and time in reading on their own. In addition, fathers whose job allows them to go to or get off work at a relatively fixed time often spend at least 1 hour or over in playing with children. In contrast, those whose job doesn’t allow them to start or finish business at such fixed time often have difficulty in playing with children even for at least 1 hour.
Fourth, how fathers are participating in reading books to children was examined to find that the participants surveyed here were actually practicing reading in that way and they were putting the first priority of that reading on helping children obtain knowledge. The most common way of father’s involvement in children’s reading activities is reading books to children, followed by visiting a bookstore together with children to buy books. Most fathers are reading 1 or 2 books to children every 2 or 3 days. Also, once fathers practice reading books to children, the time spent in the move is 10 to 15 minutes before children, who is sometimes less than 1 at age, go to bed.
Finally, children’s response to father’s reading books to them and their needs for that reading were examined to find that both the response and the needs vary depending on father’s level of education. More specifically, the higher father is in the level of education, the higher children are in the frequency of reading. Most of the children surveyed here responded that they pay attention to books with interest throughout the time when father is reading the materials to them. However, it was relatively more that children whose father is a salesperson or service worker read through books that he is reading to them, despite they don’t have much interest and that those whose father is a production worker, technician or a laborer fail to last their interest in father’s reading books to them, though showing such interest at first. Thus, children vary in response to father’s reading books to them depending on his occupation.
In conclusion, this study is expected to positively influence reading education for children in that it helps find out how to improve father’s perception and practice of reading books to children at home and promote father’s involvement in parenting.