Boerma, Inouk.indd

Reading is one of the most important skills in our information society. It is also a well-studied topic in educational research. However, most previous studies have either focused on the cognitive domain of reading (e.g., reading comprehension), or the motivational domain (e.g., reading enjoyment). The research described in this thesis studies both domains as they are inextricably connected. That is, children who enjoy reading are expected to read more during leisure time, and therefore their reading skills will improve. This will in turn contribute to their reading enjoyment. The main aim of this thesis was to examine the possible determinants of individual differences in children’s reading enjoyment and comprehension. A multidimensional point of view was adopted. First, individual differences in child variables were considered (Chapters 2, 5, and 7), Second, the contribution of the home literacy environment to children’s reading enjoyment and comprehension was examined (Chapter 3, 4, and 5). Finally, the school context was studied (Chapter 2 and 6).