Identifying indicators of reading engagement among upper-secondary students during shared reading sessions

Abstract

Reading engagement is widely recognised as critical for literacy development, yet its dynamic nature poses challenges for empirical analysis. This study examines reading engagement as a situated event within shared reading (SR) sessions involving 40 students, organised into four groups, in vocational upper-secondary education. The data consists of two video-recorded SR sessions per group, resulting in a total of eight sessions drawn from a six-week intervention. Drawing on conversation analysis and our own operationalisation of reading engagement, as presented in this article, literature discussions were analysed at the micro level. The data were coded for indicators of the different dimensions of reading engagement. The findings show high behavioural engagement, increased cognitive and social engagement across sessions, and more frequent affective expressions. The analysis reveals that the dimensions of reading engagement are intertwined and mutually supportive of each other. Social engagement occupies a central position due to its potential to influence and strengthen cognitive engagement. The study contributes with a methodological framework for analysing engagement as an emergent classroom event. Furthermore, the study shows that SR is a context in which multidimensional reading engagement can be observed.