773 words | 3-minute read 

Caregivers, educators, and peers all play a role in supporting the literacy success of young readers. Last year, we interviewed Dr. Daisy Pelletier about her research on the effect of reading support from teachers, parents, and friends on students’ reading motivation. After releasing our new Spark Early Literacy Hub to provide caregivers with early literacy resources, we talked to Dr. Pelletier about her latest research article, “Predicting Reading Achievement From Reading Support: The Role of Motivation and Reading Frequency in Elementary and Secondary School Students” to learn more about how the support of caregivers and peers can impact a young reader’s early literacy skills and beyond. 

Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC): What Are Some Key Findings From This Study and How Do They Build on Previous Findings? 

Dr. Tiffany Pelletier: In this study, we examined how students’ perceptions of reading support from teachers, parents, and friends relate to their reading motivation, their reading frequency, and ultimately their reading achievement. 

Two key findings emerged. 

• First, relatedness support from parents and friends – that is, feeling connected to others around reading – was the only type of support that showed a unique contribution to students’ motivation and reading frequency.
• Second, reading motivation, especially in recreational contexts, was closely associated with how often students read, and in turn, reading frequency was positively associated with reading achievement, even after accounting for prior achievement. 

Importantly, these patterns were equivalent in elementary and secondary school students, indicating comparable associations across school levels. 

IRRC: What Is Relatedness Support?  

Pelletier: From the perspective of self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017), relatedness support refers to feeling connected to others, valued, and cared for. 

In the context of reading, this means experiencing reading as something socially meaningful. For example, it can involve others showing interest in what a student reads, sharing reading experiences, or communicating that reading matters to them. 

IRRC: What Are Some Ways Caregivers Can Provide Relatedness Support at Home?  

Pelletier: Parents or caregivers can support their children’s reading by creating a positive and meaningful environment around reading. 

In our study, relatedness support at home included practices such as: 

• showing interest in what the child is reading;
• talking about books together;
• encouraging reading during free time; 
• taking part in reading-related activities (e.g., going to the library); 
• modeling reading (e.g., being seen reading). 

These everyday interactions help make reading feel valued and shared. 

IRRC: You Separate Academic and Recreational Reading Contexts in This Study? Why? 

Pelletier: We distinguished academic and recreational reading because students do not necessarily read for the same reasons across these contexts. In school, reading is often guided by external demands (e.g., completing assignments or meeting expectations), whereas in recreational contexts, it is more likely to be driven by personal interest and enjoyment. 

Some studies suggest that motivation for recreational reading may be more strongly associated with reading outcomes (e.g., De Naeghel et al., 2012), likely because it is more self-determined and personally meaningful. 

Separating these contexts allowed us to better understand their distinct contributions to reading frequency and achievement. 

IRRC: In What Ways Do Peers Contribute to Students’ Reading Motivation and Frequency? 

Pelletier: Our findings suggest that peers contribute mainly by supporting students’ sense of relatedness (belonging) in reading. 

This can take the form of: 

• encouraging friends to read; 
• showing interest in what they are reading; 
• valuing reading as an activity; 
• participating in reading-related activities together. 

By doing so, peers create a social environment where reading is accepted and respected, which is especially important during adolescence. 

IRRC: How Do These Findings Guide Your Next Steps as a Researcher? 

Pelletier: These findings open several directions for future research. First, it would be valuable to examine whether these processes (i.e., reading support, motivation, and reading frequency) also contribute to broader outcomes such as academic engagement, achievement in other subjects, or school persistence. 

Second, our results highlight the importance of social environments outside the classroom, particularly parents and peers. Future research could explore how these sources of support evolve over time and how they can be leveraged in interventions. 

Finally, adopting a developmental perspective could help better understand how early experiences with reading support shape later motivation and reading habits. 

IRRC: What Is a Takeaway You Would Like Caregivers to Know About How They Can Impact Their Children’s Literacy Development? 

Pelletier: A key takeaway is that reading development is shaped by the social environment around the child. 

Caregivers can support their children’s literacy by: 

• modeling reading when possible; 
• sharing reading experiences; 
• creating opportunities for reading that feel meaningful and enjoyable. 

Importantly, our findings suggest that the role of support is similarly important in both elementary and secondary school students, highlighting the value of continuing to support reading across development.