The relationship between reading and school performance of pupils in primary and secondary schools

Summary: In 2017 the National Library of the Czech Republic conducted a national survey entitled The Czech children and youth as readers. Altogether 2000 pupils (500 aged 6-8 years, 850 aged 9-14 years and 650 aged 15-19 years) were approached within the framework of the quantitative research. This contribution concentrates on the analysis of the relationship between the pupils‘ school results or their grades as seen by their teachers, and their reading behaviour, intensity of reading for pleasure, reading motivation and their attitudes to spending their free time. The outcome of the survey of 1500 children and youth aged 9 to 19 shows that even with the use of simplified criteria for the evaluation of results of the study according to the achieved grades it is possible to identify substantial links as well as marked differences between the pupils‘ school attainment and reading for pleasure.