Reading Interview - Jesse

The following is a reading interview that I conducted with Jesse. The interview questions is adapted from Mariotti and Homan (2001).

Exhibit 5
1. Do you like to read? Why or why not?
Yes, because it’s so fun!

2. Are you a good reader? What makes you think so?
Yes. I am good at if I have a problem with a word, I will probably sound it out, or skip it and go back to it. Or if I have a problem with a word, my mama taught me that I can take a word and cut the word, like if I see this word [he wrote the sentence ‘first man to be winner’ on a piece of paper. He showed me how he would chunk it and sound out the beginner letter of each word to figure out the whole word] I could cut through, or put a box around the word, and say out the word, and say it all together, and then I ask myself if it sound right.

3. If you were going to read a story about sharks/friendship, what would you do first?
A non-fiction about sharks- First I will read the title, and I will look into the book. First I will look at the book and start to read.
A fiction about friendship- I will try my best to read and read a lot and try to understand it.

4. What do you do when you come to a word that you do not know? What else do you do?
If I see this word [he pointed to another sentence, ‘first man to be a winner’] if I see this sentence, and if I don’t know that, I will cut it right there, and then go figure out the next one [he cut the word ‘first’, and put a box around it. He sounded out each word]. And that’s how I get the answer.

5. What do you do when you do not understand what you have read?
I will like, I will try to figure out what to do. I will like skip it and come back to it.

6. Name me some books you are reading at school. And at home.
At school – [He took out his book bag] Junie B. Jones and Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test, and The great Tie Travel Ride.
Home- It’s about a book… about two little bears and a mama bear and dad bear. I read those a lot. Another book is about junk food. It’s a great book.

7. How much time do you read at home?
About like, I read at home like, 40 minutes.

8. Do you read with any young siblings, other kids, or parents at home?
Sometimes. I have 3 sisters. I don’t read to them though. I read to my mother.

9. Does anyone at home read to you?
My mother… everytime I go sleep, and my mother takes a bible book and read to me about God.

10. What do you like to do in your spare time?
Sports. I will do… when I go home, I will go to my friend’s home and have fun. I would like to be a sports player.

11. What are your favorite TV shows, or movies?
I just love TV! I cannot live without TV. My favorite show is Naruto, Dragon Ball Z, Chowder and I got more!

12. Are there some things about reading that you enjoy? What are they?
So… I like to read books. I like a book that… I like the pictures, the writing. Some books have beautiful sentences.

13. Are there some things about reading that you don’t like? What are they?
Some stuff… if I read, and I finish all my books, I don’t feel like reading them again, it makes me very tired and boring.

14. What kinds of things do you read a lot? What kinds of things do you like to read a lot?
I like cartoon books! And all cartoon books, like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Hip Hop Harry. And I don’t like baby books. All the levels, readers book, like F, G, J, K, boring! All boring.

15. What is the best story or book you have ever read?
Amber Brown, Junie B. Jones.

16. What would you like to learn to make yourself a better reader?
Read everyday, and read with my mother.

17. What does “reading” mean to you?
It makes me smarter. Cuz if I go outside, I will know which way to go. If I don’t read, I will be lost.

18. Why do people read?
To be smart.