COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF READING PREFERENCES OF YOUNGER SCHOOL AGE LEARNERS IN INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT (SLOVAKIA, POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC)

Lýdia Simanová & Simoneta Babiaková, Matej Bel University, Slovakia;    Abstract: The paper deals with the issue of the reading interest of younger school age learners in an international comparison in Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland. The intensity of the reader's interest determines the degree of his/her inner need for reading as the ultimate support for his/her educational success and lifelong development.  The paper presents research findings of the younger aged reading preferences to propose the optimal content of the school subject Slovak language and reading. The research was based on comparative qualitative content analysis and categorization of learners' questionnaire responds concerning literature contents, genres and forms that are preferred  by them. The paper presents significant differences and similarities in the preferences of the denoted categories. The paper follows up on the studies Theoretical scopes of support younger school-age learners and reading enthusiasm of pupils at elementary school from the perspective of pedagogical research and Analysis of reading preferences of Slovak younger school-age learners. The paper is the result of the project VEGA 1/0455/18 Research and development of reading of younger school age learners.