ABSTRACT
Reading educators, so often divided on matters of methodology, are undeniably unified on the need to foster in their students positive attitudes toward reading. Perhaps this unanimity arises from the fact that attitude remains a concept about which relatively little is understood. It has an everyday meaning, to be sure, and it is on the basis of this meaning that educators ground their endorsement, but as a psychological construct, attitude has a history that is murky and a bit perplexing. My own belief is that attitude is nonetheless a concept vital to any effort to systematically foster engaged readers. The purpose of this chapter is to offer an overview of current theories of attitude formation, to present a summary of research into reading attitudes, and to suggest what these theories tell us about effective instructional practice and related educational policies.
