Affective and cognitive factors impacting reading attitudes are presented for teachers and principals, specific elements affecting reading attitude and consequent reading performance are delineated. Both negative and positive experiences impacting childrens' resultant feelings toward the reading act are discussed. Substantive items intended to prevent problems in reading attitude are described, including influences beyond the reader's control. Attributes, found to have had a high correlation with how children feel about reading, have been investigated. With the aspiration of assisting teachers and principals in immediately employing feasible solutions in their classrooms and schools, ten specific suggestions designed to promote positive reading attitudes in elementary school children ar presented.

The media, politicians, the general public and many in the field of education believe that schools are failing to teach children to read. Teachers and principals have an enormous impact on the attitudes children develop toward reading. Some children love and enjoy the task of reading and are proficient and skilled in this area. Too many children, however, view reading in a negative way, and are failing in school as a result. It is important for teachers and principals to realize that the attitudes children possess toward reading can be changed or enhanced.

While primarily a cognitive act, reading is also influenced by affective functions (Gambrell, 1996). These domains, furthermore, do not appear to function independently (Maudeville, 1994). Development of skills in the affective domain is crucial if children are to experience any degree of success with reading (Diffy and Roehler, 1993).

Motivation, interest, and attitude are important skill areas to develop in the affective domain (Den Heyer, 1981). Self-concept is an additional affective component of extreme importance in reading instruction (Tesser, Felson, & Suls, (Eds.) 2000; Quandt, 1984; Lang, 1976). Enhancement in the development of personal interests, values, a positive attitude and the ability to read for both information and enjoyment, is gleaned through attention to the affective component of reading instruction (Calkins, 2001; Stanovich, 2000).