Bibliodiversità e tipologie di lettori: strumenti e strategie per un modello integrato di educazione alla lettura

The integrated model of reading education highlights the significance of evidence-based practices and the necessity for all stakeholders involved in educational processes to reflect upon reading practices, especially from early childhood (Moretti, 2017, 2022; Moretti, Morini, 2023). To improve the quality of educational offerings, it is essential to promote a didactics based on scientific evidence that enhances reading skills while employing effective strategies to cultivate the pleasure of reading. This integrated model focuses on two key dimensions: cognitive, which strengthens metacognitive strategies, and affective, which fosters emotional engagement and motivation for reading (Baker, Wigfield, 1999; Guthrie et al., 1999; Schiefele et al., 2016). The ultimate goal of this approach is to develop active citizens who can acquire and critically process information, enabling them to make informed decisions. Simply achieving minimum reading comprehension levels is not sufficient; instead, the model emphasizes the formation of «engaged readers,» a term introduced by Gambrell (1996), encompassing motivated, well-informed readers who activate reading strategies and enjoy sharing their reading experiences with others. In addressing the needs of future readers, it is vital to promote strategies that enable readers to engage with texts in different formats, appreciating bibliodiversity or the wide variety of books, and integrating printed and digital books consciously (Moretti, 2015; Batini 2022). Teachers and mediators play a crucial role in this process. Inspired by the success of Reading Teachers in Anglo-Saxon contexts, these specialized professionals possess a highly reflective attitude, providing valuable inprogress feedback based on data collected through monitoring activities. The integrated reading model advocates for a systemic and multi-level approach. At the microsystem level, educational contexts should introduce evidence-based teaching strategies and reading practices. At the mesosystem level, reading initiatives must be presented as stable «cultural events» involving various community actors, such as universities, publishers, schools, associations, illustrators, and writers. These events, such as the Mostra e iniziative sulla lettura e letteratura per l’infanzia, create collective and social dimensions of reading (Moretti, 2010; Pasqualini, Valente, Gargano, 2021). To ensure a reflective stance and a diachronic perspective, empirical research consistently accompanies these actions. By sharing research outcomes with the scientific community, the integrated reading model continuously evolves based on evidence. Disseminating results and sharing reliable data collection tools indirectly influences the macrosystem level. Another crucial aspect of the integrated model is acknowledging the diversity and variety of books and readers. Bibliodiversity, as coined by Moretti (2015), refers to the vast range of quality books available in various formats and genres, fostering reading interest and growth from an early age. Similarly, understanding reader typologies is essential. The research at the Didattica della lettura della Università Roma Tre identifies three main reader types: pleasure readers with comprehension difficulties, pleasure readers with good comprehension, and non-pleasure readers with adequate comprehension. To address these diverse reader profiles effectively, the development and utilization of reliable assessment tools are essential. The Questionario sulla Motivazione alla Lettura (QML) translates and adapts Wigfield and Guthrie’s Motivation for Reading Questionnaire, enabling a comprehensive investigation of motivation for reading with four defined dimensions: recognition, engagement, positive competition, and sharing and sociality. The QML’s digital version provides immediate formative feedback for the respondent, promoting self-regulation and peer discussions. Enhancing the understanding of individual readers and their unique relationships with reading practices are vital in educational contexts. Knowledge of readers’ preferences, strategies, and experiences facilitates effective mediation between readers and books, encouraging initial encounters and subsequent re-readings that allow readers to immerse themselves in the realm of fiction and expand their self-development experiences. In conclusion, the integrated model of reading education presents a systematic and multilayered approach grounded in evidence-based practices (Baker, Wigfield, 1999; Guthrie et al., 1999; Schiefele et al., 2016). Emphasizing the cognitive and affective aspects of reading, understanding diverse reader profiles, and utilizing assessment tools like the QML empowers educators, parents, and mediators to foster engaged, lifelong readers capable of critically processing information and fostering a love for reading.