Reading Enjoyment and Motivation in Grades 3-5: Encouraging an Increase in Reading for Pleasure
Description
Research shows that time spent engaged in recreational (i.e., pleasure) reading is important for elementary students’ growth in literacy. Students who spend time reading outside of school are more likely to succeed in school, and there are also benefits beyond their K-12 education. However, student engagement in pleasure reading has declined in the past few decades. This project argues that teachers in grades 3-5 have the responsibility and opportunity to encourage their students to read outside of school by seeking to improve their students’ attitudes and motivation towards reading while in school. Fostering students’ intrinsic motivation for reading, including pleasure reading, is imperative for teachers to see lasting results. Therefore, teachers must employ teaching practices which promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness when teaching reading, as they encourage students to read for learning and pleasure purposes. To accomplish this goal, educators must reevaluate their current teaching practices and examine the ways in which they can facilitate changes in students’ attitudes toward reading and increase students’ motivation to read. This project introduces a tool (i.e., guidebook) for teachers’ use which will enable grade 3-5 teachers to support students’ reading for academic and pleasure purposes. This guidebook provides them with ideas to increase their students’ engagement in and enjoyment of reading at school. This guidebook serves as an important supplement to teachers’ already existing reading curriculum, in which they are presented with strategies and classroom practices which have been proven to increase students’ motivation towards reading at school. When implementing the pedagogies and practices contained in this guidebook, teachers will have opportunities to address students’ literacy needs both in school and, hopefully, beyond school.
Reading Enjoyment and Motivation in Grades 3-5: Encouraging an Increase in Reading for Pleasure
Research shows that time spent engaged in recreational (i.e., pleasure) reading is important for elementary students’ growth in literacy. Students who spend time reading outside of school are more likely to succeed in school, and there are also benefits beyond their K-12 education. However, student engagement in pleasure reading has declined in the past few decades. This project argues that teachers in grades 3-5 have the responsibility and opportunity to encourage their students to read outside of school by seeking to improve their students’ attitudes and motivation towards reading while in school. Fostering students’ intrinsic motivation for reading, including pleasure reading, is imperative for teachers to see lasting results. Therefore, teachers must employ teaching practices which promote autonomy, competence, and relatedness when teaching reading, as they encourage students to read for learning and pleasure purposes. To accomplish this goal, educators must reevaluate their current teaching practices and examine the ways in which they can facilitate changes in students’ attitudes toward reading and increase students’ motivation to read. This project introduces a tool (i.e., guidebook) for teachers’ use which will enable grade 3-5 teachers to support students’ reading for academic and pleasure purposes. This guidebook provides them with ideas to increase their students’ engagement in and enjoyment of reading at school. This guidebook serves as an important supplement to teachers’ already existing reading curriculum, in which they are presented with strategies and classroom practices which have been proven to increase students’ motivation towards reading at school. When implementing the pedagogies and practices contained in this guidebook, teachers will have opportunities to address students’ literacy needs both in school and, hopefully, beyond school.