Student Motivation and Reading

1. The culture is one that promotes democracy and students' voices so that students have a 'say in their learning. "To be willing to give up some control is to avoid getting too invested in the amazing course you designed. Strive to take pleasure and pride from how you help students to learn and become excited about learning, not just from the curriculum itself." (Article: How to Create Nonreaders)

1.1. Classroom Culture

2. School Culture

2.1. student's voices are heard and respected. This creates the environment that is motivating.

2.2. Sense of community will make for safe reading environment. Having a principal whose leadership style thrives to figure out what motivates the students. The principal leads with humility and sensitivity and the students are driven by this. The principal works with teachers and students to set achievable and sustainable goals for improving in reading and motivation.

2.3. Teachers support one another and work collaboratively to set up reading programs and pathways to learning. This motivates students because all parties are working together for common literacy goals.

3. Family

3.1. Creating literacy nights and offering fun community book talks will invite families to be involved with reading.

3.2. Teachers work with parents through good communication skills to set some achievable goals for students to work at through a home reading program.

3.3. Parents help motivate students by making reading exciting and trying to create fun and special reading times

4. Offer students choice of how to present final summative reading tasks. Appeal to the different learning styles so that they are represented in the choices of ways to present. This will keep ALL students engaged and motivated in the process.

5. Let students be involved in the assessment part through self and peer assessments. "Bring students in on the process of assessment by asking them to join you in thinking about alternatives to conventional tests. “How can you show me what you understood, where you still need help, and what I may need to rethink about how I taught the unit?” (Article: Student Motivation, School Culture and Academic Achievement)

6. Teach Students the value of reading!

7. Community

7.1. Encouraging involvement of the Public Libraries and other stakeholders by having the principal and school invite them in and show them that reading motivation is changing and that we ALL play a part in helping students to be engaged in reading.

7.2. Creating and establishing relationships with the community to motivate and interest students in reading. (For example: guest readers, literacy night sponsors, have companies donate books and resources) These are all ways that show students just how important reading is to success in life

8. Teachers need to introduce students to a variety of exciting literature that will captivate them to really want to read. (from various genres, time periods, cultures, etc.,)

9. Check in with students frequently and ask them how they are doing. Discuss what is working and what is not. This will create a sense of community and motivate them to really want to learn, because they are a part of the process.