What does Motivation and Engagement mean in reference to literacy?

Student motivation leads to student engagement. However, motivation is not something always focused on in literacy instruction. Students may come to middle and high school with literacy skills - they can read the books or comics they enjoy, text with their peers, and socialize appropriately. When it comes to academic literacy, however, many students struggle to know how to apply their knowledge. Students must be both motivated and engaged for literacy instruction to be most effective.

Characteristics of Students who are unmotivated and unengaged:

• Student lays head down

• Does not “like” reading

• Can read words, can comprehend text but does not try to

Importance of Motivation and Engagement and How to Achieve It

Motivation refers to extending choice, autonomy, voice, and encouragement to students within literacy instruction and activities. One example of this would be allowing students to choose a reading or set of texts for a unit of study, providing a variety of texts, using a variety of instructional activities to work on skills, incorporating listening and speaking activities, giving choices in activities to amplify student voices, and providing many "low-risk" opportunities for students to practice.

Engagement is tied to motivation. Engagement, however, is also tied to a positive classroom culture and excellent instruction. A few conditions that lead to more engagement are:

• Students feel safe enough to make mistakes

• Teacher models literacy practices for students

• Teacher coaches students in literacy practices

• Teacher asks quality questions and encourages student questioning

• Teacher provides feedback on literacy activities and assessments

• Teacher encourages students

• Literacy activities are relevant to students interests and real-world issues

• Teacher provides scaffolds and strategies for literacy activities

• Developing self-regulated learners

motivation and engagement activities

• Reading Choice Boards

• Interest Inventories

• Goal Setting Sheets

• Feedback that Feeds Forward

• Questioning the Text