Motivation And Engagement

strategy 1:

This strategy "Motivation to Read Profile: Reading Survey" would help if your learner showed a need for motivation to read. The objective of this activity is the student will become more motivated to read and will begin to choose reading as an activity.

Materials

• "Reading survey" sheets

• Pencils

Activity

1. Tell students you are interested in their views about reading. Explain to students that you will be giving them a survey that will help you understand how they feel about reading.

2. Reproduce and distribute copies of the Motivation to Read Profile (MRP).

3. Ask students to write their names in the space provided and tell them something like what follows.

“ I am going to read some sentences to you: I want to know how you feel about your reading. There are no right or wrong answers, so tell me honestly what you think. I will read each sentence twice. Do not mark your answer until I tell you to. After I read the sentence the first rime, I want you to think about the best answer for you. Then after I read the sentence the second time, I want you to fill in the space beside your best answer, Mark only one answer.”

4. Have students complete the survey and collect them. Score them by assigning a numerical value for each item: 1 point for the first answer, 2 points for the second answer, 3 points for the third answer, and 4 points for the fourth answer. For some of the questions, the scoring is reversed. Recode the answers that have an asterisk next to them on the MRP Reading Survey Scoring Sheet.

5. Interpret your students' scores on the Motivation to Read Profile by calculating the students' scores about their self-concept as a reader and the value they place on reading. Use the results of the surveys to tailor your motivational interventions for your students.

Resource:

Improving Reading textbook (pages.7-11)

strategy 2:

This strategy "Thumbs Up or Thumps Down" would help if your learner showed a need for motivation to read. The objective of this activity is the student will become more motivated to read and will begin to choose reading as an activity.

Materials

• "Thumbs Up and Thumps Down" sheets

• Pencils

• Scissors

Activity

1. Tell students that their opinions and reactions about the books they read are important and that you will be providing them with an opportunity to share their views with others in the class.

2. Duplicate and distribute the Thumbs Up (Good) and Thumbs Down (Not So Good). Have students cut out the picture of the hand that best represents their view of a book they have recently read. See the smaller examples below.

3. Ask students to write the title of the book, the name of the author, a one-sentence summary, and the reason for their rating on the hand. Tell students that all of their reasons will be considered valid as long as they can justify their opinions.

4. Display the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down sheets in your room at the students' eye level. Encourage students frequently to read their class members' opinions about books. From time to time, highlight a particularly good book that students have enjoyed.

5. Provide additional copies of the Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down pictures for students to use on an ongoing basis in a readily accessible area of your classroom.

Resource:

Improving Reading textbook (page. 12)

strategy 3:

This strategy "Attitude Survey " would help if your learner showed a need for the dislike of reading or exhibits a negative attitude toward reading. The objective of this activity is the student will gain a more positive attitude toward reading.

Materials

• "Attitude Survey" sheets

• Pencils

Activity

1- Tell students that you would like to find out how they feel about reading. Emphasize that this survey is not a test and that there are no "right" or "wrong" answers. Encourage honesty.

2. Distribute the survey form and, if you wish to monitor the attitudes of specific students, ask them to write their names in the space at the top. Hold up a copy of the survey so that students can see the first page. Point to the picture of Garfield at the far left of the first item. Ask students to look at this same picture on their own survey. Discuss with them the mood Garfield seems to be in (very happy). Then move to the next picture and again discuss Garfield's mood (this time, a little happy). In the same way, move to the third and fourth pictures and talk about Garfield's moods a little upset and very upset. It is helpful to point out the position of Garfield's mouth, especially in the middle two figures.

3. Have students complete the survey independently as you read the statements to them. Ask students to respond with the answer that best describes how they feel.

4. Score the survey using the scoring instructions sheet.

5. Use the information from the survey to determine students' attitudes toward reading. Then take steps to help students build more positive attitudes toward reading using the ideas and strategies in this section.

Resource:

Improving Reading textbook (pages. 19-26)

strategy 4:

This strategy "Interest Inventory" would help if your learner showed a little to no interest in reading. The objective of this activity is the student will expand his or her interests in reading.

Materials

• "Interest Inventory" sheets

• Pencils

Activity

(If you're doing this at home, a parent can discuss the interests with the learner)

1. Choose an Interest Inventory to administer to your students. News About Me is typically popular with elementary students and the Inventory of Experiences is more appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students.

2. Duplicate and distribute the appropriate Interest Inventory.

3. Explain to students that you would like them to complete either the News About Me or the Inventory of Experiences. Say something like what follows.

“I would like to learn more about you and what interests you. I want to know so I can find books and other materials that fit your interests. Please complete the inventories and include as many details as possible.”

4. Allow adequate time for students to complete the Interest Inventory. (You may need to read it to some students.)

5. After the students have completed the inventory, have them discuss their interests with class members. Divide the class into groups (if applicable) of three or four students. Tell students to share their responses with their group members. Ask one of the group members to list the interests shared in discussion.

6. Have students share their interest lists with the entire class. After each entry, ask the class if others are interested in the topic. For example, if one student states that ice hockey is interesting, ask how many other students are interested in ice hockey. Encourage students with similar interests to share their knowledge about the topic. Jot down the names of students who share interests so you can use this knowledge to expand your classroom library and use the information when teaching.

7. Find books and other printed materials about many of the topics of interest. A librarian may be able to help you. Place the books and materials in a visible place in the classroom and allow students time to read about topics that interest them. Be sure to highlight materials that are likely to appeal to specific students.

8. Administer the interest inventories every few months. Interests change and you will find it useful to assess your students' current interests throughout the year. You may also want to carefully observe students to learn their new and emerging interests.

Resource:

Improving Reading textbook (pages. 33-37)

strategy 5:

This strategy "We-Can Chart" would help if your learner showed a need for confidence in reading ability. The objective of this activity is the student will gain greater confidence in reading.

Materials

• "We-Can Charts"

• Pencils

• Reading folders

Activity

Using specific language to describe what students can do related to a specific skill or strategy being developed is a technique that "nurtures the reading self-concept of struggling or reluctant readers" (Marinak et al., 2015, p. 59).

1. Determine specific reading skills and strategies to teach students over a three- or four-week period and list them on the We-Can Chart (Cleland, 1999).

2. Read the list of reading skills and strategies with students. Have students contribute additional things they want to learn.

3. Make a copy of the We-Can Chart for each student. Have students place the chart in their reading folders.

4. Tell students that you will be working with them on the skills and strategies listed on the chart. Explain to students that they will learn each of these skills and strategies in the next few weeks. You might say something like what follows.

"For the next few weeks we will be learning how to identify the setting of a story, how to decode compound words, and how to make inferences during and after reading. As we work on these skills and strategies, you will find that you are able to do them well. After a few weeks, we'll add them to the We-Can column of the chart and add more items to our list."

5. After you have taught a skill or strategy, have students write the sentence "We can --------(name of skill or strategy)." Express your delight that the students are learning so well.

6. Remind students frequently of the many things they have learned how to do.

Resource:

Improving Reading textbook (pages. 56-57)