As a teacher and as a father, I have watched a number young people fall in…and then out of love with books.  Even in homes where reading is valued, book-time often finds itself in competition with a variety of school activities, videogames, and number of other pastimes. The situation is complicated by the fact that children’s motivation to read seems to decline as they get older (McKenna & Kear, 1990). In an effort to better understand what is it that motivates kids to read—and what teachers can do to increase students’ engagement in challenging literacy tasks—I visited with educators and researchers around the country who work with reluctant readers... 

Podcast References

Birsch, J. (2006). What is multisensory structured language? Perspectives, 32(2), 15-20.

Guthrie, J.T., Hoa, L.W., Wigfield, A., Tonks, S.M., Humenick, N.M., & Littles, E. (2007). Reading motivation and reading comprehension growth in the later elementary years. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 32(3), 282–313. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2006.05.004

Guthrie, J. T., Meter, P., McCann, A. D., Wigfield, A., Bennett, L., Poundstone, C. C., ... & Mitchell, A. M. (1996). Growth of literacy engagement: Changes in motivations and strategies during concept‐oriented reading instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 31(3), 306-332.

McKenna, M., & Kear, D. (1990). Measuring attitudes toward reading: A new tool for teachers. The Reading Teacher, 52, 698–706.

McKenna, M.C., Conradi, K., Lawrence, C., Jang, B.G., & Meyer, J.P. (2012). Reading attitudes of middle school students: Results of a U.S. survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(3), 283–306.

Nolen, S. B. (2007). Young children's motivation to read and write: Development in social contexts. Cognition and Instruction, 25(2-3), 219-270.

Schiefele, U., & Schaffner, E. (in press). Lesemotivation im Grund schulalter – Ergebnisse einer Interviewstudie [Reading motivation of elementary school students – Results from an interview study]. Psychologie in Erziehung und Unterricht.

Schiefele, U., Schaffner, E., Möller, J., & Wigfield, A. (2012). Dimensions of reading motivation and their relation to reading behavior and competence. Reading Research Quarterly, 47(4), 427-463.

Choice, control, ownership of learning, a few games, and a bit of technology can have a powerful impact on mathematics instruction. 

I was walking through an elementary school recently, and I heard this kid in the hall turn to another kid and say, “Math was really fun today. “  He went on to talk about all the things that they ‘got’ to do. That is what he said.  Stuff we “got” to do.  So, I asked around.  I found out who his math teacher was. And I paid her a visit.  I explained that I was interested in what she does in her class.  You know, what is it that makes a kid say, “Hey.  Math is fun.”  She let me snoop around, even watch and visit with her kids.  And what I saw was amazing...