Motivating middle school students to read - Aliteracy By Lexie McDuffee

Aliteracy “An ability to read but an indifference and boredom with reading for academic and enrichment purposes.” Aliterate children can read, but they tend to avoid the activity. Children who do not read do not improve their reading skills. Children dislike doing things they do poorly, so they tend to read less and less. This is also true for the classroom, if a child who does not read sits with skilled readers and continues to feel more inept about reading.

Ten Reasons to Read 1.) Reading helps you become an interesting person. 2.) Reading helps improve your writing skills. 3.) Reading develops your imagination. 4.) Reading is great entertainment. 5.) Reading teaches you things that may be unfamiliar to you.

Ten Reasons to Read 6.) Reading can take you places you have never been. 7.) Reading takes you to times you’ve never experienced. 8.) Reading introduces you to people you’ve never met. 9.) Reading introduces you to new ideas. 10.) Reading is FUN

Ways to Motivate Independent Reading Schedule school events that focus on reading – “reading campaigns”. Becoming involved in community and library programs. Distributing reading certificates at awards day ceremonies.

Ways to Motivate Independent Reading Ensure students have access to books. Schedule time for sustained periods of silent reading. Reading aloud to students. Introduce and display interesting and engaging texts. Get students “hooked” on favorite authors or topics.

Understanding and Encouraging a Reluctant Reader b.htmlhttp://npin.org/pnews/2002/pnew302/int302 b.html The above web site provides information about reluctant readers and why they do not read. Research shows that reading attitudes deteriorate and voluntary reading drops as students progress through school.

Understanding and Encouraging a Reluctant Reader This web site also suggest there are three distinct types of aliteracy: Dormant readers – read for pleasure when they tell they have enough time (vacation). Uncommitted readers – have an open attitude toward reading. They do not care for it but might grow to like it. Unmotivated readers – dislike reading and express negative attitudes about people who read.

Understanding and Encouraging a Reluctant Reader The web site also gives us examples of books to recommend and what we can do to help: Hang in there – don’t force the issue, but make it possible for young adults to see that you enjoy reading. Make books a part of life – make sure they have a library card and offer visits to the school or public library. Help them discover how may choices they have-they may not realize the variety of books that are available.

Motivating Middle and High School Readers with Booktalks Booktalks are a great way to get students involved in books. You can also get actively involved by attending booktalks at your local library. Booktalks can get students or the whole family involved. The above web site provides you information about booktalks.

Reading Engagement: What Influences the Choice to Read? mlhttp:// ml The above web site is lengthy with lots of information about motivation, reading to learn/learning to read, and student’s choices and control. It also points out that poor readers remain poor readers as they advance through school, and their choice to avoid reading can actually lead to a decline in reading ability. We need to motivate our students to read!

Motivating Low Performing Adolescent Readers Remedial readers are often caught in a cycle of failure. They have negative experiences with reading and view reading as a process of getting the word right rather than an act of making sense of the material. They do not hear the voice on the page. Low performing students need the opportunity to revalue themselves.

Motivating Low Performing Adolescent Readers They also need to acquire strategies that will result in comprehension. d112.html This web site describes low performance readers and gives us examples of how we can help our students.

Some ideas for Motivating Students This web sites provides us more great examples for motivating our students. Some are: 1.) Have students participate in reading activities at school and help get students involved with them. 2.) Make learning visual – give them something to look at – pictures, drawings, charts, etc.. 3.) Remember that energy sells – be creative, proactive, and energetic.

Motivating middle school students to read - Aliteracy Some facts about literacy: Our book shows students who read for pleasure achieve higher scores on test. We (teachers) have to be knowledgeable about books, and regularly read and write to put us in a position to introduce young adults to the pleasures and functional uses of literacy. Reading is meaningful to adolescents when they can apply literacy processes for pleasure and personal growth, for better understanding of their world, and expanding comprehension.

Motivating middle school students to read - Aliteracy Teachers are in the best position to foster positive perceptions and attitudes toward literacy while giving students regular and frequent opportunities to practice and grow as literate learners. The six C’s for motivating students to read: 1.) Choice – let student’s help choose books and tasks they will enjoy. 2.) Challenge – give them moderately challenging tasks.

Motivating middle school students to read - Aliteracy 3.) Control – students need some control of their learning in order to develop independence and versatility as learners. 4.) Collaboration – let students interact and cooperate with one other—Booktalks are a great example. 5.) Constructing meaning – active meaning construction promotes motivation. 6.) Consequences – students should be helped to see the connection between effort and outcome.

Bibliography Brozo, William G. (2003). Chapter 1. Readers, Teachers, Learners. Ohio: Merrill Prentice Hall. Coiro, Julie. (2000). Motivating Middle and High School Readers with Booktalks. (no other information given) –

Bibliography Collins, Norma Decker. (1996) Motivating Low Performing Adolescent Readers. Eric Digest. (no other information given-here is web address-) Harris, Robert. (1991) Some Ideas for Motivating Students. (no other information given-here is web address-)

Bibliography Kowalewski, Kirsten D. M. (2000/2001). Reading Engagement: What Influences The Choice to Read? (no other information provided) - ml ml Mendoza, Jean. (2002). Understanding and Encouraging a Reluctant Reader. Parent News March-May 2002.

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