Independent Reading Among Middle School Students

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Recommended: Research suggests that a student's motivation to read increases when

Over time, middle school students have been struggling to find motivation to independently read. Recognizing what improves an adolescents’ motivation to read is difficult because the student is reading for so many different purposes (Neugebauer, 2014). Further, it has been noted that students rarely read for pleasure (Edwards, 2009). A strategy to increase a student’s motivation to independently read is to provide technology to track the student’s reading. (Guthrie, Hoa, Wigfield, Tonks, & Perncevich, 2006). This research paper will explore how including technology such as a website with book reviews and book suggestions affects independent reading. Interactive technology has engaging qualities that help motivate students. Through new technology, …show more content…

Intrinsic reading motivation includes teaching students to value the experience of reading a book (Becker, McElvany & Kortenbruck, 2010). It is important for educators to encourage students’ natural curiosity to learn and discover, through developing the pleasure of reading (Monteiro, 2013). When students are able to value reading and see the enjoyment and benefits in literature, students will begin to read more often; therefore increasing the student’s level of reading achievement. A student who is not intrinsically motivated lacks a desire to learn and in turn that leads to less independent reading (Paige, 2011). Intrinsic motivation arises from a person’s interest in a topic (Unrau & Schlackman, 2006). Through providing students with book suggestions based on individual student’s reading levels the student will soon become interested in books because the student is able to comprehend the text, allowing the student to become intrinsically motivated to read more frequently. Personal relationships with teachers may increase reading interest as well as intrinsic motivation (Guthrie, Hoa, Wigfield, Tonks & Perecevich, 2006). When students are able to bond with a teacher, tutor, adult, or even a peer, through an online blog, the student will freely talk about personal interests and in return be given book suggestions to support those interests. As students read more and more books at an …show more content…

It was found in a study by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that the strongest students in 10th grade had the highest reading motivation in elementary school (Guthrie, Hoa, Wigfield, Tonkins, & Percenvich, 2006). Students at the middle school level and above typically have less of a desire to read for enjoyment. Current research on reading motivation finds that as children move from upper elementary grades toward adolescence, motivation to read, particularly during free time, declines (Edwards, 2009). This is due to the fact that students who are unsuccessful readers in the elementary grades have preconceived notions of being a poor reader before even reaching middle school (Paige, 2011). Independent reading assignments very often go to the wayside as students move up through the grade levels thus decreasing motivation and the desire to read for entertainment. This is limiting success in the upper levels of

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