Motivation

Contexts for Engagement and Motivation in Reading by John T. Guthrie, available at []

Here's my summary:

Readers are motivated to read more when they're engaged with books. What does an engaged reader look like?


 * motivated to read for personal goals
 * strategic in using comprehension strategies
 * knowledgeable in constructing new meanings
 * socially interactive

How can we create a classroom/library environment that nurtures motivation?


 * identify a knwoledge goal and announce it
 * provide a real-world experience related to the goal
 * make trade books and other resources available
 * give students some choice about topics and texts
 * teach cognitive strategies to help students succeed
 * assure social collaboration for learning
 * align evaluation of student work with the context

Consider participating in a Children's Choice Book Award, which can incorporate many of these factors.

Toby