Motivating Independent Reading: The Route to a Lifetime of Education.

This" report describes a program for increasing levels of leisure time reading and heightened awareness of age and ability appropriate literature with an effort to encourage targeted students in grades 2, 3, and 6 to become lifelong readers. The targeted population lives in a growing rural, low to upper middle class community located in north central Illinois. Students had low levels of independent reading habits, documented through data from surveys and teacher observations. Analysis of probable cause data and professional literature revealed several possible causes for the lack of time students spend in leisure time reading. Children are being attracted regularly by electronic media entertainment and by extracurricular activities in an environment that does not promote leisure reading. In addition, children's unique differences have not been recognized in terms of their need for choice of reading material. Solution strategies consisted of providing sustained silent reading and emphasizing student choice--a vital feature of this intervention in terms of student selection of reading materials, response activities that recognize multiple intelligence and learning style theory, and decision making opportunities regarding participation in extrinsic reward programs. Motivational activities providing adult modeling in school and in the home were emphasized. Post intervention data indicated an increase in students' positive attitude and engagement in sustained silent reading, improved knowledge of a variety of genre and authors, and the development of multiple intelligences in sharing book responses with peers. Appended are: (1) Surveys (elementary reading attitude, 2nd/3rd grade literature awareness, 6th grade literature awareness, and parent pre-intervention); (2) bibliography; (3) chart of response choices using multiple intelligences; (4) parent permission form; (5) parent letter of introduction to project; (6) post-intervention parent letter; (7) parent post survey; (8) samples of post survey parent narrative responses--2nd/3rd grade; and (9) sample of 2nd grade quiet time reading log. (Contains 16 figures and 38 references.) (CR) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** MOTIVATING INDEPENDENT READING: THE ROUTE TO A 'LIFETIME OF EDUCATION Christine Smith Esther Tracy Lynne Weber An Action Research Project Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the School of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership Saint Xavier University & Skylight Field-Based Masters Program Chicago, Illinois U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvernent May, 1998 ED CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. ID Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) CS