Developing Reading Identities: Understanding Issues of Motivation within the Reading Workshop

[摘要] Empirical evidence suggests a correlation between motivation and reading achievement as well as a decline in motivation as students progress through the grades. In order to address this issue, it is necessary to determine the instructional methods that promote motivation and identity development in reading. This study examines the motivation and the identity development of four fourth grade students as they experienced the reading workshop over the course of one year. Ford’s Motivational Systems Theory and Wenger’s Theory of Learning frame the study of student motivation and identity development within the reading workshop. Data related to motivation and identity development was collected weekly through student interviews, surveys, and conferences. A description of the context was gained through researcher observations and a teacher interview. Analysis of this data revealed that (1) Increased time spent reading self- selected books correlates positively to student motivation and identity development. (2) Increased responsive feedback from teachers and peers is correlated with increased motivation and reading identity development. (3) These elements form the crux of the reading workshop, which supports the notion that this model of instruction encourages motivation and identity development. (4) The correlation between motivation, identity development, and achievement is not evident in the context of this study. However, this correlation often emerges over time. This dissertation concludes with directions for future research, which may contribute to a further understanding of the relationship between student motivation, identity development and the reading workshop.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh