Finding the Drive: Motivating Special Education Students to Read in the High School English Classroom

Submission Type

Event

Expected Graduation Date

2013

Location

Lower Level, Ames Library, Illinois Wesleyan University

Start Date

4-20-2013 9:00 AM

End Date

4-20-2013 10:00 AM

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

Although tracking in public high schools is touted as an approach that caters to the needs of the students, students in lower-level courses continue to face a wide gap between actual literacy and expected literacy for students in their grade. Lack of student motivation has been identified as one of the contributing factors. Teachers dedicated to improving student literacy, it has been argued, can create classroom environments that foster intrinsic motivation to promote higher student achievement and literacy levels. This paper investigates different factors that were affecting student motivation in a high school, low-level English classroom. This study was completed using a qualitative self-study approach that includes data from field notes, student work samples, and student feedback. The findings of this study indicate that positive student-teacher relationships help foster student interest in the material and encourage the students to take academic risks intended to develop their literacy skills.

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Apr 20th, 9:00 AM Apr 20th, 10:00 AM

Finding the Drive: Motivating Special Education Students to Read in the High School English Classroom

Lower Level, Ames Library, Illinois Wesleyan University

Although tracking in public high schools is touted as an approach that caters to the needs of the students, students in lower-level courses continue to face a wide gap between actual literacy and expected literacy for students in their grade. Lack of student motivation has been identified as one of the contributing factors. Teachers dedicated to improving student literacy, it has been argued, can create classroom environments that foster intrinsic motivation to promote higher student achievement and literacy levels. This paper investigates different factors that were affecting student motivation in a high school, low-level English classroom. This study was completed using a qualitative self-study approach that includes data from field notes, student work samples, and student feedback. The findings of this study indicate that positive student-teacher relationships help foster student interest in the material and encourage the students to take academic risks intended to develop their literacy skills.