Submission Type

Event

Expected Graduation Date

2015

Location

State Farm Hall, Illinois Wesleyan University

Start Date

4-18-2015 11:00 AM

End Date

4-18-2015 12:00 PM

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

For our research, we focused on our student teaching experiences in first and fourth grade classrooms. We specifically looked at the physical and social environments affecting students’ motivation to read. Froiland, Oros, Smith, and Hirchert (2012) describe intrinsic motivation as “the behavior motivated purely by the inherent benefits” and extrinsic motivation as “seeking to avoid punishments and gain external rewards”. Our interest was to develop a stance toward reading instruction that fostered students’ intrinsic motivation to read and drew on their interests and curiosities by looking at the physical and social approaches that we could use to support students in becoming motivated readers. Analysis of journal entries, field notes, photographs, guest reader observations, interviews, and questionnaires showed how a change in the physical and social environments positively motivated students to read. Our findings support that elementary school educators should strive to use various strategies when looking to enhance students’ reading motivation.

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Apr 18th, 11:00 AM Apr 18th, 12:00 PM

Enhancing Intrinsic Reading Motivation in Elementary Students

State Farm Hall, Illinois Wesleyan University

For our research, we focused on our student teaching experiences in first and fourth grade classrooms. We specifically looked at the physical and social environments affecting students’ motivation to read. Froiland, Oros, Smith, and Hirchert (2012) describe intrinsic motivation as “the behavior motivated purely by the inherent benefits” and extrinsic motivation as “seeking to avoid punishments and gain external rewards”. Our interest was to develop a stance toward reading instruction that fostered students’ intrinsic motivation to read and drew on their interests and curiosities by looking at the physical and social approaches that we could use to support students in becoming motivated readers. Analysis of journal entries, field notes, photographs, guest reader observations, interviews, and questionnaires showed how a change in the physical and social environments positively motivated students to read. Our findings support that elementary school educators should strive to use various strategies when looking to enhance students’ reading motivation.

 

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