Motivation for Reading Among Struggling Middle School Readers: A Mixed-Methods Study

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Division C Section 2a Poster Session 1: Motivational Processes

Abstract

In this study of motivation among struggling readers at two middle schools, student interviews were coded for self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation. The contribution of student self-reported levels of motivation to reading comprehension (RC) was assessed through hierarchical linear modeling. Results revealed 1) a significant main effect of self-efficacy on initial RC status; 2) site differences such that one site’s students had significantly higher RC scores, while the other’s had significantly higher motivation scores; and 3) certain characterizations of extrinsic motivation were present only in interview data. Overall findings suggest the quantitative effect of self-efficacy predicting RC can be better explained through qualitative findings that struggling readers hold different motivational beliefs (which impact them differently) depending on learning environment.

Authors

• Rebecca Louick, Boston College

• Christine Montecillo Leider, Boston University

• Samantha G Daley, Center for Applied Special Technology

• Patrick Proctor, Boston College

• Graham Gardner