...and engaging students in reading Jenna Cambria John T. Guthrie LJjdvcrsLiv û", J ou can certainly ignore motivation if you choose. But if you do, you maybe neglecting the most important part of reading. There are two sides to reading. On one side are the skills which include phonemic awareness, phonics, word recognition, vocabulary, and simple comprehension. On the other side is the will to read. A good reader has both skill and will. In the "will" part, we are talking about motivation to read. This describes children's enjoyments, their wants, and their behaviors surrounding reading. A student with skill may be capable, but without will, she cannot become a reader. It is her will power that determines whether she reads widely and frequently and grows into a student who enjoys and benefits from literacy. So we think you should care about motivation because it is the other half of reading. Sadly, it is the neglected half. Y What is motivation? Many teachers think of a motivated reader as a student who is having fun while reading. This may be true, but there are many forms of motivation that might not be related to fun and excitement. What we mean by motivation are the values, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding reading for an individual. Some productive values and beliefs may lead to excitement, yet other values may lead to determined hard work. We talk about three powerful motivations that drive students' reading. They operate in school and out of school, and they touch nearly...
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...12, 2009 “Each fall, teachers regularly spend up to six weeks going over the same lessons their students had been taught the precious school year because of a phenomenon known as the “summer slide.” How kids spend their time outside of school is critically important to their success. It is a societal issue and something that is important to address, community-to-community and parent-to-parent,” said Ron Fairchlid, (2006). Executive Director of the Center for Learning at John Hopkins University). Summer Slide is a name given to the face that student who does not keep up with their level of academic skills over the summer loses them. This situation is usually found in low-income areas. This loss of memory is usually done to the lack of mental stimulation. Since this is a known problem, there are various ways to limit of even preventing this from happening to the students. Summer slide occurs for more than one reason, but the main one is lack of access to books, magazines, or newspapers in the home. In some cases there are no libraries or clubs in the immediate community. Then, there is the lack of education the parents have, most have no higher education themselves and therefore, are unable to persuade the children they need education, so there is a lack of motivation. There is a way of preventing this and for the middle or higher classes it is already being done, but for the lower class help is needed to defeat the problem. It is going to take more than just...
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...Kathryn Culpepper Article Review 1 Journal Article Review of The Early Literacy at Preschool Education: The Book or the E-Book? In this day and age, it is important for young children to gain an understanding of early literacy skills, and technology is being used more and more in the classroom to assist with those skills. The issue that was discussed in this article was whether electronic books (E-books) are beneficial in teaching young children early literacy skills compared to books read by a teacher or another person. The article takes results from a previous study that states children benefit more from books read by a teacher or family member and compares those results to other studies that were done. The article describes what E-books are and the features of them that help engage children in reading and how E-books can help develop...
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...apparent that Mountain Valley Middle School students were not achieving at an adequate level in Literacy. The school joined the Western Maine Literacy Initiative and set the goal to develop and teach research-based strategies intended to help the students navigate non-fiction text in all classes. The 2007 and 2008 Maine Educational Assessment (MEA) results showed steady growth in the area of literacy. When the results were released in 2009 only 4% of eighth grade students did not meet literacy standards with 81% meeting and an unprecedented 18% exceeding the standards. The data from the 2009 NECAP showed only 42% of Mountain Valley Middle School students were achieving at the proficient benchmark in math. The NECAP data also indicated students were not adequately responding to constructed response questions. It was decided for the 2010-11 school year that dedicated research and implementation of strategies and instructional methods would be put into place to drive toward better instruction in mathematics. Students would also be taught tools to better navigate short answer and constructed response questions. The RTI initiative was viewed as a good place to start making pedagogical changes to the school environment to make the necessary changes that would allow students to be more successful in their learning endeavors. School Profile Mountain Valley Middle School (MVMS) is located in the town of Mexico, Maine. It is part of the Region School Unit #10 (RSU10) based in Dixfield...
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...This enthusiasm stayed with me throughout elementary school, but slowly, without my noticing, it began to fade away, only to be reignited by the handful of teachers throughout my middle school and high school education that challenged me to think beyond how to pass a test. In I Just Wanna Be Average , Mike Rose writes “Students will float to the mark you set”. In my experience this quote couldn't be more true. All of my teachers have expected me to pass a test, but those who raised the “mark” and challenged me to think critically, ask questions, and discover my own ideas have motivated me to improve the person I am and to pursue the accumulation of knowledge. Awkward phases and embarrassing decisions is what the majority of people see when they look back on their middle school years. I, on the other hand look back at middle school with fondness, primarily due to my...
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...between the child and the school. This study examines and outlines the steps that I will take to conduct my research project on parental involvement. The above mention participants have agreed to give their observations on parental involvement in there schools. This research will seek to highlight two major factors. First, the study seeks to find ways to help or improve parental involvement in secondary school. Secondly, this study seeks to discuss the importance of parental involvement pertaining to student achievement. This research is meant to give a better understanding of the help and/or hindrance of why parental involvement is not at an all time high. Introduction Parental involvement has consistently been linked with school success in a multitude of areas, such as better achievement and behavior, lower non-attendance and shift attitudes toward school (Cole-Henderson, 2000; Jeynes, 2005a; Taylor, Hinton, &Wilson, 1995). We all know many studies examining the benefits of parental involvement have been conducted, but several issues remain sufficiently unaddressed. The current study will attempt to address some of those questions regarding parental involvement in secondary schools. The discussion will follow a small area between a lack of parental involvement and one being overly involved, which can cause problems either way. A lot of the article I came across addresses the importance of parental involvement in their child’s education, but this does not decide...
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...CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the study The middle school years are a critical turning point in young peoples’ lives. At ages 11-14 years, children go through the early adolescence stage. Adolescence is an important period when a child adjusts physically, learns new cognitive abilities, forms positive social relationships, develops a positive sense of self, and forges a personal code of ethics and morality (Eccles, Midgley,1989;Jackson & Davis,2000). Schools, along with peers and families, play an important role in fostering young peoples’ healthy development through the adolescent years (Meece, 2003). Thus, ignoring the developmental needs of students in school might result in the students developing a wrong notion of school until adulthood. Students’ eagerness and motivation to go to high school may decline as they go through their first year in high school if they may still lack the interaction they need to become familiar with and to be exposed to the high school’s norms and environment (Eccles & Midgley, 1989) (Barone, Aguirre-Deandreis, & Trickett, 1991). First year students tend to become lost in the “new world” they are in (Mizelle, 1995; Phelan, Yu, & Davidson, 1994) as they are expected to be more independent in high school, with less spoon-feeding of information and more application of good study habits. The new first year students are expected to be more mature as they deal with new classroom subjects, adopt a better value system, and be...
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...Fine arts and music education should continue in public schools. Anyone exposed to the arts and/or music benefits from life-long advantages. Education in these areas is associated with improvement in mathematics, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skills. These are very important aspects in life, all of them necessary in order to make a mark on society. Studies also show that involvement in the arts increases motivation, boosts confidence, and also improves concentration and teamwork skills. Again, these are very important aspects in life. Students who are exposed to the arts generally perform better on standardized testing than those who do not. This is due to the academic gain in important subjects such as math and reading, which have a tendency to be tested the most heavily. Also, as stated before, students exposed to the arts gain important critical thinking skills, which is included in most standardized testing. Unfortunately, some school districts fail to recognize the importance of education in the arts. Over the past three decades, art education has been gradually slipping. The result? Lower test scores. I’m sure you can see the correlation. On the bright side, a majority of the United States realize the importance of art education. Forty states require art education in order to graduate from high school. Those 80% of high school graduates in our country more than likely have better jobs and better communication skills. Why? Because they participated...
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...A Study of Middle Grades Students’ Reading Interests, Habits, and Achievement Nichole Lynnette Smith A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Education in the School of Education. Chapel Hill 2009 Approved By: Dr. Barbara Day Dr. Frank Brown Dr. Sandra Hughes-Hassell Dr. Teresa Petty Dr. Xue Lan Rong i © 2009 Nichole Lynnette Smith ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Nichole Lynnette Smith: A Study of Middle Grades Students’ Reading Interests, Habits, and Achievement (Under the direction of Dr. Barbara Day, Advisor) Reading has become an area of concern among the American culture in the past decade. The amount of time the American public spends reading is declining quickly, and its most frequent drop has been among its youngest readers, elementary school students (National Endowment for the Arts, 2004). McKool’s (2007) research has found that there is a “strong relationship between the amount of out-of-school reading a student engages in and his or her success in school” (p. 111). It has also been found that students’ academic levels do not remain the same with no growth, but their academic levels actually drop if they do not read in their free time (Hughes- Hassell & Lutz, 2006). The current literature focuses on younger students, especially those in elementary school. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential differences of what influences...
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...Effects of the Distributed-Counseling Model in 7th Grade Hispanic Middle School Students’ Self-Efficacy Skills and Motivation \ Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the distributed counseling model on twenty-four 7th grade Hispanic middle school students’ self-efficacy skills and motivation. This study focuses on measuring the various skills that Hispanic middle school children need to be successful at both the high school and collegiate level through the use of a self-efficacy and motivation instrument. In determining the effects of the distributed counseling model one can identify the effectiveness of this model in aiding with student success amongst Hispanic adolescents. It is noted that self-efficacy, amount of intrinsic as opposed to extrinsic motivation an individual possesses, and overall self-management skills are strong predictors of student success. Introduction Alonso-Zaldivar and Tompson (2010) found that Hispanics are at a point where, “Eighty-seven percent said a college education is extremely or very important, compared with 78% of the overall U.S. population.” However, “Census figures show that only 13% of Hispanics have a college degree or higher, compared with 30% among Americans overall.” This figure alone is astonishing in the sense that Hispanics understand the importance of an education, yet somehow seem to get caught up in the process of actually motivating and self-regulating themselves to achieve these educational...
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...Oprah Winfrey, an American Philanthropist once said “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” However, if schools aren’t in good conditions, student aren’t able to do so. As of right now, my school isn’t in its prime condition. Some teachers aren’t educating to the best of their abilities Consequently, students are not engaging well in class. Furthermore, the majority of substitutes are not helpful when it comes to the subject that they are subbing for. So, what can we do to make Midlothian Middle School Better for all of us? In order to create a better learning environment for everyone, the school system needs to deal with broken and non-working chromebooks faster, hire better substitutes, and check up on teachers weekly....
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...taught (Krashen, 1993). The contents in the newspapers affected pupils and the world in which they live. It can be more interesting and easier for them to relate what they have learnt in class to what is happening beyond the confines of their school. It also least expensive learning tools and had enough information. At present, about 600 newspapers in the United States and Canada participate in the NIE program, involving approximately three million students, teachers,...
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...In this essay, the view that social class differences in educational underachievement are the result of school processes such as labelling will be assessed. Internal and external factors will be assessed with the use of researchers such as: Bernstein, Bereiter & Engelmann, Keddie and Howard. Internal factors such as labelling have been shown to effect education achievement. To label someone is to attach a meaning or definition to them. Becker carried out a study on labelling on 60 Chicago high school teachers, and found that they judged pupils according to how closely they fit an image of the ideal pupil. The pupils work, conduct, and appearance were key factors to the teachers’ judgements. Becker found that middle class children were closer to the image of the ideal pupil whereas the working class children were furthest away and seen as badly behaved. Cicourel & Kituse’s study of educational counsellors in an American high school shows how this labelling can disadvantage working class student. They found that the way in which counsellors would assess the student’s suitability for courses. They judged students on the basis of their class and/or race. Where students would have the same grades, they work more likely to label middle class pupils as having college potential and to place them on higher level courses. Rist did a study on an American kindergarten and found that the teachers used information about the children’s home, background and appearance to place them...
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...THE EFFECT OF SELF-EFFICACY ON MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT AMONG FIFTH GRADE SCIENCE STUDENTS A Master’s Research Project Presented to The Faculty of the College of Education Ohio University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Education by Joel Weaver July, 2008 Spring Quarter Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction.................................................................................... 3 Statement of problem……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Research question………………………………………………………..…………………………………………. 4 Significance of study……………………………………………….………………………………………………. 4 Limitations…………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………. 5 Methodology……………………………………………………………..…………………………………………… 5 Organization of body………………………………………………...……………..…………..……………….. 6 Chapter Two: Literature Review……………………………………….………………………………. 7 Understanding student motivation…………………………………………………………………………. 7 Learned Helplessness: A Case Study of a Middle School Student………………………….…. 9 Learned Helplessness: The Effect of Failure on Test-Taking………………….……………..… 10 Factors Supporting School Engagement and Achievement Among Adolescents….… 10 Extrinsic Motivators and Incentives: Challenges and Controversy…………………………. 11 Dynamics of Motivation and Effort for Classroom Assessments in Middle School Science and Social Studies………………………………………………………… 12 Science Achievement and Self-efficacy among Middle School Age Children As Related to Student Development…………………………………………………………...
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...Elementary Education Standards (1999 ed-rev. 2003) - Summary DEVELOPMENT, LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 1. Development, Learning and Motivation--Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to development of children and young adolescents to construct learning opportunities that support individual students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation. CURRICULUM 2.1. English language arts—Candidates demonstrate a high level of competence in use of English language arts and they know, understand, and use concepts from reading, language and child development, to teach reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, and thinking skills and to help students successfully apply their developing skills to many different situations, materials, and ideas; 2.2. Science—Candidates know, understand, and use fundamental concepts in the subject matter of science—including physical, life, and earth and space sciences—as well as concepts in science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives, the history and nature of science, the unifying concepts of science, and the inquiry processes scientists use in discovery of new knowledge to build a base for scientific and technological literacy; 2.3. Mathematics—Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts, procedures, and reasoning processes of mathematics that define number systems and number sense, geometry, measurement,...
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