Student success is closely related to student engagement and literacy instruction, which can positively or negatively impact a student. It has been documented that children motivated to read have a strong sense of reading efficacy and academic competence (Wigfield et al., 2015). This research study addressed the skills needed by literacy…

The purpose of this action research was to implement four close reading strategies (Aha moment, Hmm moment, B.U.R.N. strategy, and R.A.P.) and evaluate its impact on fifth grade African American male students' reading comprehension skills and their experiences with reading at Wisteria Lane Elementary. This intervention study focused on two…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the examine the effect of individual student goal setting on motivation and reading achievement. The study focused on 50 students in fifth through eighth grade in a rural Midwestern upper elementary school. Upon completion of the Fall Aimsweb Plus Silent Reading Fluency Benchmark…

This embedded case study sought to answer the question of what obstacles and opportunities presented when a reading initiative aimed at increasing the amount of time students spent reading independently was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four embedded grade level cases from a small rural elementary school were explored over the course…

Reading motivation is an important contributor to reading achievement. Students with higher levels of motivation tend to outperform those with lower levels. Reading motivation is a dynamic, situational, context-dependent trait that can vary in children over time and across tasks. Teachers have a valuable opportunity to support students' reading…

With the inclusion of internet-based educational tools in the classroom, students are now required to comprehend online, which is different than comprehending in print. Educators are realizing that comprehension gaps are compounded when students are required to develop 21st literacies, like analysis and synthesis, especially when encountering a…

Reading is a fundamental skill that is critical for later academic success. Despite extensive research on its development, reading remains a challenging skill for students in the U.S. to master: recent data from the National Assessment of Education Progress showed that 65% of fourth-grade students score below the level of "proficient" in…

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine the relationship and the changes that take place over time between reading motivation, reading frequency and reading achievement for students participating in PREP, a primary reading engagement program. It is imperative to build reading motivation when students are young so they enjoy reading…

Elementary students' literacy skills are decreasing nationwide ("The Nation's Report Card," 2019). This is concerning because as literacy skills slip, the literacy demands for American workers are steadily increasing (OECD, 2013). Unfortunately, adding to the situation is the fact that students' attitudes towards reading are worsening…

Children's motivation to read decreases as they advance in grade level to upper elementary school. Only 35% of America's fourth-grade students achieved reading proficiency. There is a need for increased reading motivation; teachers can influence students' motivation to read with certain instructional practices. This qualitative interpretive case…

This mixed-methods study was conducted to identify the effects of participation in the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) summer pilot reading program on students' academic performance and reading motivation over 2 years. Data from rising first- through third-grade students and teachers in 37 public school districts across the state of…

This mixed-methods study was conducted to identify the effects of participation in the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) summer pilot reading program on students' academic performance and reading motivation over 2 years. Data from rising first- through third-grade students and teachers in 37 public school districts across the state of…

The problem addressed through this study was the low levels of reading comprehension of literary and informational texts among fourth-grade students statewide. The reading workshop model and the guided reading approach are two different instructional methods used to teach reading to fourth-grade students at two school districts in Texas. The…

Highly effective elementary teachers faced challenges to professional development which differed from their urban or suburban peers. With the increasing need for student proficiency in reading, strategies to help grow their engagement and motivation were necessary to investigate and apply to instructional habits. The purpose of this basic…

Reading is an important skill for work success and navigating the world today. However, the number of U.S. readers is on the decline. Between 2014 and 2018, it is estimated that approximately 720,000 Deaf readers stopped reading. When asked why, many said they didn't really enjoy reading. Such individuals are becoming what are called reluctant…