Question:
How can educators increase engagement of elementary students in their literacy learning?
Rationale:
Reading efficacy is one of the main goals in lower elementary grades. I have been a lower elementary teacher for seven years and when I think back to each of those years, I feel that student engagement in their literacy learning is a problem that I saw in each of my classes.This leads to inactive learning and students’ taking a passive role in their literacy development. It is imperative that students develop their abilities so that they can access and understand texts as they continue to increase in complexity throughout their educational career. “We must keep in mind that we can provide instruction in the most essential literacy skills, but if our students are not intrinsically motivated to engage in reading and writing, they will never reach their full literacy potential”(Gambrell & Morrow, 2015, pg. 15).
Findings:
Reading motivation and engagement play important roles in a student’s literacy development, especially if they are a reader who struggles. “Not often do teachers put motivation first. But when they do, students become interested, confident, and dedicated”(Gambrell & Morrow, 2015, pg. 79). The NLGL cohort provided me with the opportunity to explore research and literacy practices through this lens. I began to notice common themes that directly influence student engagement and motivation in literacy. Certain aspects from each of the classes are needed to ensure that students take an active and engaged role in their own learning.
To create motivated readers, students must first be able to access curriculum content and develop confidence in their literacy skills. Educators can help to address individual students’ needs through differentiated instruction and target interventions to increase student self-efficacy. Students are also more likely to be engaged in their learning if it is relevant to their lives and they are provided the opportunity to practice their literacy skills in authentic texts or new literacies. Additionally, classroom learning should be student-driven and student led. Educators can implement instruction that allows students choice and opportunity to collaborate with their peers. This can help to increase interest in their learning and support them as they work to synthesize what they read. Finally, educators should leverage professional collaboration to design quality instruction that addresses the needs of all students and engages them at a high level. “An interested student reads because he enjoys it, a dedicated student reads because he believes it is important and a confident student reads because he or she can do it”(Gambrell & Morrow, 2015, pg. 62). Teachers must work to provide differentiation, relevance, student-driven learning, with support of professional collaboration to increase engagement of elementary students in their literacy learning.
To create motivated readers, students must first be able to access curriculum content and develop confidence in their literacy skills. Educators can help to address individual students’ needs through differentiated instruction and target interventions to increase student self-efficacy. Students are also more likely to be engaged in their learning if it is relevant to their lives and they are provided the opportunity to practice their literacy skills in authentic texts or new literacies. Additionally, classroom learning should be student-driven and student led. Educators can implement instruction that allows students choice and opportunity to collaborate with their peers. This can help to increase interest in their learning and support them as they work to synthesize what they read. Finally, educators should leverage professional collaboration to design quality instruction that addresses the needs of all students and engages them at a high level. “An interested student reads because he enjoys it, a dedicated student reads because he believes it is important and a confident student reads because he or she can do it”(Gambrell & Morrow, 2015, pg. 62). Teachers must work to provide differentiation, relevance, student-driven learning, with support of professional collaboration to increase engagement of elementary students in their literacy learning.
References
- Gambrell, L. B., Morrow, L. M., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (2015). Best practices in literacy instruction (5th ed.). Guilford Press.
Claire Straub
NLGL Literacy Cohort
Spring 2020
NLGL Literacy Cohort
Spring 2020