This document discusses reading instruction and comprehension strategies. It summarizes research on the five key components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Effective reading instruction incorporates all five components using explicit, systematic methods. The document also discusses comprehension strategies like questioning the author, which improves students' ability to critically examine meaning in text. Overall, the document advocates for instruction that develops students' word recognition skills while also building their higher-level comprehension abilities.

1. Unlocking
Reading For
All Students
Thomas Baker
Colegio del Verbo Divino
August 2006

2. AIMS
♦To encourage discussion about reading.
♦To share:
♦Scientific research on reading.
♦Classroom experiences here at CVD.
♦Observations on extended reading.

3. Reading Instruction Components: Write the number
that represents your current KNOWLEDGE ZONE
indicators for each of the components.
PHONEMIC AWARENESS
10
Staff Presentation Level
5
1
I need more information
10
Staff Presentation Level
5 1
I need more information
VOCABULARY
10
Staff Presentation Level
5 1
I need more information
FLUENCY
10
Staff Presentation Level
5 1
I need more information
COMPREHENSION
10
Staff Presentation Level
PHONICS
1
I need more information
5

4. Report from the NationalReport from the National
Research CouncilResearch Council
19981998
In 1995, the U.S.In 1995, the U.S.
Department of EducationDepartment of Education
and the National Institutesand the National Institutes
of Healthof Health
National Academy ofNational Academy of
SciencesSciences

5. In 1997, UnitedIn 1997, United
States CongressStates Congress
National Institute of ChildNational Institute of Child
Health and HumanHealth and Human
Development & U.S.Development & U.S.
Department of EducationDepartment of Education
Report of the NationalReport of the National
Reading Panel, 2000Reading Panel, 2000

6. Taught by methodsTaught by methods
that are…that are…
engaging & motivatingengaging & motivating
The Five Keys to Reading
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp/report.htm
Phonemic AwarenessPhonemic Awareness
PhonicsPhonics
FluencyFluency
VocabularyVocabulary
Comprehension strategiesComprehension strategies
Identifying wordsIdentifying words
accurately andaccurately and
fluently.fluently.
ConstructingConstructing
meaningmeaning
once wordsonce words
are identified.are identified.

8. The National Reading Panel:
Phonemic Awareness
1. The ability to hear; identify; and manipulate
individual sounds -phonemes in spoken
words.
2. Improves children’s word reading and
reading comprehension.
3. Helps children learn to spell.
4. Identify phonemes.
5. Categorize phonemes.
6. Blend phonemes to form words.
7. Segment words into phonemes.
8. Delete or add phonemes to form new words.
9. Substitute phonemes to make new words.

10. Phonics Instruction
 Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is more
effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction.
 Instructs students in how to relate letters and sounds, how
to break spoken words into sounds and how to blend
sounds to form words.
 Helps students understand why they are learning the
relationships between letters and sounds.
Effective Phonics Instruction
 Many opportunities for students to apply what they are
learning about letters and sounds to the reading of words,
sentences, and prose.

12. Fluency
1. The ability to read a text accurately and
quickly.
2. The ability to recognize words
automatically.
3. The ability to group words quickly to gain
meaning from reading.
4. Allows readers to focus attention on what
text means rather than decoding.

13. FLUENCY: A Bridge
to Understanding

14. Direct
Teaching of
Specific
Words
Direct
Teaching of
Specific
Words
Components
of Effective
Vocabulary
Instruction
Teaching and
Modeling
Independent
Word Learning
Strategies
Teaching and
Modeling
Independent
Word Learning
Strategies
Wide
Reading
Wide
Reading
High-Quality
Oral
Language
High-Quality
Oral
Language
Word
Consciousness
Word
Consciousness
Nagy, 2005

15. The Vocabulary Secret
♦“ To speak and write English in normal
situations you need at least 2000 words.”
McCarthy and O’Dell (1999, pg4)
97.8%15,851
89.9%6000
88.7%5000
86.8%4000
84.0%3000
79.7%2000
72%1000
TextWords

16. How big a vocabulary is needed
for successful reading?
♦ 95% of the text we read is composed of
about 5100 words. (Stahl, 1999)
♦ 4,000 word families will be necessary to get
95% text coverage.
♦ 2000 high frequency.
♦ 570 general academic words.
♦ 1,000 or more technical and low frequency
words.

17. How much coverage is enough?
♦ For fiction text (Hu & Nation, 2000)
♦ 80% - Poor comprehension
♦ 95% - Minimally acceptable
♦ 98% - Adequate comprehension
♦ 99-100% - Reading for pleasure

18. VOCABULARY GROWTH
♦“.....the bulk of vocabulary
growth occurs incidentally
through exposure to language”.
(Cunningham, A. 2005. Teaching and
Learning Vocabulary, Bringing
Research to Practice, pg. 46)

19. What is Comprehension?
“Active process that requires an
intentional and thoughtful
interaction between the text and
reader.”
National Reading Panel, 2000

20. Comprehension & Vocabulary
“As children’s vocabulary grows their ability
to comprehend what they read grows;
furthermore, as their comprehension skills
grow so do their abilities to learn new
words from context” (Rupley, Logan, &
Nichols, 1999).

21. Factors that affect readingFactors that affect reading
comprehension:comprehension:
Proficient comprehension of text is influenced by:Proficient comprehension of text is influenced by:
Accurate and fluent word reading skills.Accurate and fluent word reading skills.
Oral language skills. (vocabulary, linguistic comprehension)Oral language skills. (vocabulary, linguistic comprehension)
Extent of conceptual and factual knowledge.Extent of conceptual and factual knowledge.
Knowledge and skill in use of cognitive strategies toKnowledge and skill in use of cognitive strategies to
improve comprehension or repair it when it breaks down.improve comprehension or repair it when it breaks down.
Reasoning and inferential skills.Reasoning and inferential skills.
MOTIVATION to understand and INTEREST inMOTIVATION to understand and INTEREST in
reading task and materials.reading task and materials.

22. Vocabulary Knowledge and ComprehensionVocabulary Knowledge and Comprehension
StrategiesStrategies
Word-Reading Fluency and AccuracyWord-Reading Fluency and Accuracy
Motivation and InterestMotivation and Interest
XX
XX
==
Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension

23. Active vs. Passive Reading
♦ Active
♦ Read for a purpose
♦ Set goals
♦ Use the structure of
text for an overview,
select a focus and a
process
♦ Work to create
meaning
♦ Work to remember
selective parts
♦ Passive
♦ Read from beginning
to end
♦ Lacks purpose
♦ Lacks reworking,
reorganizing, of ideas
♦ Relies on highlighting
♦ Reading becomes a
chore

24. The problems of poor readers:The problems of poor readers:
1. Cannot decode novel words accurately because they1. Cannot decode novel words accurately because they
are weak in phonics skills, and cannot read fluentlyare weak in phonics skills, and cannot read fluently
because their “sight vocabulary” is restricted.because their “sight vocabulary” is restricted.
2. They frequently have relatively weak vocabularies2. They frequently have relatively weak vocabularies
because they have not been able to read widelybecause they have not been able to read widely
during previous school years.during previous school years.
3. They have not practiced comprehension strategies3. They have not practiced comprehension strategies
because of limited reading experience, and becausebecause of limited reading experience, and because
of their struggle with words.of their struggle with words.
4.4. They frequently have given up on the idea of everThey frequently have given up on the idea of ever
becoming a good reader.becoming a good reader.

25. The problems of mid level readers (grades 4-6)The problems of mid level readers (grades 4-6)
Can usually “sound out” short, novel words with reasonableCan usually “sound out” short, novel words with reasonable
accuracy--frequently stumble on multi-syllable words.accuracy--frequently stumble on multi-syllable words.
They are relativelyThey are relatively dysfluentdysfluent because they have not hadbecause they have not had
enough reading practice.enough reading practice.
Vocabulary is frequently relativelyVocabulary is frequently relatively lowlow because of lack ofbecause of lack of
broad and deep reading.broad and deep reading.
Comprhension strategies are usuallyComprhension strategies are usually inadequateinadequate becausebecause
of lack of instruction and practice.of lack of instruction and practice.
They often say they “They often say they “don’t like to readdon’t like to read” because reading is” because reading is
still relatively difficult for them.still relatively difficult for them.

26. The primary issues for children who are below gradeThe primary issues for children who are below grade
level but not seriously behind (grade 6 and up)level but not seriously behind (grade 6 and up)
1. Often have a somewhat restricted1. Often have a somewhat restricted sight vocabularysight vocabulary
which leads to mild lack of fluency in reading.which leads to mild lack of fluency in reading.
2. Often fail to apply2. Often fail to apply active comprehension strategiesactive comprehension strategies
during reading. Haven’t learned to monitor theirduring reading. Haven’t learned to monitor their
comprehension or engage in productive thinking whilecomprehension or engage in productive thinking while
reading.reading.

27. What are some of the Big Ideas from research onWhat are some of the Big Ideas from research on
Adolescent Literacy?Adolescent Literacy?
1. Word attack and recognition1. Word attack and recognition plateauplateau at about the 3at about the 3rdrd
to 5to 5thth
grade level for many students.grade level for many students.
Direct, systematic, intensive instruction with emphasis on wordDirect, systematic, intensive instruction with emphasis on word
level skills (phonemic analysis, structural analysis) works.level skills (phonemic analysis, structural analysis) works.
2. Comprehension2. Comprehension plateausplateaus at about the 5at about the 5thth
to 6to 6thth
grade levelgrade level
for many more students.for many more students.
Direct, systematic, intensive instruction in learning strategiesDirect, systematic, intensive instruction in learning strategies
works.works.
3. Attention to3. Attention to vocabularyvocabulary andand background knowledgebackground knowledge is needed.is needed.
Progress, transfer, and maintenance significantly increasesProgress, transfer, and maintenance significantly increases
when instruction is provided across settings.when instruction is provided across settings.
4. Students must be able to4. Students must be able to use literacy to solve problemsuse literacy to solve problems andand
meet demandsmeet demands across settings if they are to becomeacross settings if they are to become motivatedmotivated
to develop literacy skills.to develop literacy skills.

28. Increasing comprehensionIncreasing comprehension and criticaland critical
examination of meaning in every child.examination of meaning in every child.
““Questioning the Author: Activity”Questioning the Author: Activity”
Done with whole classes or in small groupsDone with whole classes or in small groups
Done by every subject matter teacher or by specialistsDone by every subject matter teacher or by specialists
Done consistently throughout the year, not necessarilyDone consistently throughout the year, not necessarily
every day or throughout the entire lessonevery day or throughout the entire lesson

29. The basic purpose of Questioning the Author is to makeThe basic purpose of Questioning the Author is to make
public thepublic the processesprocesses of comprehension.of comprehension.
Essential features:Essential features:
1. It treats text as the product of a fallible author, as1. It treats text as the product of a fallible author, as
“someone’s ideas written down.”“someone’s ideas written down.”
2. It deals with text through general teacher-posed2. It deals with text through general teacher-posed
questions such as “What is the author trying to say?”questions such as “What is the author trying to say?”
or “What do you think the author means by that?”or “What do you think the author means by that?”
3. It takes place on-line, in the context of reading as it3. It takes place on-line, in the context of reading as it
initially occurs.initially occurs.
4. It encourages discussion in which students are urged to4. It encourages discussion in which students are urged to
grapple with ideas in the service of constructinggrapple with ideas in the service of constructing
meaning.meaning.

30. Queries are the device the teacher uses to guide theQueries are the device the teacher uses to guide the
discussion to show how meaning is constructed duringdiscussion to show how meaning is constructed during
reading.reading.
Questions vs. QueriesQuestions vs. Queries
1. Assess student1. Assess student
comprehension of textcomprehension of text
information after the factinformation after the fact
2. Evaluate individual student2. Evaluate individual student
responses to teacher questionsresponses to teacher questions
3. Are used before or after3. Are used before or after
readingreading
QuestionsQuestions QueriesQueries
1. Assist students in grappling1. Assist students in grappling
with text ideas towardwith text ideas toward
constructing meaningconstructing meaning
2. Facilitate group discussion2. Facilitate group discussion
about an author’s ideasabout an author’s ideas
3. Are used during initial reading3. Are used during initial reading

31. What teachers must do in preparing for aWhat teachers must do in preparing for a
“Questioning the Author Lesson”“Questioning the Author Lesson”
1. Identify the major understandings students should1. Identify the major understandings students should
construct from a text and anticipate problemsconstruct from a text and anticipate problems
2. Segment the text: decide where to stop reading and2. Segment the text: decide where to stop reading and
initiate a discussion to construct meaning on-line.initiate a discussion to construct meaning on-line.
3. Develop queries: formulate initiating and follow-up3. Develop queries: formulate initiating and follow-up
queries that will promote student construction ofqueries that will promote student construction of
meaningmeaning

32. Effects of using “Questioning the Author” in theEffects of using “Questioning the Author” in the
classroom.classroom.
1. Teachers and students contributions changed from mainly1. Teachers and students contributions changed from mainly
retrieving information directly from the text to focusing on theretrieving information directly from the text to focusing on the
meaning of ideas expressed in the textmeaning of ideas expressed in the text
2. Teachers responded to students in ways that extended the2. Teachers responded to students in ways that extended the
conversation rather than simply evaluating or repeating theconversation rather than simply evaluating or repeating the
responsesresponses
3. Talk in the classrooms changed from strongly teacher-dominated3. Talk in the classrooms changed from strongly teacher-dominated
to more shared between teachers and students.to more shared between teachers and students.
4. Students began to initiate their own questions and to build on the4. Students began to initiate their own questions and to build on the
contributions of their peers.contributions of their peers.
5. Comprehension and interpretation of complex narratives improved.5. Comprehension and interpretation of complex narratives improved.

33. References about “Questioning the Author”References about “Questioning the Author”
1. Beck, et al., “Questioning the Author: A Yearlong Classroom1. Beck, et al., “Questioning the Author: A Yearlong Classroom
implementation to engage students with text.”implementation to engage students with text.” Ele m e ntaryEle m e ntary
Scho o lJo urnalScho o lJo urnal, 96:4, 1996: 385-414., 96:4, 1996: 385-414.
2. Beck, et al.,2. Beck, et al., Que stio ning the Autho r: An Appro ach fo r EnhancingQue stio ning the Autho r: An Appro ach fo r Enhancing
Stude nt Eng ag e m e nt with Te xtStude nt Eng ag e m e nt with Te xt. Newark, DE: International. Newark, DE: International
Reading Association, 1997.Reading Association, 1997.
3. McKeown, et al., “Grappling with Text Ideas: Questioning the3. McKeown, et al., “Grappling with Text Ideas: Questioning the
Author”Author” The Re ading Te ache rThe Re ading Te ache r, 46, 1993: 560-566., 46, 1993: 560-566.
4. District or school-wide training in use of “Questioning the Author”4. District or school-wide training in use of “Questioning the Author”
can be obtained from the Wright Group (www.WrightGroup.com)can be obtained from the Wright Group (www.WrightGroup.com)

34. Explicit Instruction in Comprehension Strategies
Strategies used to construct meaning while reading:
• Put the author’s words into our own words.
• Figure out what new words mean from how they are used in text.
• Think about how what we are reading compares to what we already know.
• Keep on reading even when a little confused in hope that understanding will
emerge with further reading.
• Look back to clarify something that was confusing.
• Reread parts of the text.
• Predict what the author will say next.
• Pick out the main idea and summarize it.
• Visualize what is being read.
• Ask clarifying questions.
• Disagree with the author based on personal experience.

35. The “Paragraph Shrinking” activityThe “Paragraph Shrinking” activity
Learning to identify and state the main ideaLearning to identify and state the main idea
1. Name the who or what (the main person, animal,1. Name the who or what (the main person, animal,
place, or thing the selection is about)place, or thing the selection is about)
2. Tell the most important thing about the who or2. Tell the most important thing about the who or
whatwhat
3. Say the main idea in 10 words or less3. Say the main idea in 10 words or less

36. Suggestions for using the ParagraphSuggestions for using the Paragraph
Shrinking activityShrinking activity
1. Small groups, with oral discussion -- children are1. Small groups, with oral discussion -- children are
asked to respond to one another’s summaries andasked to respond to one another’s summaries and
answersanswers
2. Larger group -- with summaries written after each2. Larger group -- with summaries written after each
paragraph is read, and then selected summaries areparagraph is read, and then selected summaries are
read to the classread to the class
3. Can be done using peers as tutors -- pairing more3. Can be done using peers as tutors -- pairing more
and less able students togetherand less able students together

37. Paraphrasing RAP
♦Read a paragraph.
♦Ask yourself what is the main idea and
what are important supporting details.
♦Put the main idea and supporting details
into your own words.

38. Word IdentificationWord Identification
Strategy: DISSECTStrategy: DISSECT
♦ DDiscover the contextiscover the context
♦ IIsolate the prefixsolate the prefix
♦ SSeparate the suffixeparate the suffix
♦ SSay the stemay the stem
♦ EExamine the stemxamine the stem
♦CognateCognate / Check with someone/ Check with someone
♦TTry the dictionaryry the dictionary

41. Topics covered in “Raising Reading Achievement…”Topics covered in “Raising Reading Achievement…”
1. Focus on changing what you can change1. Focus on changing what you can change
2. Teach students who can’t read how to read2. Teach students who can’t read how to read
3. Teach every student how to read to learn3. Teach every student how to read to learn
4. Motivate every student to read a lot: reading4. Motivate every student to read a lot: reading
in the “Zone”in the “Zone”
5. Motivate every student to read a lot: how to5. Motivate every student to read a lot: how to
do itdo it
6. Creating a reading culture in your school6. Creating a reading culture in your school

42. Becoming better readers through broader and deeperBecoming better readers through broader and deeper
reading experiences: “Reading in the Zone”reading experiences: “Reading in the Zone”
ReadRead
MoreMore
ReadRead
IncreasinglyIncreasingly
ChallengingChallenging
TextText
Be accountable forBe accountable for
What is ReadWhat is Read
TheThe
“Zone”“Zone”

43. GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
♦ Bridging Snapshots (Scroll down to view)
♦ Compare and Contrast Chart
♦ Concept Web Generator
♦ Continuum Scale (Scroll down to view)
♦ Cycle (Scroll down to view)
♦ Fishbone Map
♦ Problem/Solution Outline (Scroll down to
view)
♦ Ranking
♦ Series of Events Chain (Scroll down to
view)
♦ Spider Map
♦ Venn Diagram Generator
Answer the following questions about each of the graphic organizers listed below:
• What is the purpose of the graphic organizer?
• How and why would I use it with my students?
• Is the graphic organizer more effective as a before reading, during
reading, or after reading strategy? Explain your rationale.
• Have you used this graphic organizer with your students?
http://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/sequence.html#continuum

44. Graphic Organizers and Comprehension
Read the short story, The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry.
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/ohenry.html
http://www.rdlthai.com/ellsa_giftofmagi1.html
Click on the title to access the short story.
Then answer the following questions:
Select and list the name of the graphic organizer you
would use to teach each of the five reading components.
Explain your rationale.
phonemic awareness phonics vocabulary
fluency comprehension
How would those graphic organizer help your students
better comprehend this short story?
How do graphic organizers help students better
comprehend any reading selection?

45. Where do we begin?
No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that
created it. We must learn to see the world anew.
Einstein
Read the article, Improving the Reading Achievement
of America's Children: 10 Research-Based Principles.
http://www.ciera.org/library/instresrc/principles/
Click on the link or go to the website to access it.
Rank the principles in the order of importance.

46. For Teachers of grades Kindergarten - Two
Read the article, A Framework For Examining Book Reading in Early
Childhood Classrooms.
♦http://www.ciera.org/library/reports/inquiry-1/1-014/1-014p.pdf.
Click on the link above to access the article.
Select a key concepts in the article and explain how that concept directly
relates to either phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, or
comprehension.

47. For Teachers of grades Three - Nine
Read the article, The Road to Participation: The Evolution of
a Literary Community in an Intermediate Grade Classroom
of Linguistically Diverse Learners
Click on the title of the article to access it.
Explain how the Book Club strategy in general and the
development of a shared literacy practice directly relate to
either phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, or
comprehension.

48. ReadingReading
stimulatesstimulates
generalgeneral
cognitivecognitive
growth -growth -
particularlyparticularly
verbal skills.verbal skills.

49. From Mosaic of Thought….
♦ “If reading is about mind journeys, teaching
reading is about outfitting the travelers,
modeling how to use the map,
demonstrating how to use the key and
legend…until, ultimately, it’s the child and
the map together and they are off on their
own.”
(Keene & Zimmermann, p. 28)

50. Assessing Comprehension:
Alternative Assessment
♦ Many of the comprehension strategies offer
alternative opportunities to monitor and
assess student comprehension.
– Oral and written retellings and summaries
– Whole class and small group discussions
– Reading response journals
– Individual interviews

51. Assessing Comprehension (cont.)
– Graphic Organizers
• Herringbone: Who, What, When,
Where, Why, How
• Venn Diagram: Compare/Contrast
stories
• Story Map – Exposition, Rising
Action, Climax, Falling Action,
Resolution

52. “Adequate reading
comprehension depends
on a person already
knowing 90-95% of the
words in a text”.
(Nagy & Scott, 2000)

53. ♦Comprehension
is the reason for
reading.

54. A Successful
Extensive Reading
Program:
Must Unlock
Motivation &
Interest.

55. Intensive vs Extensive reading
♦ Intensive reading: close, deliberate study of short
texts ( usually 300-500 words long).
♦ Extensive reading: reading large quantities with
focus on the meaning of the text.
♦ Two types of extensive reading, by purpose:
♦ 1. Reading for vocabulary growth.
♦ 2. Reading for fluency development.

56. Reading Type &
Vocabulary Coverage
♦ Types of reading Learning goals % vocab
♦ Intensive reading Developing language skills < 95%
♦ Extensive reading Incidental vocab learning 95-98%
♦ for language growth Reading skills 95-98%
♦ Extensive reading Reading Fluency > 99%
(Paul Nation, University of Wellington)

57. Benefits of Extensive Reading:
Research Indicates -
♦ Improved quality of language use.
♦ Improved depth of language knowledge.
♦ Improved academic performance.
♦ Improved vocabulary knowledge.
♦ Lifetime reading habits formed.

58. ♦ The only chance students with poor
vocabularies have of catching up with
their peers with rich vocabularies is to
engage in extraordinary amounts of
independent reading.
(Baker, Simmons & Kameenui, 1988)

59. ♦ Regular, extensive reading can supply all of the
characteristics of powerful vocabulary instruction
– integration, repetition and meaningful use.
(Nagy, 1989)
♦ From 3rd to 7th grade most new words are
encountered through reading. (Moats, 2000)
♦ Reading volume, rather than oral language, is the
prime contributor to individual differences in
children’s vocabularies. (Hayes and Ahrens, 1988,
Langenburg, 2000, Nagy and Anderson, 1984;
Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998)

61. ♦ “...very early in the reading process, poor readers, who
experience greater difficulty in breaking the spelling-to-
sound code, begin to be exposed to much less text than their
more skilled peers”.
♦ “...less-skilled readers often find themselves in materials
that are too difficult for them”...
♦ “The combination of deficient decoding skills, lack of
practice, and difficult materials results in unrewarding early
reading experiences that lead to less involvement in
reading-related activities”.
♦ “Thus, reading for meaning is hindered; unrewarding
reading experiences multiply; and practice is avoided or
merely tolerated without real cognitive involvement”.
(Cunningham & Stanovich, Spring/Summer 1998, What
Reading Does for the Mind, American Educator / American
Federation of Teachers.

62. Ability and Efficacy Beliefs:
Student concerns regarding their ability to
succeed at reading.
♦ Ability belief
– Evaluations of one’s reading competency.
Expectancies
– One’s sense of how well they will do on a
reading task.
♦ Efficacy beliefs
– One’s belief that they can accomplish the
task.

63. Ability and Efficacy Beliefs:
Student concerns regarding their ability to succeed at
reading tasks.
“When children believe they are
competent and efficacious at
reading they should be more
likely to engage in the activity.”
Guthrie and Wigfield (1997, pg. 16).

64. Subjective Task Values:
Learner’s incentives for choosing whether or
not to read.
♦ Interest value
– Do I or will I like this reading task?
♦ Attainment value
– How important is this reading task to me?
♦ Utility value
– How useful is this reading task to me?

65. Subjective Task Values:
Learner’s incentives for choosing whether or not to
read.
Quote:
“Students’ valuing of reading may be one of
the more important predictors of their
engagement in reading activities.”
Wigfield (1997, pg. 17)
*Brief open-discussion: How can teachers increase the
likelihood of students valuing reading and reading related
activities?

66. Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation
♦ Extrinsic Motivation
– External reasons for engaging in an activity
• Told to do activity
• Get good grades
• Look good, outperform others
*Less likely to continue activity outside of
original context independently.
*Learner tends to have more of an ego-
involved goal orientation.

67. Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Motivation
♦ Intrinsic Motivation
– Curiosity and desire to engage in an activity
for its own sake.
• Genuine interest in activity.
• Desire for mastery.
• Enjoyment of challenge.
*Continuing motivation outside of the
original setting.
*Learner tends to have task-involved goal
orientation.

68. Intrinsic Motivation and “Flow”
♦ One indicator of intrinsic motivation is the
learner becoming completely absorbed in
the activity.
Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi (1997) refers to this
total involvement in an activity—to the
point of becoming “lost” in the activity—as
“Flow” or “optimal experience.”

69. Intrinsic Motivation and Flow
♦ An optimal experience or “flow” is
characterized by:
• Match between level of challenge and level of skill.
• Mental enjoyment of activity for its own sake.
• Deep concentration and focus.
• Lost or distorted sense of time.
• Feeling of control.
►A person experiencing “flow” is completely
engrossed in the activity, and may be oblivious to
their surroundings and time. “Whatever one does
becomes worth doing for its own sake.”
(Csikszentmihalyi, 1997, pg.32)

70. Motivation and Extensive Reading:
What should teachers do?
♦ Allow for student input and choice.
♦ Gear instructional activities to student
interest.
♦ Allow for interaction among students of
varying levels.
♦ Help students set specific, attainable
reading goals.

71. What should teachers do? (cont.)
♦ Give many opportunities to succeed at
challenging tasks.
♦ Help match challenge level of task to
student skill level.
♦ Plan higher level thinking (more complex)
activities as opposed to “standard
operations and procedures.”

72. ♦“The best teachers
continuously ask themselves
what they are doing and
why.”
Rosenholtz, 1989; Zehm &
Kottler, 1993

73. A teacher should be…
♦ Caring enough to
know when “his/her
selected program isn’t
meeting the needs of
his/her students.
♦ Flexible enough to
make the necessary
changes to make these
accommodations.

74. 10 Principles for Teaching Extensive Reading:
“Reading is caught, not taught”.
♦ 1. The reading material is easy.
♦ 2. A variety of reading material must be available.
♦ 3. Learners choose what they want to read.
♦ 4. Learners read as much as possible.
♦ 5. The purpose of reading is related to pleasure.
♦ 6. Reading is its own reward.
♦ 7. Reading speed is usually faster rather than slower.
♦ 8. Reading is individual and silent.
♦ 9. Teachers orient and guide their students.
♦ 10. The teacher is a role model of a reader.
♦ Bamford, J. and Day, R. R. (Eds.) (1998). Extensive
reading activities for teaching language. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

75. Motivation can be the main
ingredient in good reading
teaching.
♦How can one tell?
With a simple turn of the key.

76. Key Makers
By Ann Johnson-Tomaszewski
Some people see a closed door and
Others see a closed door and try the knob. If
it doesn’t open…
Still others see a closed door and try the knob.
If it doesn’t open, they find a key. If the key
doesn’t fit….
A rare few see a closed door and try the knob. If
it doesn’t open, they find the key, and if they
key doesn’t fit…..
turn away.
They turn away.
They turn away.
They MAKE One!!!

78. Additional References
Wigfield, A. (1995) Dimensions of Children’s
Motivations for Reading: An Initial Study
(Research Report No. 34) Athens, GA: National
Reading Research Center.
Wigfield, A. (1997) Children’s Motivations for
Reading and Reading Engagement. In Guthrie,
J.T. and Wigfield, A. (Eds.) Reading Engagement:
Motivating Readers Through Integrated
Instruction (pp. 14-33).Newark, DE: International
Reading Association.