Improving primary pupils’ reading motivation and comprehension Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

About the study  This US study looked at what teachers could do to increase pupils’ reading motivation and comprehension by using stimulating practical tasks.  The two part study included a review of existing research as well as a school based project to see how reading skills could be improved in science lessons. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

Findings from the literature review Six teaching and learning approaches were identified which were shown to increase pupils’ reading motivation and comprehension. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

1) 1)Increasing reading motivation through pupil choice When pupils were encouraged to choose the books they read, combined with having a say in how they undertook the reading, for example with a reading partner – their reading motivation increased. When pupils were encouraged to choose the books they read, combined with having a say in how they undertook the reading, for example with a reading partner – their reading motivation increased. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

2) Providing high quality materials The following factors were important in increasing pupils’ reading motivation:  a topic that all pupils can relate to  a format which is appealing to pupils  content which stimulates pupils’ to want to learn. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

3) Collaborative learning approaches Collaborative learning involves supporting pupils’ development of reasoning and negotiating skills. This can be undertaken in whole class teaching or in group work. Collaborative learning involves supporting pupils’ development of reasoning and negotiating skills. This can be undertaken in whole class teaching or in group work. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

4) Clearly defined learning objectives Ensuring that pupils understand the objectives for what they should be learning supports them in engaging with the reading content as well as the wider topic. Ensuring that pupils understand the objectives for what they should be learning supports them in engaging with the reading content as well as the wider topic. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

5) Teacher support reassures pupils When pupils feel that their teacher understands their needs and cares about their progress in reading they are positive and motivated towards reading and learning more generally. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

6) Reading awards to encourage The use of reading awards such as book tokens or prizes can encourage pupils’ reading motivation in the short term. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

What about the reading programme with local primary pupils? – (Part 2 of the study) The use of practical activities in subject teaching e.g. science in conjunction with related reading activities can boost pupils’ reading motivation and comprehension. The next slide shows what happened in primary classes…………………………………… Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

What were the results? Pupils who undertook a higher number of practical tasks in science increased their reading comprehension, more than pupils who undertook a fewer number of practical tasks. Pupils who undertook a higher number of practical tasks in science increased their reading comprehension, more than pupils who undertook a fewer number of practical tasks. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

More about the results Pupils who undertook more practical tasks were more motivated to read about the topic, than pupils who undertook fewer tasks. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

About the project  98 nine year olds (grade 3) from four classes across two schools took part in the study.  Two classes acted as intervention groups and two were controls.  Pupils in the intervention classes undertook a high number of practical tasks in science or nature lessons  Pupils in the control groups took part in a low number of tasks Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

What went on in the science lessons? Pupils worked on projects such as how animals defend themselves. Teachers combined practical tasks with related reading which included both non- fiction as well as fiction. The practical tasks included:  observations (e.g. of how fish behaved);  drafting questions and hypotheses (e.g. how fish might defend themselves);  designing experiments to test out hypotheses; data collection; and the creation of graphs to illustrate findings. Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

Follow-up reading Study reference: Influences of stimulating tasks on reading motivation and comprehension (University of Maryland) published in the Journal of Educational Research, March 1, 2006 The reading intervention programme used in the study was the Concept-Orientated- Reading Instruction (CORI) Concept-Orientated- Reading Instruction (CORIConcept-Orientated- Reading Instruction (CORI Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit

Feedback  Did you find this useful?  What did you like?  What didn’t you like? Any feedback on this Research Bite would be much appreciated. Please your feedback to: Chief Adviser on School Standards Unit