Literacy problems occur when students do not read enough. Some have even suggested a lack of reading leads to a lack of learning (Fox, 2008). It is important for teachers to remember that if students "don't read for pleasure, they are not likely to make reading a lifelong habit or goal" (Routman, 2003, p. 24). Often rewards are offered for successes in the classroom. As an extrinsic reward, the child has incentive to complete a task, such as earning five stickers to receive a reward from the prize box. However, Lyons (2003) believes "while these techniques may work in the short run, they will undermine the development of intrinsic motivation" (p. 79), so I wanted to know whether or not I could use an extrinsic reward to help intrinsically motivate my students to read. After brainstorming several ideas, one struck me as a fun addition to the classroom---a reading tree, where students would add a leaf for each book they read. My goal for this project was to show students that reading is more than just a hum-drum requirement---it is necessary for an academic future.
As educators, unlocking reading as an enjoyable experience for those students who find reading challenging and tedious may be the greatest victory. Once this door to reading is accessible, knowledge becomes limitless. Since we need to present literacy as a necessity for the expansion of future learning, I developed this title for my reading project---LEAF: Literacy Expands an Academic Future. This became our class motto. Students earn a LEAF for the Reading Tree to grow their roots in reading. I also added motion to our new class motto to help kinesthetic learners grasp the idea. See the motions in the pictures below.
For my LEAF program, the students were required to read a book---ideally selected by them. According to Schiefele, Schaffner, Moller, and Wigfield (2012), allowing students to select a text that focuses on a topic that
by Charity Brady
Literacy
- Hold hands together like an open book.
Expands an
- Spread arms apart.
Academic
- Place pointer finger from one hand to the brain.
Future
- Sweep finger from head forward in an arc.
Classroom Close-Up
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