Engagement With Young Adult Literature: Outcomes and Processes

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThis study examines students' perceptions of the outcomes and processes of engaged reading in classrooms prioritizing engagement through self-selected, self-paced reading of compelling young adult literature. The primary data were 71 end-of-year student interviews, supported by end-of-year teacher interviews, biweekly observational data, on-the-fly conversations with students, and video/audio records of student-initiated book discussions. An inductive analysis yielded 15 main categories of outcomes, including changes in students' identities, in their sense of agency, and in their relational, moral, and intellectual lives. The web of relationships among the processes and outcomes is examined through 317 causal statements made by students in interviews. Finally, a case study illustrates the cascading and reciprocal effects of engaged reading on one student's development. These adolescents showed, to varying degrees, an awareness of these processes and self-transformations, and thus a sense of agency with respect to their own development-their personhood and future narratives. This study raises questions about the adequacy of existing models of engagement for explaining students' engaged reading experiences and about currently advocated approaches to teaching English language arts that (a) minimize the roles of engagement and fiction, (b) require students to read the same text, (c) focus on engaged reading as an individual cognitive act without regard for the social nature of literate and human development, and (d) expect uniform outcomes across students.

impact of past language arts teachers on the reading motivation of twelfth grade students

“…Another repeated theme is that the development of student autonomy usually increases intrinsic motivation (Gabriel et al, 2012;Guthrie & Klauda, 2014;Ivey & Johnston, 2013).…”

“…Through the examination of this body of literature, this researcher has attempted to prove the validity of the thesis indicating reading motivation, reading attitude and identity are related, measurable, and malleable, and teachers can affect real improvements on the ability of students to read by responding to students' levels of motivation and attitudes with appropriate interventions Gambrell et al, 1996;Henk et al, 2012;Ivey & Johnston, 2013;McKenna et al, 2012;Pitcher et al, 2007;Stanovich, 1986). An analysis of the literature also might lead one to conclude that technology utilized by teachers for learning can be an effective tool for improving and increasing reading motivation of students in the classroom when research on reading motivation and reading attitude are considered (Abrami et al, 2013).…”

“…Reading engagement may develop from motivated reading, and is described as, "students who are motivated to read, strategic in their approaches to comprehending what they read, knowledgeable in their construction of meaning from text, and socially interactive while reading" (Guthrie, Wigfield, & You, 2013, p. 602). The inclusion of social interaction with reading activities is often a means to encourage children to participate and to value reading activities as more worthwhile (Ivey & Johnston, 2013).…”

“…Reading attitude is closely tied to reading identity. Ivey and Johnston (2013) suggest that adolescents especially may adopt many reading identities over the course of their high school years.…”

“…Student reading attitudes can become more positive if students are allowed input into the structure or design for the class. For example, several sources conclude that students enjoy and benefit from being involved in planning and implementing the goals in their education (Ivey & Johnston, 2013; Joint Task Force on Assessment of the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English, 2010;McKool, 2007;Pitcher et al, 2010). This gives students additional incentive since their educational plan was partially self-developed.…”