Motivating and Engaging Students
Classroom Examples of Motivating and Engaging Students
Guthrie and Wigfield (2000) described motivation and engagement in learning as inextricably connected. They found that students’ engagement in their own learning requires a sense of purpose and a need to understand. Students engage when they have a sense of competence and confidence, feel some degree of autonomy within a learning task that is grounded in real world context.
Guthrie, J. & Wigfield, A. (2000) in Handbook of Reading Research: Volume III by Kamil, Mosenthal, Pearson, & Barr. (2000). Available online at http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/guthrie
http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/guthrie/#seven
Using the Web to Support Inquiry-Based Literacy Development
Bruce and Bishop (May 2002) discuss using an inquiry approach to increase critical thinking around both traditional and web-based text. With the tools provided, representations of ongoing stages of inquiry, called Inquiry Units, can be modified. Teachers can represent the initial stages of inquiry in a unit, which is then continued by students as a spin-off. This process blurs the line between curriculum development and student work and between teacher and student in a way that is more productive for future work and learning. The Web-linked Inquiry Units offer a community of inquiry as well as insights for future development of Web-based resources.
http://inquiry.uiuc.edu
See Bertram Bruce (editor). 2002. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. Vol. 45. May 2002. Technology Department of the International Reading Association for background information. Available online at http://www.readingonline.org/electronic/JAAL/5-02_Column/index.html
A Harlem Renaissance Retrospective: Connecting Art, Music, Dance, and Poetry
This lesson by Maureen Carroll draws from the innovations in art, literature, music, poetry, and dance created during the Harlem Renaissance. Students conduct Internet research, work with an interactive Venn diagram tool, and create a museum exhibit that highlights the work of selected artists, musicians, and poets. The goal of this lesson is to help students understand the historical context of the Harlem Renaissance and what kind of impact it had on African Americans in the United States. Critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary connections are emphasized.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=252
An Exploration of Text Sets: Supporting All Readers
This lesson from Kathryn Eqawa supports readers across a range of abilities and experience through the use of text sets. A text set is a collection that focuses on one concept or topic and includes multiple genres such as books, charts and maps, informational pamphlets, poetry and songs, photographs, non-fiction books, almanacs or encyclopedias. For this lesson, the class community puts together a collection of text sets on topics of keen interest. They then explore these texts using three key reading strategies: graffiti boards; browsing for key information; and, uninterrupted reading/focused freewriting.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=305
Cooking Up Descriptive Language: Designing Restaurant Menus
In this lesson from Traci Gardner, students explore the genre of menus and use the menus from local restaurants to analyze the use of adjectives and descriptive writing. After establishing the characteristics of the genre, students work in groups to create custom menus for restaurants of their choice. Final menus are customized to fit the needs of the class. When there is time, permit advanced classes to write and publish fully detailed menus that include foods for all meals as well as the history of the restaurant and the backgrounds of the foods. When time is limited, arrange students in groups so that each group designs one page of the menu.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=842
Traci Gardner adapted her lesson from Smith & Hickey, “Menu Magic.” Voices from the Middle 10.4 (May 2003), pp. 13–15. National Council of Teachers of English.
http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson842/VM0104Menu.pdf
"Literature Circles" During Reading Strategy
In this lesson adapted from Schlick and Johnson, small groups of students gathered together to discuss a piece of literature in depth. At the heart of this teaching method is collaboration, which allows students to become critical thinkers as they engage in ongoing dialogue with a book. Literature circles help create student-centered learning environment. Through structured discussion and extended written and artistic response, this strategy guides the students to a deeper understanding of what they read. Role sheets help students learning how to discuss and contribute to the group and can also be used as evaluation tools.
[Schlick Noe, K.L. and Johnson, N.J. (1999), Getting started with literature circles, Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers; and from the Literature Circles Resource Center.
http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/kschlnoe/LitCircles/.]
http://www.allamericareads.org/lessonplan/strategies/during/litcirc1.htm