Motivations to read—interest, confidence,
dedication
Interest
When we think of motivation our mind first turns to
interest. Motivation is enjoying a book, being excited
about an author, or being delighted by new information.
Researchers refer to interest as intrinsic motivation
meaning something we do for its own sake. On a rainy
day, we might rather read our favorite mystery than do
anything else. We are not trying to get a reward when
falling into a novel.
Motivation also brings to mind the reward for
success. Who doesn't like to win a trinket for hitting the
target with a dart at the State Fair? Who doesn't want to
earn serious money for working hard in a career? These
are extrinsic rewards because someone gives them to us.
We do not give them to ourselves, and these rewards do
propel us to put out effort, focus energy, and get up in
the morning.
Yet, extrinsic rewards do not motivate reading
achievement in the long term. Students who read only
for the reward of money, a grade, or a future job are
not the hest readers. The reason is that if you read for
the reward of a good quiz score, what happens after the
quiz is that you stop reading. If the test score is the only
thing that matters, it is OK to take shortcuts, not really
understand, or cheat. It encourages students to become
more interested in the reward than the learning. None
of these generate long-term achievement. Sometimes a
reward, such as candy or early recess, will jump-start
a group of students to read in this moment for this
purpose. But if the motivation is not intrinsic, it will
not increase achievement in the long term.
For some individuals, grades represent their quality
as a student and a reader. Being a high achiever is a
symbol of how they are doing. A high grade is an icon
of success and these students strive to feel successful.
One student told us that he read as practice to improve
as a reader and get hetter grades. He said, "Reading a
lot helps you read better 'cuz at first I wasn't a very good
reader but now I'm doing real good." This point came
up again and again. Another boy said, "If I keep reading
then like you can do better in high school and then
you'll get good, hetter grades." Readers who identify
with school see grades as an emblem of their success
and a reason to have confidence.
Interest comes in two forms—situational and
enduring. Situational interest is fascination with a
detail in the here and now: a picture in a hook, a link
in a Website, a funny comment by a character, or an
amazing fact ahout animals will all excite situational
interest. This does not last until tomorrow or next week.
Situational interest does not generate achievement
hecause it is locked into the local event. Situational
interest can hecome enduring if it recurs with teacher (or
other) continuing support. If a student finds one type of
novel he likes, such as realistic fiction, and is helped to
find more and to understand them fully, he may, over
time, grow an enduring motivation for reading fiction.
But the situational motivation is not sufficient to assure
the full maturation of intrinsic motivation. One of our
goals in schools is to foster intrinsic motivation, the
enjoyment and fulfillment in reading