Reading Motivation Dimensions: Relation to Behavior and Competence

Looking for a creative way to encourage reading? Try posting a sign in your school library that says, “Forbidden to Read.”

Why does it work? When something is off-limits, students are often drawn to it. It’s the classic forbidden fruit effect. But while this quick trick might spark interest for a week or two, it isn’t a lasting solution to building genuine reading motivation.

What does motivate students to read longterm? Researchers have spent years studying this question, but no simple solution has been found. Thankfully, Schiefele and his colleagues did much of the heavy lifting, reviewing findings from twenty years of research on reading motivation and identifying meaningful patterns along the way. Dit onderzoek sluit nauw aan bij evidence-based insights on print exposure: entice pupils to read more, waaruit blijkt hoe belangrijk de vroege toegang tot boeken is.

In this post, we’ll break down their key takeaways for teachers—from classroom-friendly resources to proven ways to boost reading motivation. Read on to learn what we do know about reading motivation and discover practical strategies you can use with your students right away.

The Role of Reading Motivation in Pupil Development

Schiefele and his colleagues examined 34 studies on student reading motivation (in both primary and secondary education) from 1990 to 2011 and discussed all aspects of reading motivation in great depth.

Motivation, reading attitude, reading preferences, and reading time are some of the main issues explored. In their essay, they separate five major themes:

1. Definition: What qualifies as a reading incentive (and what does not)?
2. Refinement: What motivates students to read?
3. Reading behavior: What links reading motivation and reading behavior?
4. Reading proficiency: How does reading motivation relate to reading proficiency?
5. Chicken or egg: What do we know about cause and effect (in regards to reading motivation and reading behavior)?

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Impact on Reading Habits

“Reading motivation” refers to a student’s willingness to engage with reading. You can think of it as the benefits students perceive they gain from reading. Before we can effectively boost reading motivation, it’s important to understand the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Het begrijpen van dit verschil is essentieel om the connection between children's reading attitudes and achievement te kunnen verbeteren.

Here’s a glimpse into what you’ll see when students exhibit either intrinsic or extrinsic reading motivation:

Intrinsic reading motivation: * Values reading for its inherent pleasures (think subject enjoyment, curiosity, knowledge, etc.).

• Effectively boosts reading enjoyment and literacy skills. Leads to better academic outcomes.
• Supports students in reading a wider range of genres (both at school and in free time).
• Helps students read more deeply and use more complex reading skills.

Extrinsic reading motivation: * Leads to rewards outside of the book (such as good grades, compliments from teachers, or physical reward systems).

• Less likely to improve reading enjoyment or literacy skills.
• May negatively impact reading motivation for some students.

In short, intrinsic motivation should always be the goal. But when the desire to pick up a new book just isn’t there, extrinsic motivation can be a helpful tool. Just be sure to closely monitor extrinsic factors to make sure they aren’t having the opposite effect.

Some factors that can reduce students’ intrinsic reading motivation include:

• A negative outlook on reading (students think it’s difficult, boring, or they’d rather chat with friends during reading time).
• A lack of confidence in reading skills (feeling like they just can’t improve enough to enjoy a book on their own).

With these challenges in mind, Schiefele and his colleagues noted that students feel motivated to read for different reasons. By sorting through decades of research, they distinguished seven main reading motivators (spread throughout the intrinsic and extrinsic categories).

Another motivator that is sometimes mentioned is the social motive. This includes discussing books with peers or visiting the library with classmates or parents. However, according to Schiefele and colleagues, while social features can be motivating, they are not enough to initiate a love of reading.

Related article: The critical link between intrinsic motivation and reading competence in pupils

Reading behavior and reading skills

Intrinsic motivation looks promising, but several researchers are cautious to say it leads to concrete changes like increased literacy skills. Why? Because correlation doesn’t always equal causation. Intrinsically driven pupils may read more and do better, but this does not necessarily indicate their specific motivations as the cause.

The big question remains: Which comes first—motivation or skill?

The study by Schiefele and colleagues didn’t point to one clear answer. Instead, it suggests that reading motivation and reading habits feed into each other—when one improves, the other often does too. Working on both at the same time can help create more engaged readers.

Practical Strategies to Boost Reading Motivation

Boosting students’ reading motivation directly improves reading skills and overall academic success. When it comes to practical strategies, Schiefele and colleagues recommend promoting intrinsic reading motivation, not extrinsic. Om dit in de praktijk te brengen, kun je gebruikmaken van thematic reading instruction: the key to unlocking reading motivation.

They state that while extrinsic rewards might temporarily boost reading motivation, they often fail to sustain long-term reading engagement. They want your students to keep reading at home—not just when they’re being supervised at school. Through intrinsic strategies, you can help build students’ reading motivation for life.

Start by providing access to books that match all students’ reading levels and interests. This is the first step to help kids discover all of the joy and benefits that come along with reading. It will help your class develop a positive reading attitude and confidence in their own abilities.

In the classroom

Once you’ve provided students with access to the books they need, move on to these concrete tips:

• Choose engaging stories for classroom assignments: Include brief stories in your lessons about exciting places and interesting people. Use students’ interests to entice them into reading.
• Start a readaloud series: It might just motivate students to continue the rest of the stories on their own.
• Use various formats: Subscribe to a magazine that covers a topic they enjoy or wish to learn more about.
• Make reading easy and accessible: Choose books that meet each reader’s individual level to help them think: “I can read a whole book and actually enjoy myself.”
• Understanding your pupils’ preferences and abilities: Talk to your students and take mental (or even physical) notes. This will help you connect with their interests and reading level.

If you struggle to discover appropriate reading materials or your school library is understocked, consider collaborating with your local library. The staff can help you fill the gaps so every student can find a book that meets their interests and reading abilities.

• Avoid focusing solely on the external rewards: Be cautious with rewards and reading competitions, as they can actually have the opposite effect.
• Don’t dwell on the importance of reading for academic success and future goals: This may lead to stress that blocks reading motivation. If needed, share these concerns with the parents instead of your students.

Key Takeaways: The Power of Intrinsic Motivation and Enjoyment

No matter what the research says, remember that cultivating a lifelong love of reading by ensuring students enjoy the time they spend in books is the most effective motivator. Use these tips and tricks to get your students to this level; not in place of building long-term reading motivation.

And if you take in nothing else from this article, let it be this:

1. Reading is driven by a desire to learn and engage with tales.
2. Intrinsically motivated students have better, and more diverse, reading skills.
3. Self-confidence helps kids want to read.
4. Extrinsic factors, like external pressure or competition, might do more harm than good.

Next up in the series: Thematic reading instruction: the key to unlocking reading motivation