Running head: MOTIVATION AMONG BOYS AND GIRLS READING 1

ACHIEVEMENT

Motivation Among Boys and Girls Reading Achievement

Megan Kalina

ED 611

Western Oregon University

12/04/2016
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Abstract

In addition to phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension,

motivation can be considered the sixth component to becoming a proficient reader. A

students motivation in reading is a predictor for long term reading success. This review

examined gender differences in regards to reading motivation based on gender, age,

teachers perspectives, and self-concept. Boys overall motivation was far less than girls.

As a students age increased, their motivation in reading decreased. Teachers

perspectives had a strong impact on students motivation. Finally, self-concept affected

both genders equally

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Motivation Among Boys and Girls Reading Achievement

Educators will experience students with varying reading abilities and motivation

levels. This review will provide educators with information that promotes self-reflection

on their perceptions of students reading abilities and the affects on students. Strategies

will be addressed that assures each student has the opportunity to be an effective reader.

Classrooms that promote community, provide autonomy, and allow students to be

successful will increase intrinsic motivation and allow students to become strategic

readers.

Motivation

Motivation in general has been studied in-depth and is applicable to all human

beings. Motivation is a feeling within us that pushes us to pursue an activity and remain

actively engaged (Ormond, 2016). There are many factors that influences motivation

including environment, interaction with peers, and schemas of an individual. Two types

of motivation are present and influence the individual differently. Not all motivation is

manifested equally.

Extrinsic motivation is a motivation factor from an outside source. These outside

sources can take form in multiple mediums including rewards and punishments. Extrinsic

motivation can come from multiple sources including peers, parents, and teachers. On the

opposite end of the spectrum and one that is more difficult to identify is intrinsic

motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from within and is one you cannot see. Intrinsic

motivation is the more advantageous of the two due to the fact that the motivator cannot

be physically removed.
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Motivation in Reading

The lack of motivation in reading can manifest itself in many forms within

students. Many students that are labeled as having a reading disability, simply do not

value reading, therefore they lack the motivation to improve their reading skills. Other

students are aware of their reading skill level and due to teachers preconceived notions

about the students reading skills. The student will fall into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The teacher thinks I am not a good reader, so I should not try to be a better reader.

Gender and Age

The differences of reading motivation amongst boys and girls were consistent in

the studies. The study completed by McGeown, Duncan, Griffiths, and Stothard (2014)

found girls consistently value reading more than boys do. A study completed by Marinak

and Gabrell (2010) supported this by concluding that boys do not simply have a lower

motivation to read, but the value they placed on reading strongly related to their

motivation. The value girls place on reading increases their likelihood to read. In their

leisure time girls were also more likely to read than boys. Girls were more apt to read

fiction in this study and it was determined that fiction reading increased reading skills.

According to Kleinfeld (2006), boys lag almost eighteen months behind their female

counterparts in reading achievement.

The conclusion for these studies strongly indicate that a higher value placed on

reading and reading more fiction, in return made students more apt to read which led to

proficient readers. Teachers need to recognize these differences and encourage boys to

find fiction that interests them. The majority of teachers whom teach at the K-6 level are
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female. Therefore, teachers need to be more aware of the books they choose for read

aloud, recommend, and keep in their personal classroom library.

Age affected both genders equally. In a large study completed by Lepper,

Henderlong-Corpus and Iyengar (2005) found that students intrinsic motivation

decreased as the students aged increased. In a later study completed by Unrau and

Schlackman (2006), showed a decrease in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation as age

increased amongst students.

Younger students had more motivation to read. It brings me to the conclusion that

students are reading less text for enjoyment and more text for the purpose of learning as

they progress through their education. Teachers need to assure the material they are

providing to their students in the content areas is relevant and engaging. If the material

being presented intrinsically motivates students, they are more apt to engage and read the

material. This will lead to higher reading success and understanding of the material.

Teachers Perceptions

Self-Concept

Research in reading motivation implies there is a vital role teachers have in

promoting intrinsic reading motivation amongst their students (Naeghel, Valcke, Meyer,

Warlop, Braak, Keer, 2014). The study completed by Boerma, Mol, and Jolles (2016)

generalized that when students feel they are perceived as poor readers, their reading

motivation is negatively affected. Although, when teachers overestimated students, the

students had a higher concept of themselves despite actual achievement.

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Teachers perceptions based on gender were addressed, but due to the findings

being inconsistent, I decided not to document them in this study. However, it is worth

noting the possible correlation with boys lower reading motivation and the possibility of

negativity presented by the teacher based on gender. Some studies suggest that this is due

to the behavior differences between boys and girls, with boys behavior being less

acceptable in the classroom setting (Bennett et al., 1993; Hecht & Greenfield, 2002).

Amongst the majority of the studies, there was a common theme about the

importance of a students self-concept as a reader. A student must experience small

successes in order to feel competent as a reader. To increase self-concept, a teacher can

allow autonomy in the classroom. To do so, teachers must make time to listen to their

students, cater to their interests, and allow time for students to engage in activities that

are important to them (Jang, Reeve, & Deci, (2010); Reeve & Jang, 2006). In regards to

reading, this will appear as allowing book choices, choosing topics to research that are

based on student interest, and spending time building rapport with each student.

Implications for Educators

Throughout the paper, I have included suggestions for teachers to assure reading

motivation is present in their classroom. However, I will summarize the main ideas here

without being redundant. Educators must be aware. Awareness of their students and their

own personal beliefs will allow educators to create an environment that cultivates

motivation. Teachers should focus on creating strong bonds with each student and

assuring there is an open flow of communication. While lesson planning, educators

should assure they take into account the interests and needs of boys to assure they keep
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up with their female classmates. Teachers also need to assure students are being given

choices to promote autonomy. Students naturally lose motivation as they progress

through their education career. Educators at the higher level must take special care to

choose engaging material to hold students interest.

Conclusion

From completing this literature review, I have found that motivation has a direct impact

on a students reading success. While intrinsic motivation is ideal, there are extrinsic

forces that teachers can implicate that will increase a students overall motivation and

success. If an educator creates an autonomous classroom, which increases self-concept,

reflect on their own biases, and place a value on reading in their classroom; the teacher

will promote reading motivation. Through this, the vicious cycle of poor readers and

reading motivation will cease. The more a student revels in reading. The more the student

will read and with appropriate support, a student will continue on the pathway to become

a highly effective reader.

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