Although the words motivation and engagement are often used interchangeably, they are not always synonymous. Whereas motivation refers to the desire, reason, or predisposition to become involved in a task or activity, engagement refers to the degree to which a student processes text through the use of active strategies and thought processes and prior knowledge (Kamil et al., 2008).
Adolescent struggling readers often lack motivation to read (Morgan & Fuchs, 2007), impairing their comprehension, hampering their ability to develop effective reading strategies or to learn from what they read, and thus limiting their exposure to important content-area information, world knowledge, and vocabulary. In school, these readers face increasingly difficult reading material and classroom environments that tend to de-emphasise the importance of fostering motivation to read (Guthrie & Davis, 2003). Outside school, struggling students generally do not read for pleasure and may avoid potentially embarrassing situations that involve public disclosure of their reading difficulties, such as applying for a job or pursuing a driver's license. Finding ways to motivate and engage students in reading is an essential part of adolescent literacy instruction.
Motivation and Engagement (pdf, 54 KB)