Create-A-Book Project: Enhancing Language, Literacy and Motivation

M. A. Toner, Ph.D., CCC-SLP; University of Arkansas
Donna Helmer, M.S., CCC-SLP; Private Practice

Introduction:

In response to national and state initiatives, many schools districts have increased their efforts to improve the reading abilities of their students. Implementation of a wide variety of reading programs has been initiated and many programs target the key skills identified by the National Reading Panel (2000). The National Reading Panel suggested that motivation of students and teachers influence the success of reading instruction.

Guthrie and Wigfield (2000) reported motivational factors can be predictive of success in reading and academic achievement. They further suggested that instructional practices may account for some of the decline in motivation observed as children progress through school. Sweet, Guthrie, and Ng (1998) indicated that instructional strategies that encourage motivation include those that allow choice, social interaction, and activity connections.

Kaderavek, J. and Justice, L.M. (2002) noted that common reading instructional practices may actually have a negative effect on children. They stressed monitoring the child's literacy orientation and motivation when introducing shared reading experiences, and they noted this is particularly important for children with speech-language impairments. Kaderavek and Justice recommended several strategies to make reading experiences positive, including allowing children to choose the books they read and maintaining low levels of linguistic demand during book reading.

Project Background:

Attitude toward reading was identified as an important issue in one school that participated in the current project (Toner, 2001). Teachers in kindergarten through grade 12 independently listed factors they believed interfered with reading achievement. A "poor attitude toward reading" was the characteristic listed most often as an obstacle to reading achievement. It was first noted as a problem in grade one and reported as the dominant obstacle by grade four. Negative attitude towards reading was not restricted to students. Teachers indicated that parental attitude toward reading was a problem and that student and parent attitudes often affected teacher motivation.

The Create-A-Book Project was an attempt to provide positive experiences with books and reading. During the first year, the Create-A-Book Project focused primarily on children who were developing early reading skills and included a small number of children at high-risk for reading failure, and some with demonstrated learning difficulties.