Pathways to Motivate Reluctant Readers: Exploring Teachers’ Perception of Using Children’s Picture Books to Increase English Language Learners’ Reading Motivation

Al Tiyb Al Khaiyali

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.3n.3p.130

Abstract

Reluctant reading, aliteracy, and readicide are issues that were recently developed as a result of the remarkable decline of learners’ reading motivation. One of the major causes of these vexing issues was the paucity of materials that could be implemented to increase learners’ reading motivation. To fill this gap, the current study explored teachers’ experiences of using children’s picture books to increase students’ reading motivation. Two English as a second language teachers from the fifth and sixth grades participated in this study. Classrooms were observed and both teachers were interviewed at the end of the fieldwork of this study. Findings from classroom observation notes indicated that teachers spent 462 minutes in delivering reading instructions, tasks, and activities. In the same vein, students spent 329 minutes in reading practices throughout the assigned reading sessions. Finally, both teachers affirmed an increasing interest of reading practices in the participating classrooms comparing to previous reading-periods.

Highlights

Reading is considered an essential goal for the success of any literacy and learning program (Hallman, 2009)
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of ESL teachers at the fifth and sixth grades of using children’s picture books to motivate students’ reading abilities
Two teachers participated in this study. Both teachers were involved in professional development program in order to learn about children’s picture books, why they were selected to teach reading, how, and when they should be used

Summary

Introduction

Reading is considered an essential goal for the success of any literacy and learning program (Hallman, 2009) This is because through various types of reading, students achieve various types of knowledge and accomplish general learning goals (Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997). It was reported that many learners, in ESL and EFL classrooms spend relatively little time on reading (Lee, 2013). This potential problem was primarily due to the lack of readers’ motivation and the scarcity of quality materials that were used to teach reading (Earl & Maynard, 2006; Guthrie & Davis, 2003). What was the teachers’ general experience of using children’s picture book to motivate ESL elementary students to read?

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion