Observation And Reading Motivation

Marink and Gambrell (2008) probed into the impact of reward proximity and the choice of a reward on the reading motivation of third-grade students. The data were collected on the participants’ reading motivation before the experiment through first activity selected, number of seconds spent reading, and number of words read. They claimed that the students who were offered a book and those who were not rewarded were more motivated to read than their peers who received tokens. Marink and Gambrell concluded that the proximity of the reward to the desired behaviour is a critical factor for enhancing reading motivation. However, in the present thesis, the proximity of the reward (short stories) to the desired behaviour (reading) did not enhance

Intrinsic motivation was assessed by time spent on the target task and task interest in the free-choice period. The results revealed that rewards administered during learning or achievement on a test enhanced intrinsic motivation. In the present work, the reward was not offered during a learning how to read phase but rather for meeting a standard of excellence in the reading activities (i.e., during a reading practice phase). The present thesis results are congruent with Cameron et al., (2005)’s findings; an achievement-based reward for reading activities enhanced subsequently students’ intrinsic

On the contrary, the results of the pre- and post-reward reading motivation (Chapter 7) failed to support the claim that students’ intrinsic motivation in the intensive reading activities would transfer to reading. Their intrinsic motivation in the experimental activities enhanced, but did not transfer to promote their self-concept or the importance they give to EFL reading. The reason for this difference could be because the subjects enjoyed the activities practised in the reward-incentive reading environment, but the reward did not affect the way they self-evaluate their performance in reading or even the value they see in reading. From this stance, reading is not extensively practiced, which makes it a boring task for the majority of students, or that their self-evaluation of their performance by comparing it against their classmates in the reward environment amplify uncertainty of their efficacy beliefs or the importance of reading to