Cultural implications of reading motivational methodologies

Abstract

(Study-Specific definition of 'Culture') For the purpose of this study, cultures will be defined by broad rather than specific categorization. The cultures of race and biological sex are material and thus more frequently observed and studied by educational researchers. However, the obvious debate about the concrete identity of one individual as belonging to only one race and one sex make the borders of these terms fluid and mutable. Unless the terms 'race' and 'sex' signify a self-identified choice by the individuals, they are just as limiting and possibly offense as the outside identification of 'gender' and 'ethnicity'. Assumption is therefore a cautious ground for educators, and a broader idea of personal identity is necessary. This study will thus refer to 'cultures' in terms of typically practiced beliefs. Since some of the beliefs discussed may overlap and apply to multiple cultures, the term will apply to the group in discussion. Teachers and educators may then avoid inappropriate judgments as they see students individually demonstrate the beliefs described and act accordingly. (Study-Specific definition of 'Reading Motivational Methodologies') Reading motivational methodologies will be defined as the actions and ideas presented by teachers, reading coaches, and tutors meant to stimulate and encourage the practice and mastery of reading. These methods may be tangible, observable, and repeatable. They may also be ideological or perceptual. (Study-Specific Areas of Exploration and Discussion) Communication is a tool. Whether verbal or written, it is created and carried out with purpose. Reading is a form of communication performed in almost every major global culture, yet utilized in different ways according to a number of factors. The values of a culture entirely define the usage of verbal and written messages. If reading is performed for different reasons by different groups of people, wouldn't it naturally follow that our purposes for becoming literate vary as well? What motivational tools will then help all students to develop a desire a read? This is a multi-dimensional question which includes many factors. One of the more complicated, qualitative factors of the answer is that of cultural perception and thought. As previously stated, communication is a tool. Tools are utilized for different purposes, and consequently different ways of thinking, of knowing, and of questioning arise within the classroom. According to Vacca and Vacca, "different cultures may place different emphasis and value on various cognitive activities"1 This implies that certain activities may intellectually stimulate familiar cognitive processes, building on student schema activation, while other activities require students to build newer processing skills. For example, "some societies ... emphasize memorization and analytical thinking over the ability to experiment or make predictions"2 Students from such societies might be able to do extremely well at language arts activities like spelling or literary essays, but have a harder time making a mind-map of the themes a story represents. In my study, I plan to explore different perceptions of important cognitive practices among groups through use of the Schwartz Model of classroom group interaction. This entails: 1) Emphasis on individual and group performance 2) Emphasis on assertiveness and a desire for group accord 3) Emphasis on reasons for acting in the interest of others 4) Emphasis on individual thought and success These differences in the reception of information create a need for different literal classroom practices. One of the most practical areas to explore and measure is that of literal classroom practices. Some areas investigated in relation to the Schwartz Model are: 1) Group setting preferences. Does the student prefer to work alone, in small groups, or as a class? 2) Auditory preferences. Does the student prefer to read aloud to the class, be read to by the teacher, be read to by a peer, be read to be an audio device, or read alone silently? 3) Visual preferences. Does the student like being provided with relevant pictures, charts and graphs, or will this make the student feel overwhelmed and inundated with information? 4) Literary analyzation group setting preferences. Does the student prefer to read and analyze literature alone, in small groups, or as a class? 5) Personal choice preferences. Does the student prefer to choose their own literature, or have literature selected for them? 6) Extrinsic reward preferences. Does the student prefer tangible rewards, or some form of teacher/peer praise? 7) Goal setting preferences. Does the student prefer specific, small goals or general, larger goals? 8) Creative options preferences. Does the student prefer to be given specific directions, or creative freedom? Other factors include technology available and content covered. The last factor which I plan to explore is that of cognitive dissonance as an affective and moral factor. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), African American high school seniors scored lower on the NAEP reading exam in 2002 than any other ethnic group. One factor clearly influenced test performance among the group: the amount of time spent reading for enjoyment outside of school. The NEAP test is graded on a scale of 1-3. 10% of African American seniors who read for pleasure scored a 3 on the test; only 6% of students with the same demographic who did not read for pleasure scored a 3. According to these statistics, the impact of the ability to find joy in reading is obvious. These statistics on are not atypical and not limited to one ethnic group, and many similar studies are also often transcendental of race. Affective topics such as this tend to be ignored, namely in later grades and at higher levels of achievement due to the fact that "research funding for adolescent literacy ... is minuscule in relation to the big bucks federal and state agencies spend on early literacy and early intervention research"3 Yet it is this aspect of literacy development which entirely influences the ability to move onto cognitive factors. 6) Extrinsic reward preferences. Does the student prefer tangible rewards, or some form of teacher/peer praise? 7) Goal setting preferences. Does the student prefer specific, small goals or general, larger goals? 8) Creative options preferences. Does the student prefer to be given specific directions, or creative freedom? Other factors include technology available and content covered. The last factor which I plan to explore is that of cognitive dissonance as an affective • and moral factor. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), African American high school seniors scored lower on the NAEP reading exam in 2002 than any other ethnic group. One factor clearly influenced test performance among the group: the amount of time spent reading for enjoyment outside of school. The NEAP test is graded on a scale of 1-3. 10% of African American seniors who read for pleasure scored a 3 on the test; only 6% of students with the same demographic who did not read for pleasure scored a 3. According to these statistics, the impact of the ability to find joy in reading is obvious. These statistics on are not atypical and not limited to one ethnic group, and many similar studies are also often transcendental of race. Affective topics such as this tend to be ignored, namely in later grades and at higher levels of achievement due to the fact that "research funding for adolescent literacy ... is minuscule in relation to the big bucks federal and state agencies spend on early literacy and early intervention research"3 Yet it is this aspect of literacy development which entirely influences the ability to move onto cognitive factors. All three factors are intrinsically linked: affective factors inspire students to read, cognitive factors grant students the ability to read, and classroom practices allow for the effective and appropriate growth of readers. The final section aims to express the extreme complexity of cross-cultural communication and the factors which can influence the positive or negative outcome of such contact while covering the multitude of options available to different forms of educators who are faced with a multicultural classroom.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2009

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Wegmann, Susan

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Education

Degree Program

English Education

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Education;Education -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0022387

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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