Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika –
Зарубежная лингвистика и
лингводидактика – Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
Classroom research: motivating high school students to
read more
Zarifa KUPAYSINOVA
1
Namangan State University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received September 2024
Received in revised form
10 October 2024
Accepted 25 October 2024
Available online
15 November 2024
Reading is important for educational success and personal
development. However, motivating high school students to read
extensively has become increasingly challenging in the digital
age. This classroom research explores effective strategies to
encourage high school students to read more. The findings
suggest that autonomy, relevance, and interactive reading
strategies play critical roles in fostering a love for reading.
2181-3701/© 2024 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol2-iss6-pp98-102
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
classroom research,
high school students,
reading,
reading skills,
effective reading strategies,
motivation.
Sinf tadqiqoti: o‘rta maktab yuqori sinf o‘quvchilarini
ko‘proq o‘qishga rag‘batlantirish
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar:
sinfda tadqiqot,
o‘rta maktab o‘quvchilari,
o‘qish,
o‘qish qobiliyatlari,
samarali o‘qish
strategiyalari,
motivatsiya
O‘qish ta’limda muvaffaqiyatga erishish va shaxsiy rivojlanish
uchun zarur. Biroq, raqamli texnologiyalar asrida o‘rta maktab
yuqori sinf o‘quvchilarini keng qamrovli o‘qishga undash tobora
qiyinlashib
bormoqda.
Bu
sinf
tadqiqotida
o‘rta maktab o‘quvchilarini qanday qilib ko‘proq o‘qishga
rag‘batlantirishning samarali strategiyalarni tadqiq qilinadi.
Tadqiqot natijalariga ko‘ra, o‘quvchilarni mustaqil ta’lim
ko‘nikmalari, eng zaruriy va interfaol o‘qish strategiyalarini
egallashlari ularni o‘qishga bo‘lgan qiziqishini rivojlantirishda
muhim rol o‘ynaydi.
1
PhD Student, Namangan State University. Email: zarifakopaysinova@gmail.com
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 6 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
99
Исследование в классе: мотивация старшеклассников
читать больше
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
исследование в классе,
ученики старших классов,
чтение,
навыки чтения,
эффективные стратегии
чтения,
мотивация
Чтение является важным фактором для успешного
обучения и личностного роста. В данном исследовании
рассматриваются эффективные стратегии, направленные
на стимулирование интереса учащихся старших классов
к
чтению.
Результаты
исследования
показывают,
что ключевыми элементами в формировании устойчивой
мотивации являются предоставление учащимся автономии,
обеспечение релевантности читаемых материалов и
использование интерактивных подходов. Эти стратегии
способствуют
развитию
интереса
к
чтению
и
формированию позитивного отношения к этому процессу.
INTRODUCTION
Reading not only enhances language proficiency but also develops critical thinking
and creativity. According to Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, and Wilkinson (1985), reading is an
essential life skill that guarantees a student's success in school and even throughout their
life. Despite its importance, many high school students demonstrated reluctance toward
reading due to a lack of motivation, distractions from digital media, and the perception of
reading as a monotonous activity (Gambrell, 2011). Thus, there is a need to understand
better what factors lie behind these changing school-related reading practices, that is, why
most students read less today than 10 years ago, counting all types of school-initiated
reading activities. This small-scale classroom research aims to explore practical classroom
strategies how to motivate students to read more based on the following research
questions:
1.
What factors influence high school students' reading motivation?
2.
Which strategies effectively increase their engagement with reading materials?
The foundations of motivating high school students to read were studies in various
research studies conducted by several scholars. According to Schraw (1998), students can
become more engaged with texts that match their interests and levels. Guthrie and
Wigfield (2000) state that allowing students to select their reading materials fosters their
sense of ownership and autonomy. Alvermann, (2002) claims that collaborative reading
strategies and discussions enhance engagement. According to Krashen (2004), a positive
and resource-rich classroom environment encourages sustained reading habits. These
research findings suggest that controlled reading activities should be selected taking into
consideration students’ needs, interests, and levels to promote reading among high school
students.
PARTICIPANTS
This small-scale classroom research involved 60 high school students (grades
10-11) in the Namangan region. High school students were divided into two groups:
a control group and an experimental group, each comprising 30 students.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 6 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
100
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from surveys and reading
logs with qualitative data from interviews and classroom observations was used in this
classroom research.
MATERIALS
The experimental group participated in activities designed to enhance reading
motivation, including:
– Students were allowed to choose their reading materials from a diverse collection
of books and articles, catering to various interests such as fiction, history, science, and
adventure.
– Weekly group discussions, debates, and role-playing activities were conducted
based on the chosen reading materials.
– Students were provided access to e-books, audiobooks, and reading apps, making
reading more accessible and appealing.
– Students were encouraged to set achievable reading goals and monitor their
progress weekly, with teacher support and positive reinforcement.
– Students were encouraged to share their favorite books during class, acting as peer
motivators. Positive reading habits were formed by discussing their own reading
experiences.
RESULTS
The pre- and post-survey results revealed a significant increase in students’ positive
attitudes toward reading in the experimental group (see the table below).
Question
Control Group
Pre (%)
Control Group
Post (%)
Experimental
Group Pre (%)
Experimental
Group Post (%)
I enjoy reading books.
32%
34%
30%
72%
Reading is important for
my future.
58%
60%
56%
85%
I read in my free time.
25%
28%
27%
68%
The experimental group read significantly more materials during the action
research period compared to the control group. Students highlighted the following themes
during the interview:
Students enjoyed selecting books that matched their interests.
“I liked that I could pick a book about space exploration because I enjoy learning about
science. It made reading more exciting for me,” (Dilshod)
Group discussions made reading a more social and engaging activity.
Group activities made reading a shared experience, reinforcing the idea that reading
is enjoyable and rewarding. Interactive sessions transformed reading into a dynamic
process, breaking away from the notion of it being a solitary or monotonous task. 76% of
students in the experimental group agreed that “discussing books with classmates made
me want to read more,” compared to only 28% in the control group.
E-books and apps were particularly interesting to high school students. E-books
allow students to read on their smartphones or tablets during their free time at home.
“I started using an app that tracks my reading progress. Seeing how much I’ve read
motivates me to keep going!”
(Shokhruh).
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 6 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
101
Classroom observations were conducted over eight weeks, focusing on students’
behaviors, engagement levels, and participation in reading activities. The experimental
group showed significantly higher levels of engagement during reading activities
compared to the control group. Students frequently asked questions about their chosen
books, shared personal insights, and participated actively in discussions. Students in the
experimental group were more motivated when given autonomy to choose their reading
materials. They frequently discussed their book choices with peers and expressed
excitement about their selections. During silent reading sessions, students in the
experimental group appeared more focused and less distracted compared to the control
group. Interactive reading sessions such as group discussions, role-play, and debates had
a noticeable impact on student engagement while they were enthusiastically discussing
plot, characters, and themes, suggesting deeper involvement with the reading material.
DISCUSSION
The findings emphasize the importance of autonomy, relevance, and interactivity in
fostering reading motivation. The implemented strategies significantly improved students’
attitudes toward reading. The percentage of students who reported enjoying reading rose
from 30% (pre-intervention) to 72% (post-intervention) in the experimental group. Those
reading in their free time increased from 27% to 68%.
Students demonstrated higher engagement and focus during reading sessions,
especially when using technology like e-books or participating in interactive activities.
Students were more motivated when allowed to select books due to their interests. Group
discussions, role-play, and debates created a collaborative atmosphere, and increased
engagement. Participation in group discussions increased from 45% to 85% over eight
weeks. Shy or reluctant readers gained confidence over time, participating more actively
in discussions and activities.
While implementing the strategies successfully, there were some challenges as well
such as a minority of students struggled with time management and goal completion.
Quieter students needed additional encouragement to participate in group activities.
CONCLUSION
The findings of this small-scale classroom research highlight the importance of using
student-centered approaches to create opportunities for collaborative reading, fostering
autonomy, relevance, and interactivity in reading activities. These strategies can be
adopted broadly to create a positive reading culture in the classrooms. Further studies
could explore the long-term impacts of these strategies and their application in different
cultural contexts.
REFERENCES:
1.
Anderson, R., Hiebert, E., Scott, J., & Wilkinson, I. (1985). Becoming a nation of
readers: The report of the commission on reading. Washington, DC: National Institute of
Education and the Center for the Study of Reading.
2.
Alvermann, D. E. (2002). Effective literacy instruction for adolescents.
Journal of
Literacy Research
, 34(2), 189-208.
3.
Gambrell, L. B. (2011). Seven rules of engagement: What's most important to
know about motivation to read?
The Reading Teacher
, 65(3), 172-178.
4.
Guthrie, J. T., & Wigfield, A. (2000). Engagement and motivation in reading.
Handbook of Reading Research
, 3, 403-422.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika – Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика – Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue – 2 № 6 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
102
5.
Krashen, S. (2004).
The Power of Reading: Insights from the Research
. Libraries
Unlimited.
6.
Kupaysinova, Z. (2024). Methods for Developing Reading Competence of
Secondary School Pupils in English Lessons. Pubmedia Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris,
2(1), 7-7.
7.
Schraw, G., Flowerday, T., & Reisetter, M. F. (1998). The role of choice in reader
engagement.
Journal of Educational Psychology
,
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(4), 705.
