Ways to Motivate Students to Read

We all studied motivation for at least a nanosecond in our teacher training programs. I remember them focusing on extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. When finding ways to motivate students to read, we tend to focus on extrinsic. Positive reinforcement, like sticker charts, raffles, and prizes. Negative reinforcement, like losing points for not reading (or not reading enough). The studies always said that intrinsic motivation was better, but how can we impact that?

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How to Encourage Students to Read for Pleasure

Many ways to motivate students to read involve increasing the pleasure!

1. Make reading at home a date. Tell a student to take a book on a date for 10 minutes that night. The next day, if the date was bad, they can break up and go on another date. This lighthearted approach makes the reading feel temporary and nonthreatening. You don’t have to fall in love with the book (though we teachers dare to hope!). If the date is a flop, no big deal. There are plenty of fish in the sea (or books in the library).
2. Read them the first paragraph of a book that starts right in the action. These homerun books (with a teaser that’s cut short) will suck a student in, luring them back to the page once they get home.
3. Use positive peer pressure. Partner two students to read the same book. If they enjoy chatting with each other about the book or reading together during class, they can read at night so they can stay on the same page.

How Can Teachers Motivate Students to Read?

Besides those extrinsic-become-intrinsic approaches, I like to use a thought ladder. This cognitive behavioral therapy and life coaching tool works well when students can’t make the jump from “I hate reading!” to “I love reading!”

People don’t change overnight. Think of something you don’t like doing. How long do you think it would take you to love it?

Here is the process I use for students opposed to read. First, I want them to entertain the possibility that maybe there is a book they will like. This is the first rung on the ladder. Through the dating process above, the student tries a lot of books until they find one that maybe they like.

Once they find a book that they are willing to say they like, we move on to “I really like X kind of book.” To identify with something, you need to have your own tastes and preferences. This is ownership. Most opposed students spend the bulk of the year getting to this place, where they have an established areas of interest.

How to Motivate Students to Read Books They Don’t Want to Read

Many motivated students become unmotivated when asked to read outside their preferences. These students must climb another rung on the thought ladder: “I’m willing to try something new.” This is an important rung, as we all must read something we don’t want to read from time to time (a tax form, a jury summons, etc.). Being able to summon up this thought to confront the discomfort of something unfamiliar or unchosen is important too.

The three rungs of this ladder is how I help students become 3-D readers.

A Word on Motivation

Motivation is a funny thing. People want to work out and eat healthy, but they don’t always follow through. Students may know reading is good for them, may even like (or love) it, and still not do it at home.

Why the disconnect?

First, their priorities may already be in the proper order. They may be choosing family, friends, extra curriculars, other homework, or working over reading. If they are secure in the order of their priorities, then they are following their own intentions. Honestly, this is what I do. After my child has gone to bed and I’ve connected with my partner, there is just a little time left for my own reading.

With these students, I like to validate what’s important to them. Then we talk about time. Usually there are a few quiet moments before bed that are the perfect time to read.

For other students, systemic barriers are the reason they don’t read, not motivation. I have students who work full time overnight and go to school all day. I want them sleeping every second they’re not in either place.

For a third group of students, it’s a beautiful learning opportunity. From firsthand experience, I know that habit change and formation is difficult. This is a student’s chance to muck around in the process with an experienced and vulnerable mentor.

Want to Learn More?

I’ll be sharing details soon about a workshop on independent reading. To be the first to know, join the waitlist.