Reading Motivation and Engagement: Effects on Second Grade Students’ Reading Fluency and Comprehension During Guided Reading and Literacy Centers

Abstract The purpose of this study would have been to examine the effects of motivation and engagement on student’s reading fluency and comprehension progress during guided reading and literacy centers. Through research it was sought to discover effective strategies to increase motivation and engagement during guided reading in order to increase second grade students’ reading growth and achievement in comprehension and fluency at a Midwestern elementary school. Twenty four second grade students, within one classroom, would have completed Gambrell’s Motivation to Read Profile (MRP) questionnaire and engaged in individual conversational interviews. During guided reading and literacy centers, these twenty four students would have been given opportunities for voice and choice in choosing reading tasks they feel motivating and choose to engage in. The data would have provided information about student’s motivation during authentic reading experiences and measure current reading motivations. In mid March, the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close resulting in a shift to distance learning. Due to the shift in teaching and contact with students, an ethnography design was implemented for the remainder of this study. A daily journal was kept to explore my own perspective and teaching experience during the time of distance learning. Keywords: COVID-19, distance learning, motivation, engagement, strategies, fluency, comprehension, guided reading, literacy center