Creating a Lifeline Back to Books For Adolescent Boys Through Multimedia Enhanced Read-alouds

<p>Due to a growing concern regarding the reading motivation levels of adolescent males, educators have been encouraged to broaden their definition of literacy beyond the traditional fiction novel. This study sought to target the reading motivation levels of unmotivated adolescent boys through the use of a multimedia-enhanced read aloud (MERA). Research questions included: (a) How does the implementation of the MERA impact the reading motivation of adolescent male students? (b) How does the implementation of the MERA impact the reading motivation of <em>unmotivated</em> adolescent male students? (c) How does the implementation of the MERA impact the reading motivation of adolescent male students compared to adolescent females? (d) How does the implementation of the MERA impact the reading motivation of <em>unmotivated</em> adolescent male students compared to <em>motivated</em> male students?</p> <p>To address these questions, a 6-week study that included the implementation of the MERA was conducted in a seventh-grade classroom. Following the MERA, students participated in either a writing prompt or a small group discussion. Data collection included both quantitative and qualitative measures consisting of a Motivation to Read Profile (MRP), interviews, writing prompts, and transcribed discussions with specific emphasis on the data from 6 adolescent male focal students.</p> <p>From these analyses several important findings about adolescent males’ motivation emerged. First, the multimedia-enhanced text improved motivation for all males, especially those identified as unmotivated. In addition, the audio introduction of the MERA was found to be an essential component of engaging and bringing unmotivated male readers quickly into the text. Further, the visual elements of the MERA assisted the male students’ comprehension, improved the quality of their inferences, and encouraged visual literacy critique. Finally, the MERA prompted normally unmotivated male students to independently seek out other texts with multimedia elements.</p> <p>Findings from this work indicate that teachers must continue to expand their definition of literacy and include texts, such as a multimedia-enhanced text, to improve male reading motivation. These texts can serve as a “lifeline” to bring boys back to reading.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Reading and Language

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• McNally, Jana Wilkening

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Susan McMahon
• Dr. Sophie Degener
• Dr. Ruth Ravid

• motivation
• new literacies
• digital literacy
• boys
• gender
• digital media
• multimedia
• literacy
• Education
• Educational Methods

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/162

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1166