The Quest for Engaging Reluctant Readers

There is a dominant theme running through each of the four articles I have researched that I had not anticipated. They all discuss multimodal and digitally based texts. Honestly, I did not know these terms before my research, and it took some further digging and deep reading to uncover this new world of 21^st century literacy.

Three of the articles I selected discuss the overall scope of the how multimodal programs and digitally based texts engage reluctant readers through the 21^st century skills required/offered of these “games”. Furthermore, the articles discussed the significance of how such multimodal applications improve interest and comprehension in reluctant learners (not something I had previously set out to explore, but certainly related and applicable).

Reading Workshop 2.0, the first of these three articles, refers to a literacy environment that incorporates the use of multimodal and digitally based texts. The use of such technology is stated by these authors to take learners down a new literacy path using game-like applications. The authors speak to the engaging nature of such an environment and how captivating it is for students as they navigate their own text structures through technology. This article is very significant to my research as it describes several key aspects of a 21^st century classroom model with regards to engaging reluctant readers.

Serafini, F. & Youngs, S. (2013). Reading workshop 2.0: Children’s literature in the digital age. The Reading Teacher, 66(5), 401-404.

Using Digital Story Projects to Help Students Improve in Reading and Writing is the second resource I found which outlines and supports the use of digital stories in fostering students motivation to read. The article highlights the need for students to be technologically literate and continues by discussing how technology (specifically digital stories) can be used to not only motivate, by also improve students’ reading and writing. This furthered my interest in the use of multimodal programs to engage reluctant readers, as this literature indicates that fluency and vocabulary also improve through the use of digital storytelling. This takes my research a step further than anticipated and I am thrilled to find evidence for supporting ways to engage and improve students’ reading. Also included at the back of this article is a list of suggested digital storytelling resources and websites – a great stating place for a beginner like me!

Morgan, H. (2014). Using digital story projects to help students improve in reading and writing. Reading Improvement, 51(1), 20-26.

Multimodal Children’s E-books Help Young Learners in Reading is the third resource I found which outlines how multimodal programs improve students’ interest in reading. Simply stated, interactive electronic resources provide struggling readers with the motivation to make academic gains and they improve in reading as a result. So again, this is another article that offers insight into how to engage reluctant readers, and also includes research to support the gains that students make academically as a result. The use of multimodal e-books are highlighted in this article. Included on the last page is a list of e-book apps for children, as well as a checklist for teachers on how to select and implement multimodal e-books successfully. It is great to have this article, as it serves as a very practical starting point for finding multimodal resources.

Morgan, H. (2013). Multimodal children’s e-books help young learners in reading. Early Childhood Education Journal, 41(6), 477-483.

The fourth and final resource I found pertaining to the topic of engaging reluctant readers speaks to a specific program that increases reading success and engages reluctant readers. Inanimate Alice: Born Digital is an article featuring a web-based program titled, Inanimate Alice. Inanimate Alice is a digital story that is used as an educational tool in libraries and classrooms internationally. Students are invited to take part in this on-line story about Alice Field through text, sound, movie, and game elements (these various media elements dub Alice a “transmedia” storytelling project). The article details how these various media elements engage reluctant readers, both alliterate and low literate. This speaks specifically to my topic of interest: engaging reluctant readers.

Inanimate Alice is also multimodal. It requires participants to make meaning out of images, sounds and actions in order to comprehend the story. Participants read, click and participate in games to advance the story. It is this multimodality of the story that is pinpointed as the key to engaging reluctant readers. Again, this feature speaks specifically to my topic of interest. The article goes into detail discussing how the story, “game” engages struggling and reluctant readers.

Also, of interest is the articles claim that Inanimate Alice is accommodating to all levels of readers. It has been adopted by ESL teachers, classroom teachers and librarians alike. Teachers are quoted sharing their experiences in this article. They speak to the programs helpfulness in addressing the diverse student needs in a class. Teachers are using Alice’s story as a model and a launching point, upon which students then create a digital story of their own – “in whichever literacy genre” they prefer. Such an application is stated as creating curricular connections and engaging learners through the use of 21^st century skills.

This article addresses my quest for resources that speak to engaging reluctant readers. I love that this article surfaced, giving me a practical way to move forward. I am very excited to explore Inanimate Alice and begin using it with students in the library. There is little time left for me to get this rolling with baby on the way, but it is a top priority, and I will do my best!

Hovious, A. (2014). Inanimate Alice: Born digital. Teacher Librarian, 42(2), 42-46.

The final major learning I took away from this research is that technology, which offers students multimodality, is key to engaging them as readers. When students are captivated by sound, animation, and other various media elements they are eager to continue reading, or “playing.” Multimodality can be offered in a number of ways. From reading these articles I have been able to compile a list of program and e-book titles. First of all, I am very excited to explore ‘Inanimate Alice’ further. It is available on-line and if our school computers are capable of running the program (fingers crossed) this could be an excellent resource. Further, I have a list of multimodal titles available as e-books. I will be reading some of these myself in the next week and exploring the possibilities (with hopes of introducing them to the library in the near future). All in all, I am very pleased with what my research turned up. I have been enlightened to the world of multimodality and discovered lists of resources that are steering me in the right direction.