ENGAGING STRUGGLING ADOLESCENT READERS THROUGH SITUATIONAL INTEREST: A MODEL PROPOSING THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION, ORAL READING PROFICIENCY, COMPREHENSION, AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Reading ability and motivation among adolescents across the country continues to be problematic, as only slightly more than one-third read at a proficient level (Grigg, Donahue, & Dion, 2007; Unrau & Schlackman, 2006). Hidi and Renninger (2006) have proposed a four-phase model of situational interest that suggests how activities involving extrinsic motivation can be used to potentially develop intrinsic motivation. Using structural equation modeling, the author proposes a model that connects extrinsic motivation for reading, oral reading fluency, comprehension, and academic achievement to demonstrate how situational interest for reading can be leveraged by the classroom teacher to engage struggling readers in activities that promote literacy achievement in struggling adolescent readers.