Motivating Struggling Middle School Readers: Digital Images as an Aid for Self-Monitoring and Enhancing Retellings of Text

Melissa A. Parenti*
Lecturer, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Periodicity:April - June'2016
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.13.1.6013

Abstract

The benefits of motivation, mental imagery, self-monitoring and guided retellings on reading comprehension have long been lauded as effective methods for improving reading achievement. At a time when technology continues to flourish, yet secondary reading performance remains at a level far below proficiency, identifying strategies that assist in efforts to advance middle school readers via digital resources is critical. This work, therefore, links these influential ideas and presents a promising approach for working with struggling readers. The use of technological devices during mental imagery activity and self-monitoring tasks is introduced and encouraged as a best practice when reading narrative and informational text. As narrative story elements and/or expository text structures are encountered, struggling middle school readers curate digital images that represent mental pictures that are internally and socially constructed during the reading process. This collection of digital images is then utilized as a motivating resource and aid for adequately supporting and enhancing retellings of text.

Keywords

Technology Integration, Comprehension, Mental Imagery, Retellings, Self-Monitoring, Struggling Readers, Culturally Responsive Instruction

How to Cite this Article?

Parenti, M. A. (2016). Motivating Struggling Middle School Readers: Digital Images as an Aid for Self-Monitoring and Enhancing Retellings of Text. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 13(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.13.1.6013

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