Self-Identified Motivation for Avid Middle School Readers

Abstract

This study explored the motivation behind avid middle school readers. The purpose of this study was to investigate and determine the motivation behind avid middle school readers. The research question was: What motivations do avid readers possess? The subjects of this study were 50 avid middle school readers aged 11-14. They all attended the same public suburban middle school. An anonymous survey was given to the students to complete in the fall of 2002. The resu1ts of this investigation substantiate much of the previous research in the area of what motivation is behind avid middle school readers. In addition, the information gathered from this study support and reassures us that the current surge in student-centered teaching is on the right track. The most important conclusion is that there is ''no one size fits all" pattern, for which a student becomes an avid reader, rather there are as many ways as there are readers.