Student Engagement in Reading

Abstract

This paper explores student engagement and interactional patterns in young learners in a reading programme for low-track students on the basis of 19 h of video data collected from five schools. I show evidence of student engagement on the basis of bidding, eye contact, student talk and behaviour displaying excitement. The data show moderate student engagement across all five schools with few instances of high engagement and fewer instances of low student engagement. There is lack of variety in interactional patterns in episodes with low student engagement. The interactional patterns in episodes of high student engagement are Reading and Whole Class Elicitation, Whole Class Elicitation, Whole Class Role Play, Whole Class Activity and Individual Activity. In 40% of the episodes with high student engagement, teachers masterfully use Whole Class Elicitation. In episodes that show behaviour displaying excitement, the teachers engage students in role play, writing activities or other types of kinaesthetic learning. On the basis of these findings, I suggest implications for pedagogy in reading classrooms for young learners.