Motivating Black students through literature: Surveying juniors and seniors in a religious high school

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of culturally relevant literature on students in a religious high school and their perceptions of their motivation to read. Increasing research has highlighted the relevance of culturally relevant literature in the classroom, but there is little documentation on students in religious high schools. In examining 26 juniors and seniors in a Pentecostal Christian academy in the northeast United States, this study measured the effect of culturally relevant literature on their motivation to read in English classrooms. A quantitative method (survey design) was used to collect data using Likert surveys; the data were then analyzed and categorized to highlight patterns of behavior in reading. The Student Literature Analysis Meaning (SLAM) survey provided data explaining these participants' motivation to read. Results revealed the role of culturally relevant literature in Black juniors' and seniors' motivation to read. Their responses indicated that culturally relevant literature was key in how they perceived their motivation to read and supported the idea that reading motivation consists of and is affected by multiple dimensions: interest, learning sense, engagement, and satisfaction. Culturally relevant literature is used to highlight these dimensions of reading motivation. The degree to which teachers expose themselves to culturally based literature is also important for reading motivation, especially with diverse student populations.^