Date of Award

8-29-2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Elizabeth Currin

Abstract

This mixed-methods action research study explored how to motivate seventh-grade students to become stronger readers. I empowered my students by giving them the autonomy to set their own Lexile goals and develop plans to reach them, offering goal-setting lessons along with feedback and support. Students were motivated to meet the goals they created. Lexile assessment data from two benchmark periods enabled me to determine students’ growth, and survey and interview data helped me to determine their perceptions of their increase in self-efficacy and motivation to achieve. While most students did not meet their self-identified Lexile goals, most made academic progress, and seemingly all were motivated to continue pursuing their goals during the next school year. The outcomes of this study not only informed my practice as an English Language Arts Teacher, but it also has implications for my school, which intends to adopt goal setting across all grade levels and academic subjects to improve achievement results on benchmark and end-of-grade assessments as well as increase student motivation to achieve.

Rights

© 2025, Heather Wyman

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