The Missouri Reader Vol. 36, Issue 1 | Page 21

program of supplying pizzas to students who read
a certain number of books has all three of these
characteristics. First, pizzas are very attractive
rewards to students. Second, the pizzas are given
only when the required amount of books are read
with no consideration given to the types of books
read, how carefully the books were read, if the
students were able to gain new knowledge from
the reading, etc. Third, the rewards of the
program (the pizzas) are artificially tied to
reading the books – there is no natural link
between reading and pizzas. The same analysis
can be made for the extrinsic motivators of ice
cream parties and for the promise of the principal
kissing a pig – both are attractive rewards to
students, both are not contingent upon students
meeting a true literacy goal (other than perhaps
having a paper signed by a parent that ―proves‖
the student read for a certain number of
minutes), and both have no natural link to
reading.
Gallagher (2003) noted that practices such as
these suggest that reading is such an unpleasant
task that rewards (or bribes) are necessary.
Further, this type of extrinsic motivation can
produce self-terminating behavior. After children
receive an external motivator (such as a pizza),
their reading often ceases. This can lead to
students becoming dependent upon rewards and
recognition to complete reading activities.
Students are trained to believe that reading
should be done only if there is some reward to be
received at the completion of it. In addition, the
rewards will need to continually increase in
attractiveness as the recipients become no longer
motivated. For example, the principal kissing a
pig will be a captivating event the first time, but
will lose its effectiveness if it is repeated over and
over again. As the reward gradually loses its
appeal, the provider of the reward will have to

find something more attractive to replace it. This
cycle will continue as long as an extrinsic
motivator is necessary for the behavior to occur.
Guthrie & Wigfield (2000) noted the
paradoxical effect that rewards and incentives
have on motivation. Rewards can increase shortterm attention on activities, but students who are
in an environment where extrinsic rewards are
dominant will become more extrinsically
motivated. They will become more focused on
high grades, correct answers, and task
completion and less committed to
comprehending text, improving reading skills, or
enjoying reading. These students frequently rely
on memorization and guessing. Further, they
avoid challenging tasks and give up easily when
frustrated.
Eliminating extrinsic motivators from school
classrooms is neither necessary nor realistic.
However, when teachers use extrinsic rewards to
motivate their students to read, they should do so
in a way that does not undermine students‘
intrinsic motivation. Brophy (2004) noted that
the key to effectively rewarding students is to do
so in a manner that supports students‘ motivation
to learn and does not encourage them to
conclude that they engage in an activity only to
earn rewards. For example, rather than
rewarding a student with a pizza for reading a
certain number of books (which may be below
the student‘s reading level), teachers may reward
the student for reading and comprehending a
book at his/her reading level with extra free
reading time in class or a gift certificate to a local
bookstore. If rewards are used appropriately and
effectively, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation will
complement each other (Covington & Mueller,
2001).

©The Missouri Reader, 36 (1) p. 21