Fostering Autonomous Motivation and Early Literacy Skills

Abstract

Abstract The authors emphasize the importance of cultivating autonomous motivation for literacy in early childhood by supporting students’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness while building foundational skills. Additionally, the authors highlight four key findings specific to early childhood (pre‐K–2) literacy development: the power of teaching letters and associated phonemes in tandem, the impact of oral language on comprehension, the role of print concepts in learning to read, and the influence of early writing on reading. Sample activities, adapted from preexisting promising practices to incorporate opportunities for addressing students’ basic psychological needs, accompany each finding. Finally, the authors make a sincere appeal for additional research, including educator action research specific to early childhood literacy motivation.