Internal and External Motivation Accelerated Reader is a program that was designed to help students improve their reading skills and to motivate them to read.
Children read from a large selection of books and take computerized tests on them. If they pass, they receive points; when they accumulate points, they receive recognition for reaching specified levels of achievement. There is supporting evidence that the program promotes reading skills, but the program has its critics as well as its supporters. There are many research and review articles on the Accelerated Reader program if you are interested in learning more it.
Many schools have provided public recognition such as poster boards in school hallways displaying the names of high performers, and some schools have provided rewards such as trinkets, books, and certificates for pizza for specific levels of performance.
Based on what you have learned about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and the potential hidden costs of rewards, evaluate the pros and cons of providing external rewards for reading. Support your ideas with information from credible sources.
