E‐mail as a motivating literacy event for one struggling reader: Donna's case

Abstract

This article synthesizes the case study of one struggling fourth‐grade reader who participated in a semester‐long, literature‐based, e‐mail collaborative with a pre‐service teacher. Using case study methodology and the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), this study explores the nature of this e‐mail partnership. The data include the e‐mail correspondences, written reflections by the pre‐service teacher, interviews with the participants, and field notes. Grounded in theories of motivation and constructivism, as well as sociocultural theory, this study suggests that the authentic, social nature of e‐mail served as a motivating literacy event for the fourth grader. Implications for literacy teachers and recommendations for further research are discussed.