Understanding the Silence: Struggling Readers Discuss Decisions About Reading Expository Text

Abstract

The author examined the techniques of 3 middle school struggling readers to use silence to protect or promote their specific identities as readers in and out of school. J. Gee's (2002) theory of discursive identity framed this article. Results challenge the ways that teachers and researchers typically think of struggling readers. Rather than being unmotivated to read and learn, each participant demonstrated that she was interested and cared about learning information presented in the texts. However, when trying to promote an identity, the students sometimes had to forgo comprehending text and learning content rather than risk being viewed unfavorably by peers.

Keywords:

• middle school students
• reading expository text
• struggling readers