The Literacy View How to Motivate Reluctant Readers: Mystery Solved!
Nov 25, 2025
Gabrielle Mace, a literacy consultant and former head of library services, shares her innovative approach to ignite a passion for reading among reluctant readers. She introduces the concept of 'Student Detectives,' a gamified reading intervention that transforms traditional learning into a thrilling mystery experience. Gabrielle discusses the importance of cognitive engagement and how varied evidence can involve families. She also touches on supporting diverse reading abilities and the impact on students' reading habits, particularly in getting boys more engaged.
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Design Cases Multimodally For Inclusion
- Use multimodal evidence (printed items, videos, audio) so struggling readers still access and contribute.
- Combine visual, auditory, and short accessible texts to include learners with different reading abilities.
Parents Jumped Into The Investigation
- Parents, siblings, and community members joined online to solve drops of evidence, creating competitive family engagement.
- Gabrielle saw parents working with students and lively online discussion increase community outreach.
Prevent Racing With One Final Entry
- Structure the rollout so no one can 'race' to finish; require a single final submission after the full timeline.
- This pacing keeps slower readers involved and prevents early finishers from dominating the process.