Engaging readers in the twenty-first century: what we know and need to know more

What does it mean to be a successful reader in the twenty-first century? To answer this important question, this chapter discusses the twenty-first century as a new context for reading research and for the development of effective reading instruction. This chapter begins with a description of the twenty-first-century reading context and the challenges that have arisen as a result of new technological and sociocultural developments. Following that, the chapter reviews current trends in research on reading in three related fields, reading motivation, new literacies, and reading strategies, which were critical for developing integrative models to inform reading research. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the need for cross-fertilisation among these fields to develop reformative reading practices that promote reading engagement and improvement. Teachers’ significant role in advancing this reformative agenda is highlighted. Special research attention is required for supporting reading and reading engagement for students who come from various disadvantaged backgrounds