Abstract
Educators are faced with the dilemma of addressing ever present pressure from the educational system while also wanting to instill a love for reading among students who are often perceived as apathetic and unmotivated. Middle school tends to be a place of increased content instruction as well as quickened time schedules, yet it can also be a place where young adolescents develop their identities as lifelong readers. But first they must find the motivation to read independently and widely. This study aimed to address the needs of middle school students through the investigation of the Readers’ Workshop model with culturally relevant literature at the heart of reading instruction 7th grade English Language Arts class. Findings from the study determined that when given choice, time to read, and opportunities to discuss reading in a Readers’ Workshop model centered on culturally relevant texts, motivation to read increased over time.