What does motivation do for students?
The goal is to get the student to be intrinsically motivated. This means that they are not motivated soolely by external prizes and rewards, but they are interested by the task itself. This program promotes intrinsic motivation through the use of well constructed praise and rewards that will hopefully spark even more interest in reading. Specifically, motivation directs behavior toward goals; in HELPS the goal is to get a certain amount of words correct per minute while still being able to comprehend the passage. When students are motivated, this leads to increased effort and energy to those goals. Many times you and your student will not be able to work together in a quiet and secluded place free of distractions. Remember Bethany from the praise section of this website? Due to the size of her elementary school, we often had to work in a hallway full of students walking around. At the beginning she would always divert her attention from the reading and watch the kids, but once she became more motivated and goal driven, she persisted past these distractions.
What does motivation do for self-efficacy?
Motivation helps learners feel like they have a higher chance of being successful. Self-efficacy is what the student thinks he or she can accomplish, and is a vital component of improving reading fluency. Do you ever look at a hard puzzle and get so discouraged that you don't even want to start it? Many kids believe that failure is inevitable, but as they become more motivated they also are more encouraged not only to attempt the passage, but put in as much effort as they can to reach their goal. Hopefully, this will also allow them to value the activity so they will continue practicing at home.
More information on self-efficacy and motivation
Read R.E. Mayer's article on education.com on how self-efficacy can enhance motivation.