Abstract

Research demonstrates how early children construct specific knowledge about written culture through formal and informal interactions. This situation contrasts with the need for more accumulated knowledge on the affective-motivational components associated with constructing literacy. The purpose of this article is to present the process of construction and validation of a scale to measure the Motivational Environment of Literacy in the Classroom (AML). Conceived from the self-determination theory, the LMA consists of a trained researcher's direct observation grid. The observation is complemented with information gathered from the educator's report regarding aspects that are not directly observable (e.g., class planning). The results show that this is a valid and reliable measure. It is hoped that this instrument will be helpful to both researchers and educators. The AML expands the knowledge about reading motivation's psychogenesis. Also, using the scale may encourage preventive pedagogical initiatives where early reading motivation can become a protective factor against reading demotivation.