An action research study described and evaluated a program for motivating students to read and to take more responsibility for their learning. The targeted population consisted of second- and fourth-grade students in rural-suburban communities west of Chicago, Illinois. Students' lack of motivation related to reading and failure to become responsible for their learning has been documented through information collected from surveys, interviews, and observational checklists. Analysis of the probable cause data revealed limited teaching strategies and issues related to classroom climate. Solution strategies suggested by knowledgeable others combined with an analysis of the problem setting resulted in establishing a Reading Appreciation Program and incorporating volitional skills in a cooperative learning environment. Post intervention data indicated an increase in student responsibility toward learning, an improved attitude toward reading in school, and an improvement in the targeted cooperative learning social skills. (Contains 46 references and 6 tables of data. Appendixes present survey instruments, a cooperative social skills graphic organizer, the volitional strategy, thinking activities, questioning strategies, and a guide for successful research.) (Author/RS)