Gender and Age Differences in Reading Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning among Secondary School Students with Learning Disabilities in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This descriptive research provided insight into gender and age differences with respect to reading motivation and self-regulated learning among secondary school students with learning disabilities. The multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted. The sample was ninety-seven students with learning disabilities, from thirteen secondary schools purposively selected from two senatorial districts in Oyo State, Nigeria. The intrinsic reading motivation (α = 0.86), extrinsic reading motivation (α = 0.93) and self-regulated learning (α = 0.76) scales were used for data collection. The data was analysed using the t-test and Pearson’s product moment correlation. No significant differences were found between intrinsic, extrinsic reading motivations and self-regulated learning strategies among male and female students with learning disabilities. Females got highest mean scores in extrinsic reading motivation while younger students scored higher than the older ones in both reading motivation and self-regulated learning strategies. The implications of the findings as well as recommendations were suggested.