L'evoluzione del senso di efficacia per compiti di lettura e scrittura: effetti di scolarità e competenza

Abstract

This study examined whether reading and writing self-efficacy beliefs differ in children with different achievement level (average, poor and good readers and writers) and in children of different grade level (4th , 6th, and 8th graders). Two hundred and thirty-five children participated. Seventy-three children attended the 4th grade, 83 the 6th grade, and 79 the 8th grade of three mainstream elementary and middle schools, located in Verona and Padova (north-east Italy). The student’s academic self-efficacy beliefs (Caprara, 2001), and their reading and writing self-efficacy beliefs were assessed. Children also performed a reading task (Cornoldi and MT group, 1998), a dictation task and a written composition task. Results revealed effects of schooling on academic self-efficacy beliefs, and for the reading and writing tasks, but no effects related to reading and writing self-efficacy beliefs. Accuracy of self-efficacy evaluations increases with grade level, but not with achievement level, indicating an independent effect of grade and achievement level on student’s self-efficacy.