Teachers’ relatedness with students as a predictor of students’ intrinsic motivation, self-concept, and reading achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how teachers’ relatedness with students is linked to academic achievement in reading for elementary students transitioning from kindergarten (five years old) to first grade (six years old). Intrinsic motivation and self-concept in reading were examined as potential mediators of this relation. While data were collected from 820 kindergarten students (441 boys, 379 girls), their teachers also answered questions regarding their relatedness with the students and the students’ reading abilities. One year later, the students completed items measuring their intrinsic motivation and self-concept for reading, while the teachers rated the students’ reading achievement. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to test a sequential mediational model. Overall, the results showed that kindergarten teachers’ relatedness with students predicts intrinsic motivation for reading and that self-concept for reading positively mediates the relation between intrinsic motivation and reading achievement (all relations are significant at p < .01). These results may have implications for educators aiming to improve reading achievement, strengthen students’ academic self-concept, and encourage intrinsic motivation.