The developmental dynamics of students' reading self-concept and reading competence: Examining reciprocal relations and ethnic-background patterns

Abstract

Despite the fact that reading self-concept and reading competence are considerably correlated, the reciprocal relation of these variables and the associated ethnic-background patterns still pose fundamental questions with significant theoretical implications and practical consequences. Utilizing a Reciprocal Effects Model (REM), we analyzed primary school-aged children in the United States who took part in a representative longitudinal data collection effort known as the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K). Reading self-concept and reading competence were found to be reciprocally related for primary school-aged children; however, the influence of prior reading competence on subsequent reading self-concept (the skill development part of REM) was significantly stronger than vice versa. The REM of reading competence and reading self-concept was moderated by children's ethnic-background (evidenced only for White-majority students). While longitudinally the descriptive results revealed comparable reading self-concept across the ethnic-backgrounds, there was a larger ethnic disparity for White and Asian over Black and Hispanic family students in reading competence. Given that the study highlights ethnic-background related reading competence disparity, interventions should center on whether all students receive high-quality literacy instruction (e.g., learning to read beyond reading to learn) during the early years of schooling.