Reading Self-concept Research Articles

Mediation of self-concept and moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement: Evidence from China and the United States.

Socioeconomic status (SES) is important in students' reading development. The mechanism of how they are linked, however, is underexplored. This research aimed to explore whether reading self-concept mediates the link between SES and reading achievement and whether teacher support moderates the direct and indirect link between SES and reading achievement. Using PISA 2018 database, we selected 17,346 15-year-olds from 537 schools in B-S-J-Z (China) and the United States (U.S.). Multilevel linear models were calculated to explore the potential mediation of self-concept and the potential moderation of teacher support between SES and reading achievement. Results reveal that reading self-concept mediated the link between SES and reading achievement at student level both in China and the United States, and teacher support moderated the link between SES and reading self-concept both at student level and school level only in China, but not in the United States. Our research highlights the importance of self-concept and teacher support in improving students' reading achievement, especially for students of low SES, which has important theoretical significance and practical enlightenment for reading instruction.

Development of Self-Concept in Multi-Grade 3rd and 4th Classes

The assumption that multi-grade learning enhances and sustains positive self-concept is widespread, although neither theory nor empirics have yet allowed for firm conclusions. This paper reports on a representative longitudinal study of multi-grade learning in grades 3 and 4 comparing the development of students' self-concept in reading in multi-grade and single-grade classes, also providing a differentiated analysis of the development at varying performance levels. The results show that self-concept is less stable in multi-grade classes. At the end of grade 3, students' self-concept in multi-grade classes is lower than in single-grade classes, although the average achievement level is higher. This effect is mainly ascribed to low-achieving children; however, all students’ self-concept recovers by the end of grade 4. Regarding students with a very low self-concept, they are found to a comparable extent in both multi-grade and single-grade classes, but the number of these students is low and the affected students change. The data indicates that pedagogical support is needed, especially in grade 3, to mitigate the effects of social comparison. Further analysis should include the quality of multi-grade teaching implemented in the classroom and its effects.

The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect for Reading Self-Beliefs: A Cross-National Exploration with PISA 2018

ABSTRACT Purpose Past research shows the Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect (BFLPE; negative effect of school-average achievement on student-level academic self-concept) to generalize across countries. However, such evidence is largely limited to math and science. Given that reading self-concept is highly differentiated from math and science self-concepts and plays an important role in predicting educational outcomes, it is essential to examine the universality of the BFLPE and its underlying social-comparison process within this domain. Method We assess the cross-national generalizability of the BFLPE for 15-year-olds’ reading self-concept using Programme for International Students Assessment 2018 (533,165 students, 72 countries). To demonstrate that the BFLPE operates with a relative—rather than absolute—frame of reference for comparison, we juxtapose difficulty experienced with reading in general (self-concept perceived difficulty; relative frame of reference), with difficulty experienced with reading specifically during the PISA test (PISA test difficulty; absolute frame of reference). Results Our findings show that the BFLPE for both the reading self-concept perceived competence and difficulty subscales was robust across countries. Further, the BFLPE was strong for self-concept subscales, but very weak for the PISA test difficulty scale. Conclusions Our findings extend support for the generalizability of the BFLPE to reading self-concept and highlight the role of social comparison processes underlying this effect.

THE INFLUENCE OF READING MOTIVATION AND READING SELF-CONCEPT ON READING COMPREHENSION ACHIEVEMENT OF THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS OF STATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL OF LEMPUING DISTRICT

This study aimed to find out the influence of students’ reading motivation and students’ reading self-concept on students’ reading comprehension achievement of the eighth grade students of state Junior High School of Lempuing District. In this study, 223 students of the eighth grade were chosen as the sample. This study applied the correlational causal effect quantitative research design. Questionnaire and test was used to collect the data. They were analyzed by using simple regression and multiple regression analysis. The result showed that (1) there was a significant influence of reading motivation on reading comprehension achievement of the eighth grade students of State Junior High School of Lempuing District, (2) there was a significant influence of reading self-concept on reading comprehension achievement of the eighth grade students of State Junior High School of Lempuing District, (3) there was significant influence of reading motivation on reading self-concept of the eighth grade students of State Junior High School of Lempuing District, (4) there was a significant influence of reading motivation and reading self-concept simultaneously on reading comprehension achievement of the eighth grade students of State Junior High School of Lempuing District.

How motivational constructs predict reading amount and reading achievement: The role of reading attitude and reading self-concept

This study investigated the constructs of reading motivation (i.e., affective and cognitive reading attitude, and reading self-concept) and examined their relations with reading behavior and performance. Hong Kong data from PIRLS 2016 were analyzed to address the questions. A special attention was paid to the indirect influences of the motivational constructs on reading performance via the influence of reading amount. Results confirmed that reading attitude could be further distinguished into the affective and cognitive components. These components of reading attitude along with reading self-concept were demonstrated to have differential relations with reading amount and achievement. Results also found significant relations between reading attitude and reading self-concept on one hand, and reading achievement on the other hand mediated by reading amount.

One Step Back or One Step Forward? Effects of Grade Retention and School Retention Composition on Portuguese Students’ Psychosocial Outcomes Using PISA 2018 Data

Grade retention is a common practice applied to academically struggling students within the Portuguese context. Studies investigating the psychological experiences of grade-retained students are still scarce. In addition, most studies tend to neglect the multilevel nature of the school context. This study examines the effects of grade retention in grades 1–9 on Portuguese students’ psychosocial outcomes by the age of 15, using PISA 2018 data. Using a quasi-experimental design through full matching, we reduced the bias between 1362 retained and 4189 promoted students in relevant background variables. Results from the multilevel models showed that retained students, by the age of 15, present lower task orientation and school belonging. In addition, we found that the high retention rates negatively relate to students’ reading self-concept, task orientation, and school valuing and that school retention rates moderate the relationship between students’ retention and the psychosocial variables considered. Overall, these findings suggest detrimental effects of grade retention and that grade retention also affects the promoted peers of retained students.

Reading Self-Concept and Motivation: A Perspective from Students with Reading Difficulties

This study investigates the relationship between reading self-concept and motivation among a group of male and female students with reading difficulties, also exploring this according to gender variables. The paper also seeks to determine to what extent reading self-concept can predict reading motivation among these target students. The study sample comprised a group of 100 mixed male and female students studying at upper-primary schools in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, all of whom faced reading difficulties (RD). The researcher prepared and applied two tools in questionnaire form, the Reading Self-Concept Scale questionnaire (RSCSQ) and the Reading Motivation Scale questionnaire (RMSQ), both of which had acceptable validity and reliability. The study found a significant positive correlation between the total RSCSQ score and its reading ability domain and the total RMSQ score with each of its two domains. There is a significant positive correlation between the reading difficulties domain and the external reading motivation domain but no correlation between the reading difficulty domain and the total RMSQ score and its internal reading motivation domain. Second, the study found that for students with RD, while reading self-concept and its reading ability domain can predict reading motivation; the reading difficulty domain cannot predict reading motivation. These results were consistent both among the group and between gender variables.

Development over time of the reading self-concept in fourth- and fifth-grade students

Development over time of the reading self-concept in fourth- and fifth-grade students

How Self-Concept, Competence, and Their Fit or Misfit Predict Educational Achievement, Well-Being, and Social Relationships in the School Context

During adolescence, what is more important for educational achievement, well-being, and the formation of positive social relationships: being competent, having positive thoughts about oneself, or a complex relationship between the two? There has been a long-standing debate in psychology on the effects of accurate and biased self-perceptions, and sophisticated ways of modeling the effects of self-perception, competence, and their interplay have recently been suggested. But recent research has focused on adults and has not taken reference effects into account. The present preregistered study used a large German sample of students (N = 6,086 students in 559 classes) in Grade 5 (mean age = 10.55 years, SD = 0.64) with data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). We tested the effects of academic self-concept and competence in math and reading on outcomes pertaining to achievement, well-being, and social relationships up to 4 years later and identified the best fitting hypotheses through a model fit comparison. In contrast to previous studies, we took the frame of reference for students’ self-concept into account by controlling for class-level effects of self-concept and competence in a multilevel analysis. Results showed that educational achievement was best explained by the complex interplay of self-concept and competence, where competence was the stronger predictor. By contrast, self-concept was a stronger predictor of well-being than competence was. For social relationships, results were less clear and differed by the specific outcome variables that were used. Overall, in the school context, self-concept and competence per se seem to be more predictive of future outcomes than their fit or misfit.

The role of academic self-determined reading motivation, reading self-concept, home reading environment, and student reading behavior in reading achievement among American Indian and Hispanic students

Although an increasing body of reading research explores motivation among students from underrepresented racially minoritized groups in academic settings, the research tends to either lump students into an “underrepresented racial minority” (URM) or an “Other” category or focus on students from specific racial backgrounds (e.g., White, Asian, or Black students). This approach results in students too few in number being overlooked (e.g., American Indian students). However, these students represent an important part of the U.S. culture and school population. The scarce research available focuses on achievement gaps, rather than studying factors such as reading motivation and reading self-concept, which have been suggested to contribute to reading success among American Indian students. Therefore, this study explored self-determined reading motivation, reading self-concept, home reading environment, and student reading behaviors in the prediction of reading achievement among American Indian students representing 19 American Indian Tribes (in comparison to Hispanic students) from one Southwestern State and explored the interrelations between these variables. In a sample of 343 grade 5–8 students (n = 219, 63.8%, American Indian students; n = 124, 36.2% Hispanic students) multiple-group path analyses in Mplus revealed differential relations among the variables: Whereas reading self-concept was the strongest predictor of reading achievement for both groups of students, intrinsic motivation was negatively related to reading achievement for American Indian students. Potential explanations of the observed interrelations are discussed.

Data mining to detect variables associated with the occupational aspirations of Spanish 15-year-old students

The purpose of this work is to identify contextual variables that help to explain the occupational aspirations of Spanish 15-year-old students. This is done by performing a secondary analysis of the PISA2018 test. Data have been analysed using decision trees introducing the students’ expected occupational status as a dependent variable (DV), and the other items and indicators considered as predictors. The results show that the variables that contributed most to explaining DV were grade repetition, mastery goal orientation, enjoying reading and self-concept of reading. The findings of this exploratory work can be used as a basis for further studies aimed at establishing causal relationships between these variables and students' occupational aspirations.

Reading Self-Concept and Reading Comprehension: The Possible Effect of the Transition from Transparent to Deep Orthography

ABSTRACT The contribution of reading self-concept (RSC) to reading comprehension in Hebrew elementary school students was examined with respect to grade level (second, fifth, and sixth graders) and students’ level of reading comprehension (poor, average, and good). RSC questionnaire and reading measures were delivered to 49 second graders and 48 fifth and sixth grade students. Results showed correlations between RSC, language and reading measures. Young readers showed higher RSC than older students and poor comprehenders showed lower RSC than average and good comprehenders. Overall, RSC accounted for variance in reading comprehension after controlling for language and word-level reading measures. The results suggest that the transition from transparent to deep orthography may also affect RSC and cause a decline in the later stages of reading acquisition.

Teacher feedback, disciplinary climate, student self-concept, and reading achievement:A multilevel moderated mediation model

Research has confirmed the importance of teacher feedback on student learning. The mechanism of how they are related, however, is not clear enough. In this study, we explored this relation with 60,501 fifteen-year-old students from collectivistic and individualistic cultures in PISA 2018. Importantly, we examined the possible mediating role of reading self-concept and the moderating role of disciplinary climate at both student level and school level in multi-level structural equation models (MSEM). Results demonstrated that the association between teacher feedback and reading achievement was significantly mediated via reading self-concept at student level across cultures, and this indirect effect was significant irrespective of the disciplinary climate level. Moreover, results showed that a positive disciplinary climate would facilitate the building of students’ reading self-concept which subsequently would enhance their reading achievement at school level. This study has important theoretical, practical, cross-cultural, and methodological implications for teacher feedback research and student learning.

The Dimensionality of Reading Self-Concept: Examining Its Stability Using Local Structural Equation Models.

For results from large-scale surveys to inform policy and practice appropriately, all participants must interpret and respond to items similarly. While organizers of surveys assessing student outcomes often ensure this for achievement measures, doing so for psychological questionnaires is also critical. We demonstrate this by examining the dimensionality of reading self-concept-a crucial psychological construct for several outcomes-across reading achievement levels. We use Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 data (N = 529,966) and local structural equation models (LSEMs) to do so. Results reveal that reading self-concept dimensions (assessed through reading competence and difficulty) vary across reading achievement levels. Students with low reading achievement show differentiated responses to the two item sets (high competence-high difficulty). In contrast, students with high reading achievement have reconciled responses (high competence-low difficulty). Our results highlight the value of LSEMs in examining factor structure generalizability of constructs in large-scale surveys and call for greater cognitive testing during item development.

Validating a Scale Measuring Metacognitive Knowledge About Digital Reading

This study aims to find evidence that validates an unprecedented scale assessing metacognitive knowledge about digital reading, developed for PISA 2018. More precisely, the study investigates whether the scale measures metacognitive knowledge about reading as opposed to ICT literacy. Data from the 37 OECD countries were used. The results show strong correlation between this metacognitive knowledge scale, reading performance, and two scales which have already been validated for measuring metacognition about reading. The scale is also significantly correlated with students’ interest, self-concept, and self-efficacy in reading. On the other hand, no correlation was shown between their use of ICT, and their interest and perceived self-efficacy in their use. The results provide evidence that the scale assesses metacognitive knowledge about digital reading rather than digital literacy. The results also demonstrate a strong correlation between the scale and reading proficiency.

Latent Profiles of Reading Motivation in Adolescent Native-Spanish-Speaker Multilingual Learners

Reading motivation may elucidate discrepancies in reading achievement among multilingual high school students whose first language is Spanish. Utilizing a person-centered approach to investigate underlying reading motivation profiles among N = 174 adolescent native Spanish speakers (NSS), analyses yielded three latent profiles of reading motivation, including (a) an “Average” (AVG) class characterized by slightly above-average scores on the reading self-concept (RSC) factor and slightly below-average scores on the reading attitude (RA) factor, (b) an “Above Average” (AA) class characterized by above average scores on both RSC and RA factors, and (c) a “High RSC-Low RA” (HRSC-LRA) class characterized by the highest RSC factor scores and below-average RA factor scores. The three reading motivation profiles were significantly associated with demographic covariates (e.g., gender and length of residency in the U.S.), consistent with previous research. Further, latent profile membership was a significant predictor of English reading proficiency scores on the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs). We discuss practical implications and provide suggestions for future research.

The Relationship Between a Reader's Self-Concept and Achievement: Which Aspect Matters the Most and for Whom?

Although both theory and research assert the importance of a reader’s self-concept, we lack a nuanced understanding of the underlying subcomponents of reading self-concept as they relate to achievement and whether this relationship might differ for developing readers. In the present study, we examined the reading self-concepts of nearly 500 4th grade and 5th grade students. Using a bivariate correlational analysis, three subcomponents were examined to consider how they independently related to students' reading comprehension. In addition to considering these relationships for the entire sample, we also looked at how the association differed for developing readers compared with advanced readers using multiple regression analyses. Results suggest that perceptions of difficulty and attitudes contributed to variance when the entire sample was considered, but when students were divided into groups based on ability, only perceptions of competence mattered and only for the advanced readers. Our findings clarify that a reader's perception of difficulty is most related to achievement, but only for advanced readers. Further, by revealing no significant relationship between aspects of self-concept and achievement for developing readers, our findings hint at the possible preceding importance of some degree of proficiency.

Mediation effects in the relationship between cultural capital and academic outcomes

Following recent literature, this study focused on the mediating mechanisms through which cultural capital leads to students' higher grades and academic ability. Structural modeling was applied to 2018 CZ_PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) data and the results showed that students' family highbrow cultural resources and reading interest have indirect positive effects on their reading ability and school grades via non-cognitive skills (i.e., students' aspirations and self-concept in reading). The results also implied that only a negligible part of the relationship between students' cultural capital and school grades is mediated by teacher-student relationships, which partly questions the core idea of Bourdieu's cultural reproduction theory. Still, the study suggests that there could be a significant relationship between student's beaux-arts consumption and their reading skills, however, this association could be rather indirect and mediated by student's educational aspirations and self-concept in reading. Finally, the results did not reveal any substantial differences in the mediating mechanism for male and female or low-status and high-status students.

A cross-cultural perspective on the relationships among social media use, self-regulated learning and adolescents’ digital reading literacy

This study explored, from a cross-cultural comparative perspective, how use of social media (SM) impacted adolescents' digital reading literacy (DRL), and whether these two factors' relationship was mediated by self-regulated learning: i.e., knowledge of metacognitive strategies, enjoyment of reading, and reading self-concept. Several mediation models with multiple mediators were tested with a sample of data pertaining to 105,430 15-year-old students from 3693 schools across six East Asian regions and nine Western countries that participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018. The results indicated that frequent SM use did not have any direct adverse impacts on adolescents’ DRL; and indeed, small positive effects were observed in many countries/regions. The relationship between SM use and DRL was positively mediated by knowledge of metacognitive strategies, but not mediated by enjoyment of reading. In the Eastern regions, SM use did not have any significant indirect effect on DRL through reading self-concept, but in most Western countries, a positive indirect effect was observed.

Reading Interest to Millennial Students: Reading Self-Concept and Perceptions of Parental Involvement as Predictors

Purpose - this study aims to determine the relationship between self-concept of reading with reading interest in elementary school students; to determine the relationship between perceptions of parental involvement with reading interest in elementary school students; and to find out the relationship between self-concept of reading and perceptions of parental involvement in stimulants with reading interest. Methods - This research uses a correlational quantitative method. In this study, researchers used a scale, there are reading interest scale, the scale of self-concept reading, and the scale of perception of parental involvement. The sample in this study was 47 elementary school students. The sampling technique used purposive sampling with the characteristics of male and female students of elementary school, grades 3, 4 and 5, ages 8 to 11 years, living with parents and having good reading fluency. The analysis used is Pearson product moment correlation analysis and regression analysis. Findings - the results of the analysis show (1) There is a positive relationship between self-concept of reading with reading interest in students with a correlation coefficient (rxy) of 0.652 (p <0.01) with a contribution of 42.5%; (2) there is a positive relationship between the perception of parental involvement with reading interest in students with a correlation coefficient (rxy) of 0.697 (p <0.01) with a contribution of 48.6% and there is a relationship between the concept of self-reading and perception of parental involvement stimulants with interest in reading with a value of r = 0.690; F = 28,383; (p <0.01) with a contribution of 56.3% to interest in reading. The score of reading interest category is in the medium category with 83.00%, while the self-concept reading variable is in the high category with 59.70% and the perception variable of parental involvement is in the medium category with 93.00%. The findings of this study indicate that the importance of parental involvement and reading self-concepts in students increases student reading interest.