Motivation and Strategies for Reading Comprehension in Middle School

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the relationships among achievement goals, self-efficacy, reading strategies, and the self assessment of performance in 47 Middle School students with control of the variable’s history of repetition, school year, and age. The differences in the students’ self-assessment regarding the practice of recreational reading were also analyzed. The students responded to three scales of the Multidimensional Battery of Reading Comprehension Self-Regulation. Statistically significant correlations were identified among the motivational constructs, reading strategies, self-assessment, and achievement goals. We identified differences in the indices between the bivariate and partial correlations. The achievement goals were predictors of self-efficacy and reading strategies. These three constructs predicted the students’ self assessment in Portuguese language and reading comprehension. Students who practiced recreational reading presented a higher self-assessment than students who did not have this habit. It is suggested to continue the investigations on the theme and incorporate the findings of this study into the pedagogical practices that encourage reading. How to cite this article: Ferraz, A. S., Inácio, A. L. M., Pinheiro, M. C., & dos Santos, A. A. A. (2021). Motivation and Strategies for Reading Comprehension in Middle School. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 30(2), 71-86. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v30n2.88781

The Correlation between Reading Strategies and Reading Comprehension

“…However, the low correlations indicated that reading strategies are not the only one that affect students reading achievement. EFL teachers also need to consider other factors, such as students' reading efficacy, reading motivation, reading frequency, linguistic knowledge (Ferraz et al, 2021;Kassem & Alqahtani, 2023;Kyung Ja Kim, 2015;Taladngoen et al, 2020). Student who has a better perception of his reading ability thinks more positively about English reading and spends more time in reading (Kyung Ja Kim, 2015).…”

University Students’ Dynamic Motivation to Learn Chinese as a Second Language

“…In spite of numerous studies on L2 motivation, most target learners of English as a L2, while not many studies focus on learners of other languages as a L2 (Csizér & Kormos, 2008; Ferraz et al, 2021; Liu, 2017, 2020; Ruan et al, 2015; Wesely, 2009). It is the same with learners of Chinese as a L2 (Gong et al, 2020b).…”

“…Coupled with the complex nature of language learning and the ongoing interaction of various variables during the process, there is a call for more research on the interaction between L2 motivation and the learning environment to better understand its dynamic nature. Moreover, as reviewed below, most current L2 motivation research targets learners of English as a L2, while not much research targets learners of other languages as a L2 (Csizér & Kormos, 2008; Ferraz et al, 2021; Wesely, 2009). Even less such research has been done on learners of Chinese as a L2 (Cai & Zhu, 2012; Gong et al, 2020b; Liu, 2017, 2020; Ruan et al, 2015).…”