Developing a Scale to Measure Reader Self-Perception for EFL Students

Abstract

The development of a scale for measuring self- perception for readers of English as a foreign language is discussed in this paper. The scale was developed from the four dimensions of self-efficacy theory proposed by Bandura (1977a): progress, observational comparison, social feedback and physiological states. A 36 item scale was developed to measure the four dimensions. Five hundred and fourteen Thai EFL students at the college level completed the scale. Factor analyses and item-total correlations indicated that most of the items best defined their own constructs. Cronbach’s alpha internal reliabilities also indicated a strong coherence of the items in measuring their proposed dimensions. Students’ achievements in reading and writing in English are correlated with the scale. Regression analyses showed that the Self- Perception Scale for Readers of English as a Foreign Language (SPSREFL) is a significant predictor for students’ reading achievement