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.