The role of teacher behavior in adolescents' intrinsic reading motivation

Read Writ (2014) 27:15471565

DOI 10.1007/s11145-014-9506-3

Jessie De Naeghel Martin Valcke Inge De Meyer

Nele Warlop Johan van Braak Hilde Van Keer

Published online: 18 March 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Abstract Given the weak intrinsic reading motivation of many adolescents on the one hand and the importance of this type of motivation for reading competence on the other hand, the aim of the present study is to identify the related role of teacher behavior. To pursue this aim, a secondary analysis was carried out on PISA 2009 data. More particularly, data of a subsample of 4,269 Flemish 15-year olds were examined by means of multilevel modeling. In line with self-determination theory, the results provide evidence for the signicance of perceived autonomy-supportive, structured, and involved teacher behavior. Teacher involvement was most strongly associated with adolescents intrinsic reading motivation. Further, students perception of teachers autonomy support was particularly related to girls intrinsic reading motivation.

Keywords Intrinsic reading motivation Reading literacy Teacher

behavior Self-determination theory

Introduction

Prociency in reading literacy is not only critical for academic achievement of middle- and high school students (Holloway, 1999), but is also indispensable to participate in increasingly complex societies (OECD, 2009). According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009s reading framework, reading literacy is dened as understanding, using, reecting on and engaging with written texts, in order to achieve ones goals, to develop ones knowledge and potential, and to participate in society (OECD, 2009, p. 23). Within this denition, engagement in reading is given a prominent position. It is considered an integral part of reading literacy, as it is strongly related to reading

J. De Naeghel (&) M. Valcke I. De Meyer N. Warlop J. van Braak H. Van Keer

Department of Educational Studies, Ghent University, H. Dunantlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium e-mail: [email protected]

The role of teacher behavior in adolescents intrinsic reading motivation

123

1548 J. De Naeghel et al.

prociency and can play an important role in reducing gaps in reading performance between subgroups of students (e.g., girls versus boys, socio-economic advantaged versus disadvantaged students; OECD, 2002; Wigeld et al., 2008). Reading engagement, more particularly, refers to the motivational attributes and behavioral characteristics of students reading (OECD, 2009, p. 70). Engaged readers read texts for their...