In the process of literacy development, students develop their reading abilities and reinforce their reading technique towards fluent reading with effective comprehension. At the same time, self-awareness of their own reading abilities – reading self-concept – develops and forms. Reading self-concept is initially formed based on reading achievements, and in the later years of schooling, a significant reciprocal relationship develops between reading self-concept and students' reading abilities. Reading is a fundamental school skill, necessary for acquiring academic knowledge, and therefore, an individual's overall academic success depends on their reading performance. Reading self-concept is also linked to the students’ general academic self-concept and thus significantly influences their readiness for schoolwork, choice of tasks, and persistence in their efforts. Difficulties in acquiring reading literacy can affect student's reading self-concept and pose a risk factor for their later reading and academic achievements.
In the empirical part, I wanted to find out what is the correlation between reading self-concept and students' reading abilities. I examined differences in reading self-concept and reading abilities between groups of students with and without reading difficulties, as well as between genders. Within the research, I also explored the correlation between reading self-concept and the level of the 5-stage model of support, at which the student is treated for reading difficulties. 134 pupils from eight different classes attending the 3rd grade in selected primary schools within the Gorenjska region during the academic year 2022/23 participated in the research. The reading self-concept was measured using the Reading Self-Concept Scale by Chapman and Tunmer. Data on students' reading abilities were collected using the Reading Ability Assessment Scheme by Pečjak, Magajna, and Podlesek. The results indicate a significant correlation between reading self-concept and various reading abilities. The highest correlation was found between reading self-concept and the speed of oral reading. Students with reading difficulties showed significantly lower reading self-concept and reading abilities compared to students without reading difficulties. I found no significant differences in reading self-concept and reading abilities between girls and boys in the study. Similarly, no significant correlation was found between reading self-concept and the level of the 5-stage model of support. Oral reading fluency, reading comprehension and the level of the 5-stage model of support were found to be significant predictors of reading self-concept in the regression analysis model.
In the process of literacy development, students form perceptions of their reading abilities, which will later have a significant impact on their reading achievement. During this period, working with students who struggle in reading and lag behind their peers in reading development is important. These students may also experience lower reading self-concept. It is particularly important to support this group of students in both areas – developing reading skills and forming their reading self-concept.
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