Measuring the Reader Self‐Perceptions of Adolescents: Introducing the RSPS2

Abstract

This paper introduces a new affective instrument for assessing the reader self-perceptions of students in grades seven through ten. The Reader Self-Perception Scale 2 (RSPS2) builds upon its predecessor, the RSPS, a tool that measures the reading efficacy beliefs of children in grades four through six. New items were created for the RSPS2 to reflect differences in the expectations for adolescent reading. The instrument was piloted on 488 students, revised, and then validates with an additional 2,542 students in the target grades. Factor analytic procedures revealed four factors emerging on the RSPS2. Items for Progress, Observational Comparison, Social Feedback, and Physiological States clustered as expected into scales with reliabilities ranging from .87 to .95. The article includes a description of the instrument, an explanation of its possible uses in assessment, instruction, and research, as well as directions for administration, scoring, and interpretation.

impact of past language arts teachers on the reading motivation of twelfth grade students

“…Reading ability, reading motivation and reading attitude are interrelated and affect reading success separately and in combination Henk, Marinak, & Melnick, 2012;McKenna et al, 2012;Paige, 2011;Stanovich, 1986). As students progress through school, motivation to read often declines (Applegate & Applegate, 2010;Guthrie et al, 1997) and reading attitudes may become more negative (McKenna et al, 2012).…”

“…As time passes, low-performing students no longer expect success when reading and therefore do not readily engage in reading activities (Henk, Marinak, & Melnick, 2012). They may consequently lower their valuation of reading activities, seeing them as less important (Gambrell, Palmer, Codling, & Mazzoni, 1996), as a way of justifying their lack of interest.…”

“…Henk et al (2012) indicate that students' self-perceptions of reading attitude can serve to either help motivate or to prevent students from reading. As a result, this study provides a field-tested and validated survey to measure reading attitude of students ranging from the seventh to the tenth grades.…”

“…The survey is suggested for classroom use in monitoring and developing an optimal classroom climate for reading motivation based on students' reading attitude survey responses. The authors of the study urged teachers to use this information to further customize individual student feedback in reading and to provide a way of involving students in making decisions about a future course to take and in goal-setting (Henk et al, 2012).…”

“…A survey developed by Henk, Marinak, and Melnick (2012) called The Reader Self-Perception Scale 2 (RSPS2) measures student attitudes and behaviors associated with reading. This survey is invaluable due to its basis in Bandura's theory of perceived self-efficacy of 1977 and 1982 (p. 312).…”