The development of first graders' reading skill as a function of pre-school motivational orientation and phonemic awareness

Abstract

This study examined the development of reading skill during the first school year. The predictors were pre-school motivational orientations, coping tendencies, knowledge of the alphabet and phonemic awareness. From 151 pre-school children (6 years of age) rated by pre-school teachers on motivational orientations, 32 non--readers were allocated according to their dominating motivational disposition to one of the following extreme groups: task orientation, social dependence, ego-defensive, and multiple non-task-oriented. Each group included 8 children. The subjects' phonemic awareness and knowledge of the alphabet were assessed. Coping strategies were observed in pre-school during a play-like construction task comprising three induced pressure episodes. At the end of the first grade the children were assessed on word reading skill and again on motivational orientation. Both group comparisons and idiographic analyses were made. Results indicated that pre-school phonemic awareness was associated with first grade word reading skill. Rated task orientation in pre-school enhanced significantly the prediction offluent word reading. Task-oriented children showed significantly better word reading skill than ego-defensive or multiple non-task-oriented children. Ego-defensive and multiple non-task-oriented subjects showed significantly less task oriented, and more ego-defensive, coping behaviour under pressure than task-oriented subjects. Thisfinding suggests greater vulnerability of ego-defensive and multiple non-task-oriented children which may contribute to diverging reading careers. Idiographic analyses indicated parallel developmental changes in reading skill, motivational orientations and coping patterns confirming the role of motivation in theformation ofan individual's reading career.The authors wish to thank the heads, teachers and childrenof fourteen kindergartens and four primary schools in Turku, Finland,who unfortunately must remain anonymous. 156

Beginning to read across languages varying in orthographic consistency: Comparing the effects of non-cognitive and cognitive predictors

“…Task orientation at the beginning of Grade 1 was a significant predictor of word recognition at the end of Grade 1. Furthermore, some studies have found that task-focused behaviour in kindergarten was a significant predictor of word-reading skill in Grade 1 (Dally, 2006;Salonen, Lepola, & Niemi, 1998), even after controlling for the effects of kindergarten phonological awareness.…”

Cognitive-linguistic skills and motivation as longitudinal predictors of reading and arithmetic achievement: A follow-up study from kindergarten to grade 2

“…Similarly, Salonen, Lepola and Niemi (1998) showed that, among the preschool motivational orientations, task orientation was the most important predictor of subsequent word reading skill. By following students with diverging reading careers from preschool to grade 2, Lepola, Salonen, and Vauras (2000) showed that progression in word reading was related to increased task orientation and decreased non-task orientation, whereas relative impairment was associated with decreased task orientation and increased social dependence.…”

The role of achievement beliefs and behaviours in spontaneous reading acquisition

“…Previous research has shown that engagement in reading is related to reading achievement (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000). Moreover, Salonen et al (1998) showed that children who displayed functional achievement beliefs at kindergarten progressed to a greater degree in their reading skill in 1st grade compared to those with more dysfunctional beliefs. Furthermore, Onatsu-Arvilommi and Nurmi (2000) showed that achievement beliefs and behaviours and reading performance, form cumulative developmental cycles.…”