The relationship between Grades 8-12 students' motivation for self-selected reading in English and academic achievement at Bangkok Christian International School, Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which academic achievement is influenced by motivation for self-selected reading in English and reading achievement. This study was conducted using the survey method employing the researcher made Adolescent Motivation for Self-Selected Reading Questionnaire (AMSSRQ). Academic achievement data was collected from students’ individual report cards for the first quarter of the academic year 2015-16. The sample of the study consisted of 83 eighth to twelfth grade students from Bangkok Christian International School, Bangkok, Thailand, in the first semester of the academic year 2015-16. Additionally, the relationship between motivation for self-selected reading in English and reading achievement, and reading achievement and academic achievement were investigated. Further to this the relationship between motivations for self-selected reading in English and general self-efficacy for learning and performance were also investigated. The hypotheses were tested using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. The results confirmed the hypotheses. There was a significant relationship between motivation for self-selected reading in English and reading achievement. In turn there was a significant relationship between reading achievement and academic achievement. Additionally, this study found a significant relationship between motivation for self-selected reading in English and general self-efficacy for learning and performance. The study concludes with recommendations for practice and future research.