The Relationship of Reading Self-Efficacy and Reading Achievement in Second Grade Students

Academic self-efficacy has been positively related to academic achievement in previous studies with middle school, high school, and undergraduate students. This small-scale study investigated the relationship between student reading self-efficacy and student reading achievement with second grade students in central Montana. Participating students completed a Reading Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and benchmark assessments for reading. The 2011 Dibels Next Reading End of Year Benchmark test was used to measure fluency and the Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Reading for Primary grades test was used to measure the related reading skills of language and writing, foundational skills, literature and information skills, and vocabulary use and functions. Results showed a nonsignificant positive relationship between student reading self-efficacy and student reading achievement. The findings were not conclusive about the abilities of students in this age group to accurately assess their own reading self-efficacy and achievement capabilities.