Student Confidence in Reading in Rural China

Student Confidence in Reading in Rural China Qiufeng Gao, Hongmei Yi, Huan Wang, Yaojiang Shi, Cody Abbey, and Scott Rozelle Abstract This paper aims to investigate student confidence in reading in a developing and middle-income country by collecting and reporting on survey data from 135 primary schools in rural China. In the survey, we adopted and conducted the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) scales of confidence in reading and reading skills test items. Our analysis shows that compared to the other 45 countries/regions that took the PIRLS tests, rural China ranks last (or the lowest) with regard to student confidence in reading and reading achievement. The correlation analysis reveals that in rural China there is a strong correlation between reading confidence and reading achievement. Particularly, the correlation is stronger among the worse readers. Additionally, school and teacher factors are found to be associated with reading confidence. Specifically, having an accessible classroom library is associated with higher reading confidence, especially among the poor readers. Teacher instruction in reading, including whether key reading skills are taught in an early grade or whether teachers use children’s books in instruction, correlates with higher confidence in readers for high achievers. Overall, our findings indicate that the government should develop effective policies to improve student confidence in reading and reading skills in China, especially in rural China.