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Reading motivation and reading comprehension in Chinese and English among bilingual students

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Abstract

One hundred four Hong Kong Chinese fifth graders completed a questionnaire on eight separate motivational subscales related to reading separately for Chinese as a first language (L1) and English as a foreign language (EFL) in addition to measures of both Chinese and English reading comprehension. Motivations related to self-efficacy, curiosity, involvement, recreation, and social-peer attitudes were significantly higher for L1 as compared to EFL reading. No difference across EFL and L1 was found for the motivational subscales in the areas of school grades, instrumentalism, and social-family attitudes. Furthermore, instrumentalism was particularly strongly correlated with EFL reading comprehension, whereas recreation had the highest association with L1 reading comprehension. The eight subscales collectively explained 16% variance in Chinese and 12% variance in English reading comprehension. Results underscore the importance of different types of motivation for reading comprehension and the different roles each motivational aspect may play in L1 and EFL reading.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partially supported by GRF grant 448907 (to Catherine McBride-Chang). We thank Professor C. K. Leong for use of his reading comprehension materials, and all participating students.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong, China

    Dan Lin

  2. Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong

    Ka Ki Wong & Catherine McBride-Chang

Authors
  1. Dan Lin
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  2. Ka Ki Wong
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  3. Catherine McBride-Chang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine McBride-Chang.

Appendix: Adapted motivation for reading questionnaire

Appendix: Adapted motivation for reading questionnaire

Self efficacy

  • 1. I know that I will do well in reading next year.

  • 32. I am a good reader.

  • 38. I learn more from reading than most students in the class.

  • 40. In comparison to my other school subjects I am best at Chinese/English reading.

Curiosity

  • 5. If the teacher discusses something interesting I might read more about it.

  • 8. I like to read about new things.

  • 10. My purpose in reading is to absorb more information. (The wording is a little different to that from Baker and Wigfield (1999))

  • 15. If I am reading about an interesting topic I sometimes lose track of time.

  • 20. I enjoy reading books about people in different countries.

  • 43. I read about my hobbies to learn more about them.

Involvement

  • 2. I feel like I make friends with people in good books.

  • 16. I make pictures in my mind when I read.

  • 19. I read a lot of adventure stories.

  • 22. I read stories about fantasy and make-believe.

  • 29. I like mysteries.

  • 49. I enjoy a long, involved story or fiction book.

Recreation

  • 7. During the holidays, I choose to read for leisure.

  • 26. I believe reading is a relaxing and delightful activity.

  • 28. When I finish reading, I will feel happy.

  • 31. I believe that reading is a kind of burden or responsibility. (reversed)

  • 34. After finishing reading books, I always feel that I have had an enjoyable experience.

  • 36. If the book has been produced as a film or television drama, I will be more interested in reading it.

  • 44. Reading is one of my interests.

  • 48. I read leisure books during recess time.

Grades

  • 24. I look forward to finding out my reading grade.

  • 35. Grades are a good way to see how well you are doing in reading.

  • 39. I read to improve my grades.

  • 45. My parents ask me about my reading grade.

Instrumentalism

  • 4. I hope that I can strengthen and equip myself through reading.

  • 9. I read books in order to get the school’s reading award.

  • 11. My purpose in reading is to enhance my reading ability.

  • 12. I believe reading can make me be a person with abundant knowledge.

  • 14. If reading can improve my thinking ability, I will read more.

  • 33. I think that reading is a tool to learn how to be a person.

  • 37. I think reading can contribute to my future career.

  • 41. My purpose in reading is to absorb more information and broaden my horizons.

  • 46. I will not read unrealistic and useless books.

Social-family

  • 6. If I don’t read books, my parents will punish me.

  • 18. I sometimes read to my parents.

  • 21. I read books in order to meet my parents’ expectation.

  • 25. I visit the library often with my family.

  • 27. I often read to my brother or my sister. (If you don’t have sibling, please skip this question)

  • 42. I like to tell my family about what I am reading.

Social-peer

  • 3. I like reading a book with my friends at the same time.

  • 13. I like to tell my friends about what I am now reading.

  • 17. I like reading books which are recommended by my friends.

  • 23. I believe I can earn peer respect and liking by reading more books.

  • 30. I like to help my friends with their schoolwork in reading.

  • 47. My friends and I like to trade things to read.

  • 50. My level of loving reading is similar to that of my friends.

Note: The number means the order in which an item was placed in the questionnaire.

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Lin, D., Wong, K.K. & McBride-Chang, C. Reading motivation and reading comprehension in Chinese and English among bilingual students. Read Writ 25, 717–737 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-011-9297-8

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