Speaker
KEYWORDS
English reading attitude, reading constructs, learner agency
ABSTRACT
Reading attitude, a multifaceted construct consisting of cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions, substantially influences the engagement of L2 readers (Yamashita, 2004). The conative component, representing the reader's volitional drive, is vital for developing engagement and agency, and triggers the evolution of students' learning behavior from passive to active (Guthrie & Wigfield, 2000; Reeve & Tseng, 2011). This study compares the perceptions of 22 vocational high school sports students, including 10 sophomores and 12 juniors, on key English reading constructs: practical, intellectual, and linguistic values (cognitive aspect), as well as comfort, discomfort, and anxiety (affective aspect). The research results indicate that juniors perceive a significantly higher "linguistic value" in English reading than sophomores. However, no significant differences emerged in the other surveyed constructs. These findings suggest that additional exposure through a curriculum focused on linguistic complexities improves juniors' appreciation of English. As a result, curricula that emphasize language knowledge and usage may increase student engagement. Educators can implement targeted strategies to foster agency by understanding these differing reading attitudes and, for example, explicitly addressing linguistic values for juniors, and reducing anxiety and discomfort for sophomores. Ultimately, this approach aims to cultivate autonomous readers with informed reading choices.
| TITLE | Facilitating Agency: A Comparative Study of English Reading Attitude |
|---|---|
| RELEVANT SIG | Learner Development |
| FORMAT | In-person interactive poster session |
