A Study Of The Correlation Between English Reading Self-efficacy And Reading Performance In Junior Two Students

English reading is one of the most basic parts in the process of learning a foreign language.Reading scores play an essential role in English tests,so improving reading performance is a major task in English learning for students and teachers.When many researchers explored the relation between self-efficacy and academic performance,they have found students’ self-efficacy is a main factor that influences their academic performance,however,studies about the correlation between junior school students’ reading self-efficacy and English reading performance are fewer,therefore this study is to explore from this perspective.In this study,the author chooses 246 students in junior two from No.1 Middle School in Bin Zhou Economic Development Zone.The instruments include an English reading self-efficacy scale made by Zhang and Liu in 2009,interviews from students and teachers and mid-term English reading comprehension test.This study aims to investigate the correlation between English reading self-efficacy and reading performance in junior two.The results show that:(1)Students’ English reading self-efficacy in junior two is in a medium level,besides,participants’ reading performance doesn’t reach the pass mark.(2)The correlation between English reading self-efficacy and reading performance is positive,especially sense of competence,it has the greatest influence on reading performance.(3)English reading self-efficacy and reading performance promote each other.For one thing,enhancing reading self-efficacy can promote reading performance,for another,the improvement of reading performance can strengthen reading self-efficacy.In order to cultivate students’ reading self-efficacy,teachers can encourage students appropriately and students can use their successful experience,finally,it can let students make progress in reading.Besides,the author comes up with other effective ways,that is,set reading goals that fit students,set good examples in class,cultivate students’ motivation in reading and pay attention to students’ emotional health.This research helps students and teachers find some new ideas about improving English reading performance by exploring the correlation between English reading self-efficacy and reading performance,and further suggestions are also discussed.