A Study On The Correlation Between Students’ English Reading Self-concept And English Reading Achievement In Junior High School

Since the 20 th century,more and more scholars have focused on students’ psychological and emotional factors,including English academic self-concept.The so-called English academic self-concept refers to the relatively stable cognition,experience and evaluation of individual’s English learning ability formed in the process of English learning(Guo Cheng,2007),including English listening self-concept,English oral self-concept,English reading self-concept,English writing self-concept and other sub-concepts.At present,the existing researches mainly concentrate on the general English academic self-concept,while the independent researches on its sub-concepts are relatively few.Moreover,English reading accounts for the largest proportion in English examination,which is influenced by both linguistic and non-linguistic factors.Therefore,it is necessary to take English reading self-concept as the research content to explore its relationship with English reading performance.Based on the Self-enhancement Model and Rogers’ Humanistic Theory,the author carried out an investigation of 316 students about the current situation of English reading self-concept in Experimental Middle School in Huhhot by means of questionnaire and interview.This study try to discuss the following three questions:(1)What is the current situation of junior high school students’ English reading self-concept? Are there any grade differences?(2)Is there a correlation between junior high school students’ English reading self-concept and their English reading performance? Are there any grade differences?(3)Does junior high school students’ English reading self-concept have predictive power on their English reading performance? Are there any grade differences?The major findings are summarized as follows :(1)The current situation of junior high school students’ English reading self-concept is at the medium level and there are significant differences in student’s English reading self-concept among three grades.English reading self-concept of Grade 7 students are significantly different from that of Grade 8 and Grade 9.Besides,there is no significant difference in students’ English reading self-concept between Grade 8 and Grade 9.(2)There is a significant positive correlation between junior high school students’ English reading self-concept and their English reading performance.This correlation has grade differences,which shows an upward trend with the increase of grade.(3)Junior high school students’ English reading self-concept has predictive power on their English reading performance;this predictive power has grade differences,which shows an upward trend with the increase of grade.Based on the above major findings,suggestions are put forward for teachers and students on how to enhance students’ English reading self-concept.On the one hand,teachers can provide positive feedback to reduce students’ learning anxiety,guide students to make reasonable attribution,help students set reasonable learning goals and let them experience success as well as strengthen self-reflection and improve teaching quality.On the other hand,students should improve their confidence in learning,make a reasonable self-evaluation,develop an appropriate attitude towards their mistakes as well as establish an appropriate sense of self-esteem and self-acceptance,which will contribute to the improvement of students’ English academic self-concept.