The Effect Of Parental Reading Habits,Reading Attitudes And Reading Motivation On Children’s English Reading Ability

Studies suggest that the progress of reading ability is related not only to individual reading habits,attitudes and motivation,but also to school and parental supports.Few studies however explored the effect of parental reading habits,attitudes and motivation on children’s foreign language reading development,albeit a few on parental habits,attitudes or motivation on pre-schoolers’ language development.Thus,this study was designed to explore the effect of parental reading habits,attitudes and motivation on their children’s English reading ability among primary school students and senior high school students.The study investigated 69 fifth grade students,96 sixth grade students,134 tenth grade students and their parents.Parental reading habits,attitudes,motivation and students’ English reading habits,attitudes and motivation were evaluated by questionnaires,while primary schoolers’ English reading ability was assessed by the reading part of Cambridge ESOL(English for Speaker of Other Languages)Examinations in 2018 for mover 2,and senior high schoolers’ was estimated by the average score of English reading comprehension in 3 English examinations conducted by school.The results showed that parental reading habits,attitudes and motivation were significantly related with neither primary schoolers’ English reading ability nor senior high schoolers’;although a significant correlation was found between parental reading habits and motivation and senior high learners’ English reading habits and motivation.Path analysis revealed that senior high schoolers’ parental reading habits,attitudes and motivation had an indirect effect on their children’s English reading ability mediated by their English reading habits,attitudes and motivation.Parental reading habits,attitudes and motivation did not affect primary school students’ reading,but senior high school students’ reading habits and motivation.Parents are suggested to play their role as reading models to build up a positive family reading mode,to influence children’s reading habits and motivation,so as to further develop their English reading ability.