A Study of the Correlation Between Student Self-Preparation and Participation in the Language Arts

Abstract

Six second grade students at an urban public school in Southeastern Wisconsin were administered The Reader Self-Perception Scale (RSPS). This tool developed by William Henk and Steven Melnick was used to measure how these second grade children perceived themselves as readers. One week later these same students were videotaped four times during regular classroom reading lessons. Two teachers then documented their hand raising responses, which demonstrated the level of participation. The data was analyzed using the Pearson's Product Moment Coefficient Formula to determine whether a significant correlation was present. Although the students who rated themselves high on the RSPS did have high participation, they did not have much higher participation than those who rated themselves low. The degree of the relationship between reader self-perception and student participation was .07, which is determined as statistically insignificant.