Motivation to read, reading interests and reading comprehension skills of students in a Chinese high school in Beipiao City, China

Abstract

The study determined the motivation to read, reading interests and reading comprehension skills of students in a Chinese high school in Beipiao City, China. It made use of survey questionnaire which was administered to 250 high school students in China. The variables on sex, parents’ support toward time spent per week in helping their children, parents’ educational attainment, motivation to read, reading interests, and reading comprehension skills were assessed to determine the relationship towards respondents’ reading comprehension skills. As to the findings of the study, it was found out that there were more male respondents than the female respondents. Most of the parents supported their children with 30 minutes and below time spent per week. Majority of mothers’ and fathers’ educational attainment were at middle school level. Moreover, the respondents had a moderate level of motivation to read and were interested to read sometimes. In addition, they had a low level of reading interest while their reading comprehension skills are fairly observed. There was no relationship between respondents’ sex and motivation to read while there was a significant relationship between sex and reading interest. On the other hand, there was no significant relationship between parents’ support toward time spent per week in helping their children and motivation to read but there was a significant relationship between parents’ support toward time spent per week in helping their children and their reading interest. Moreover, both mothers’ and fathers’ educational attainment when related to motivation to read and reading interests have no significant relationship. Also, both motivation to read and reading interest have no significant relationship with reading comprehension skills. There was a significant relationship between sex and comprehension skills. In contrast, there was a significant relationship between parents’ support toward time spent per week in helping their children and reading comprehension skills. On the other hand, there was no relationship between mothers’ educational attainment and reading comprehension skills while there was a significant relationship between fathers’ educational attainment and reading comprehension skills.