Academic self-concept and self-perceptions as learners: Do poor comprehenders differ from their peers?

Homewood, Stephanie 2013. Academic self-concept and self-perceptions as learners: Do poor comprehenders differ from their peers? DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

The thesis is divided into two parts. Part A comprises a literature review of previous research on poor comprehenders (PCs), self-concept, children’s attribution styles, and how children with learning difficulties (LD) perceive themselves as learners. Research has indicated that children with LD often hold negative academic self-perceptions. Part B describes the empirical study which explored PCs’ vulnerability to negative self-perceptions as learners in comparison with their peers. Additionally their attribution styles were investigated. The sample comprised 114 children (aged 9-11) from a mainstream primary school. They were divided into groups of poor readers, good readers, PCs and low-average readers, using scores obtained using the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (NARA-II). A structured interview was conducted to obtain information about each child’s controllability attributions (i.e. how much perceived control he/she had over successes and failures). Each child then completed three self-report questionnaires measuring academic self-concept, reading self-concept, and self-perceptions as learners. Teachers’ perceptions of their pupils as learners were sought through administration of a questionnaire. Results indicated that PCs were not differentiated from their peers in terms of attribution style, nor were they differentiated from good and low-average readers in their academic self-concept, reading self-concept or self-perceptions as learners. This is in contrast with poor readers, who held more negative self-perceptions than the other groups on all of these measures. Furthermore, only a small percentage of PCs recognised their reading comprehension difficulties. Class teachers’ perceptions of their pupils as learners were similar to those of the pupils with reading and comprehension difficulties (poor readers and PCs). Teachers’ perceptions of good and low-average readers were predominantly different from those of the pupils themselves. In addition, children’s national curriculum levels indicated that the majority of PCs were performing in the average range. The implications of these findings for educational professionals are discussed.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Academic self-concept; Reading self-concept; Reading comprehension; Self-perceptions; Teacher perceptions; Poor comprehenders; Poor readers; Attribution styles; Learning difficulties
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	19 Mar 2016 23:26
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/51740

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