Do changes in perceived teacher behaviour predict changes in intrinsic reading motivation? A five-wave analysis in German lower secondary school students

Abstract

AbstractAlthough several longitudinal studies have confirmed that need-supportive teacher behaviour shapes intrinsic motivation in school, longitudinal studies on its role for intrinsic reading motivation are lacking. To fill in this gap, this study investigated whether changes in selected aspects of student-perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour in German lessons predicted changes in intrinsic reading motivation. We also investigated how student intrinsic reading motivation and perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour changed over the course of lower secondary school. To this end, we used data of 7634 German students gathered between Grades 5 and 9 as part of the German National Educational Panel Study, five measurement occasions in total. The analyses, which involved univariate latent change score and change–change models, revealed decreases in perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour and intrinsic motivation between Grades 5 and 9. Moreover, the decreases in perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour in German lessons predicted decreases in intrinsic reading motivation. The study provides first evidence of longitudinal relationships between perceived teacher behaviour and intrinsic reading motivation. It also suggests that adjusting the classroom learning environment to student needs may contribute to alleviating the decrease in intrinsic reading motivation observed in multiple studies.