Reading Attitudes in Vietnam: Initial Study of the Early School Years

Whereas cognitive and linguistic factors for learning to read have been extensively studied, less is known about affective factors including children's attitudes toward reading. Studies primarily from English-speaking and Western countries show gradual declines in reading attitudes in elementary school (McKenna et al., 1995) and a positive association between reading attitudes and achievement (Petscher, 2010). Children from Asian and African countries are underrepresented in this literature; whether these patterns can be generalized across cultures needs further investigation. This longitudinal study examined the reading attitudes of 84 children in Vietnam from grades 1 to 2 and their relations to reading performance, as measured by translated and adapted versions of the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey and Early Grade Reading Assessment, respectively. This sample from Vietnam showed a small decline in reading attitudes over time, particularly in attitudes toward academic reading. However, children on average reported feeling happy about reading in both grades. Correlations revealed different patterns of association between reading attitudes and performance based on the reading measure employed, grade level, and type of reading in question (academic versus recreational). In grade 2, reading attitudes explained unique variance in reading comprehension even after text fluency and mother's education were considered. We present a margins plot to visualize the role of reading attitudes on reading comprehension. We discuss educational implications and future directions.