Do you read me? Associations between perceived teacher emotional support, reader self-concept, and reading achievement

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to examine the associations among perceived teacher emotional support, reader self-concept, and reading achievement in a sample of children (n = 2888) at the end of first grade. Structural equation modelling revealed significant relations between perceived teacher emotional support and reader self-concept and between reader self-concept and reading achievement. No direct association was found between perceived teacher emotional support and reading achievement. However, we found that reader self-concept mediated the association between perceived teacher emotional support and reading achievement. Conclusively, teachers should have in mind that supporting children emotionally might contribute to both higher reading self-concept and higher reading achievement.