Abstract:
Self-efficacy, which is the belief about one’s ability to perform a task successfully, has been
widely acknowledged as important in learning. This affective factor, though not explicitly
evident, has been said to play an important role in academic performance. However, its role
in reading development has not been widely investigated. To determine the relationship
between self-efficacy and reading proficiency, a study was conducted with first-year students
in a South African tertiary institution. Students’ self-efficacy levels were elicited through
a questionnaire and their reading proficiency was obtained through the Test of Academic
Literacy levels (TALL), which essentially assesses reading proficiency. An analysis of variance
showed a robust relationship between reading self-efficacy and reading proficiency for this
cohort of students. Regression analysis conducted with other affective factors showed selfefficacy
as the best predictor of students’ reading proficiency. Results are discussed as they
relate to previous research and recommendations are made to include the development of
self-efficacy in reading instruction.
