Acceptatie door klasgenoten als positieve voorspeller van de leesvaardigheid bij basisschoolleerlingen waarbij genderverschillen geen modererend effect vormt.

Abstract

Approximately a quarter of the children who have finished primary education have insufficient language skills. This a problematic trend, since reading skills and reading comprehension are essential skills in becoming a successful participant in society. Another essential component is peer-acceptance. Research has shown that peer acceptance influences both academic as well as none-academic skills. This study investigates the influence of peer acceptance in grade 2 on reading skills in grade 2 and 3, and whether gender forms a moderating effect. Peer acceptance was measured using the COOL-questionnaire (n = 320). Reading skills in grade 2 (n =273) and in grade 3 (n = 328) were measured using the ‘Cito-toets Begrijpend lezen 3.0’. A linear regression showed a weak, positive, significant effect between peer- acceptance and reading skills in grade 2. However, no moderation effect for gender was found. Subsequently, the hierarchical linear regression showed no effect between peer-acceptance in grade 2 and readings skills in grade 3, when controlled for reading skills in grade 2. But, reading skills in grade 2 did have a strong predictive value for reading skills in grade 3. However, more research is needed to determine the relation between peer-acceptance and reading skills. Future research might focus on replication as well as including mediating factors such as intelligence, involvement, peer acceptance and reading skills in grade 2.