**3. Results**

The impact of FORI on the motivation for reading were analysed in the context of a chorus of research voices representing teachers, parents and students. One major conclusion drawn from the study is that FORI, involving a gradual release of responsibility from the teacher to the student, impacts positively on the motivation for reading of struggling readers. This is based on a comprehensive set of data generated by teachers, parents and students on the assessment of reading self-e fficacy, reading orientation and perceived reading di fficulty before and after the intervention. The quantitative results of both teacher and student surveys of reading motivation are reported here in summative form. Qualitative data from the interviews conducted with all research informants support these findings and are included in the discussion section of this paper.

#### *3.1. Reading Self-E*ffi*cacy of Students*

The data from post-intervention surveys and interviews was analysed to directly examine the effects of FORI on the reading e fficacy of the participating students. A comparison of the results from the surveys carried out pre- and post-intervention with teachers and students is presented in Table 4 with the mean percentage increase in the rating for reading e fficacy for students identified.


**Table 4.** Percentage rating for *reading self-e*ffi*cacy* (pre- and post-intervention).

The findings and analysis sugges<sup>t</sup> that the FORI method, as implemented in the current study, had a positive e ffect on the reading self-e fficacy of struggling readers.

#### *3.2. Reading Orientation of Students*

The findings from the post-intervention surveys reveal the resoundingly positive impact that the FORI intervention had on students' reading orientation as rated by learning support teachers, class teachers and students. The results from all surveys are presented in Table 5 with pre- and post-intervention data side by side for comparison purposes. The percentage increase in the reading orientation for students, as rated by teachers and students is highlighted with the overall mean rating for the cohort indicated in all cases.



A correlation coe fficient of 0.69 for ratings by both sets of teachers indicated a convergence of views on the e ffects of the intervention on individual students. The mean increase in reading orientation for each student as calculated from all three surveys of 36 percent reported here represents a positive effect of the intervention on reading orientation.

#### *3.3. Perceived Reading Di*ffi*culty of Students*

The third motivational construct provided the context for examining the extent to which students perceived reading tasks as challenging or problematic. For the teachers, student reading difficulty was defined as the belief that 'reading activities are hard or problematic' for the child [71] (p. 154). The results of both surveys indicate a high percentage of perceived reading difficulty as reported at the outset of the study by teachers and students (see Table 6).


**Table 6.** Percentage rating for perceived reading difficulty (pre- and post-intervention).

Results from quantitative measures employed after the intervention indicate that perceptions of reading difficulty as self-reported by students were significantly reduced. An overall mean rating for perceived reading difficulty of just 29 percent represented an average decrease of 39% per student over the period of the intervention. It is important to remember that, in the data analysis for this construct, a reduced percentage rating represents a positive effect of the intervention.

#### *3.4. Statistical Analysis of Reading Motivation Findings*

Were there changes over time in the responses in relation to students' motivation for reading? In other words, did responses by teachers and students significantly differ from the time they were given the questionnaire before the intervention and, again, after the intervention? Total questionnaire responses (pre- versus post-intervention) were compared through the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (paired difference test). In testing the related samples for statistical significance, it was necessary to compare results for all three research informants across the three constructs of motivation included in this study. Hence, statistical information was required on nine discrete comparisons. Results indicated that responses of students did change over time in significant and positive ways. All nine comparisons showed a significant difference for pre- and post-intervention (see Table 7). For example, students' responses on the post-intervention questionnaire in relation to their self-efficacy for reading (x = 82.7, σ = 16.3) were significantly different from their responses on the questionnaire administered before the intervention (x = 55.1, σ = 14.92), *z* = −3.4, *p* < 0.001. This means that for all three data sources a significant post-intervention improvement was found in perceptions of students' reading efficacy, reading orientation and perceived reading difficulty.

These statistically significant findings theoretically corroborate the relationship between motivation for reading and fluency oriented instruction [72,73]. This evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that fluency oriented reading instruction has a positive influence on the motivation for reading of struggling readers. A summary of quantitative measures of these effects, as reported by teachers and students, is presented compositely in Figure 7.



(Comparison of class teacher, learning support teacher and pupil perceptions of reading efficacy, reading orientation, and reading difficulty pre- and post-intervention.)

**Figure 7.** Impact of FORI on student motivation across three constructs.
