Efficacy Beliefs and the Middle School ReaderPaperback, 5 March 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relations between teacher and student efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies as they pertained to four reading comprehension strategies and classroom practices. Specifically, the study investigated whether relations existed between sixth, seventh, and eighth grade learners' and their teachers' efficacy beliefs and outcome expectancies and whether student perceived efficacy beliefs were predictors of reading comprehension achievement as measured by a reading comprehension subtest score on a state standardized test. Significant similarities were noted between teacher and student efficacy beliefs concerning cooperative learning. Further results indicated that when grades six, seven, and eight were combined, student efficacy beliefs about prior knowledge, self monitoring, and graphic organizers were found to positively correlate with reading comprehension achievement.