Selected aspects of Home Literacy Environments and reading motivation versus metacognitive reading strategies of students with and without dyslexia - empirical premises for designing educational support

Research objectives (aims) and problem(s): The aim of this study was to identify the factors determining students’ choice of reading strategies—both for those with and without dyslexia—and examine how motivation to read mediates the relationship between the Home Literacy Environment (HLE), including both active and passive components and the use of specific reading strategies. Research methods: The study employed the following tools: the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) by K. Mokhtari and C. A. Reichard, the Motivations for Reading Questionnaire by A. Wigfield and J. T. Guthrie, and an original HLE Questionnaire developed by the authors. A correlational research design was used. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r correlations, and regression analysis using A. Hayes’ PROCESS macro for SPSS and SAS. The sample included 252 students diagnosed with dyslexia and 250 students without dyslexia, all aged 14–15. Process of argumentation: The article begins with an outline of the theoretical background of the research problem, taking into account the importance of the HLE, motivation, and metacognitive reading strategies in students with and without dyslexia. It then details the methodology, sample characteristics, and tools used. Following a presentation of the findings, the article concludes with a discussion of the results and offers recommendations for educational practice. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: The study identified links between students’ retrospective assessments of their HLE (active and passive components), their overall reading motivation, and their self-reported use of reading strategies (global, support, and problem-solving). The findings indicate the mediating role of global reading motivation in the relationship between HLE and reading strategy use—but only among students with dyslexia. Conclusions and/or recommendations: The results allowed us to outline guidelines for designing educational environments conducive to literacy development, including targeted parent psychoeducation about the importance of HLE in academic achievement and specific goals for remedial and compensatory work with students with dyslexia.