Multilevel engagement in academic L2 reading: Developing and validating a scale

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and validate four self-report questionnaires related to four contextual levels of academic L2 reading engagement, namely, activity, session, course, and out-of-class, each incorporating behavioral, cognitive, and affective dimensions of engagement. The activity-level scale measured students' engagement in an L2 reading comprehension activity, which lasted several minutes; the session-level scale assessed students' engagement in academic L2 reading during class time lasting approximately 1–2 h; the course-level scale evaluated students' engagement in academic L2 reading in the classroom setting throughout a single academic term; and the out-of-class-level scale looked at students' engagement in the course-related academic L2 reading materials outside the class over the duration of the same academic term. To generate items, the researchers primarily drew on the engagement literature and adapted items from existing scales. Various processes were employed to refine the items and confirm their content validity, including expert reviews, focus group interviews, and pilot testing. Through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), a three-factor structure, comprising behavioral, cognitive, and affective engagement factors, was identified for each scale level. Following this, each structure was analyzed as both a first-order and second-order factor model through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), resulting in a satisfactory model fit. Additionally, the convergent and discriminant validity of the structures, along with the composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha reliability of the scales, were established. These scales make a valuable contribution to the field of L2 engagement, enabling a multilevel and multifaceted investigation of learners' L2 reading engagement.