4School Engagement and Language Achievement A Longitudinal Study of Gender Differences acrossSecondary School

摘要

The present study investigated (1) gender differences in the longitudinal devel-opment of language achievement and school engagement (i.e., effort for lan-guage, attitude toward learning tasks, interest in learning tasks, and relationshipwith teachers) across secondary school (Grades 7-12, ages 12-18) and (2)gender differences in the association between these developmental processes.Data were drawn from the Longitudinal Project in Secondary School (LOSO proj-ect) that followed a cohort of 2,270 students in Flanders (Dutch-speaking part ofBelgium) during secondary school. We used univariate and multivariate latentgrowth curve models to analyze the longitudinal data. The results showed, asexpected, significant gender differences in the development of language. Girlsshowed a quasi-linear positive learning gain in language across secondaryschool, whereas boys started with a decline followed by acceleration in theirlearning gain in language. With regard to school engagement we observed adecline both for boys and girls, but the decline in the effort for language and theattitude toward learning tasks was steeper for boys than for girls. In addition, wefound evidence for a positive longitudinal association between languageachievement and school engagement, meaning that students who showed asmaller decline in school engagement also showed more learning gains in lan-guage. Moreover, only for boys were the school engagement starting levelsrelated to their learning rates in language.