Relationships Between Students' Perceptions of Teacher Enthusiasm and EFL Reading Task Engagement: The Mediating Role of Reading Self-Efficacy

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between students' perceptions of teacher enthusiasm and EFL reading task engagement. Reading self-efficacy was used as a mediating variable. Participants were 74 Saudi male EFL undergraduate students enrolled in a Reading and Building Vocabulary course at Qassim University. Students completed several course-related tasks, including answering pre-reading questions on Blackboard before class, preparing vocabulary items for weekly quizzes, participating in classroom discussions, and completing delayed post-reading quizzes. The study used a correlational design to examine the relationship. Data were collected through questionnaire measures of perceived teacher enthusiasm, reading self-efficacy, and reading task engagement. The results showed that students' perceptions of teacher enthusiasm were positively associated with reading self-efficacy (beta = .46, p < .001) and reading task engagement (beta = .31, p = .004). Reading self-efficacy was also a significant positive predictor of reading task engagement (beta = .42, p < .001). Mediation analysis indicated that reading self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between teacher enthusiasm and reading task engagement, with a significant indirect effect (beta = .19, 95% CI [.08, .33]). These findings suggest that enthusiastic teaching strengthens students' confidence in their reading ability and promotes students' engagement in EFL reading tasks. The study contributes to EFL reading research by highlighting the motivational role of teacher enthusiasm in supporting students' preparation, participation, vocabulary learning, and sustained engagement with reading passages. Pedagogical implications emphasize the importance of enthusiastic classroom teaching activities, and self-efficacy-building strategies in university EFL reading courses.