New Language Dimensions
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2025): New Language Dimension, June 2025

Reading Habits, Economic Background, and Academic Achievement: A Moderation Study in Indonesian EFL Learners

Putra, Muhammad Lexmana (Unknown)
Munir, Ahmad (Unknown)
Masykuri, Edi Sunjayanto (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2025

Abstract

Reading habits are widely recognized as a key factor influencing students’ academic success, while socioeconomic background has often been associated with disparities in educational outcomes. However, limited research in the Indonesian EFL context has examined whether socioeconomic background moderates the effect of reading habits on academic achievement. This study employed a quantitative correlational design with moderation analysis to explore the relationship between reading habits, socioeconomic background, and English achievement among 155 twelfth-grade students at a private senior high school in Surabaya. Data were collected through questionnaires on reading habits and socioeconomic indicators, complemented by documentation of students’ final English scores. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, multiple regression, and moderation testing. The findings showed that students’ reading habits were generally moderate, dominated by digital reading through social media, while academic reading remained limited. A significant positive correlation was found between reading habits and English achievement, indicating that stronger engagement with reading led to better performance. Socioeconomic background was positively associated with reading habits but did not directly predict academic achievement. Moreover, the moderation analysis revealed that socioeconomic background did not alter the relationship between reading habits and achievement. The study concludes that reading habits are a consistent and universal predictor of English academic achievement, regardless of socioeconomic differences. These results highlight the importance of fostering purposeful and sustained reading practices as a strategy to support equitable educational outcomes in Indonesia.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

nld

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

New Language Dimensions emphasizes on the publication of original articles as an academic network providing appealing and interdisciplinary discussions on literature, language and teaching. It is expected to reach out wider reader and writers, bringing the academic dialogue into multiple audiences ...