Exploring Upper Elementary Students’ Agency Across Schools

This research explores elementary students’ perceptions of their agency in literacy. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the researchers used the Student Agency Profile (StAP), a psychometrically sound survey instrument to measure student agency in literacy. Researchers administered the StAP survey to 601 upper elementary students (Grades 3–6) located in 11 school sites across five U.S. states. Results found insignificant gender differences between boys’ and girls’ reported sense of agency in literacy. Results also indicate that students’ perceptions of their agency in literacy, specifically their self-perceptions, are lower in fourth and fifth grade when compared to third grade, suggesting a need to further investigate opportunities for agency during literacy instruction across upper grade levels. Implications for future research and application to literacy instruction are discussed.