Effects of Motivation on Reading Performance Among Han and Tibetan EFL Learners: The Mediating Role of Reading Strategies

ABSTRACT In multilingual educational contexts, the influence of ethnic and cultural backgrounds on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning remains crucial yet understudied. To address this gap, the present study investigates the relationships between reading motivation, strategy use, and English reading performance among Han and Tibetan high school students in Xizang, China. Adopting a quantitative research design, the study recruited 80 participants, evenly divided between the two ethnic groups. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires measuring reading motivation and strategy use, alongside an English reading proficiency test. Results revealed significant group differences: Han students made greater use of metacognitive reading strategies, while Tibetan students reported higher levels of reading enjoyment and more frequent use of socio‐affective strategies. Furthermore, reading strategy use was found to significantly mediate the relationship between reading motivation and reading performance. These findings highlight the importance of culturally responsive pedagogy, reinforcing the need to recognize and build upon the distinct motivational orientations and strategic repertoires of ethnically diverse learners. By foregrounding cultural considerations in instructional design, this study offers pedagogical implications for enhancing reading achievement in multilingual classrooms and contributes to the EFL literature on motivation‐strategy‐performance linkages in diverse contexts.