Based on Guthrie and Wigfield’s (2000) engagement model, an interview was conducted with two groups of High and Low Risk first-year students. Students declared that they were stimulated to put more exertion into reading to enhance their reading skills when social and affective strategies were employed in reading instruction. It is argued that as reading is a social, affective and cognitive activity, and as a number of students have been affected by their backgrounds in evolving fit affective and cognitive reading literacy levels, reading instruction should cover socio-affective strategies to handle students’ reading dares more effectively.