Research abstracts for Culture and Ethos
Contents
- Self-concept and School Achievement
- Caution: Praise can be Dangerous
- Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour in the Classroom
- Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Relations
- School Matters: The Junior Years
- Onward to Excellence: Effective Schooling Practices - a research synthesis
- Effective Teaching Methods (3rd edition)
Self-concept and School Achievement
W W Purkey (1970), Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
Teachers should be supportive of pupils and create a climate in which their contributions are valued. Praise is useful but should not be overused as otherwise it will be perceived as insincere. Teachers should emphasise pupils’ successes rather than their failures. They should draw attention to those parts of a task that are done well, and emphasise that making mistakes is a way of learning rather than something to be ashamed of. Pupils should be encouraged to strive for their own personal best rather than compete with others by always comparing their results with those of their classmates.
Caution: Praise can be Dangerous
C Dweck (1999), American Educator, Spring Issue
When we praise children for their ability, we are telling them that successful learning is all about ability, appearing intelligent, not making mistakes. If a pupil believes that they are unlikely to succeed they tend to disengage from the task in hand to protect their self-esteem. On the other hand, when we praise children for the effort and hard work that leads to achievement, they are motivated to want to keep engaging in that process. Whether their belief about the likelihood of success is strong or not, they will engage with the task to improve their ability. They are not diverted from the task of learning by a concern to look intelligent and preserve their self-esteem.
Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour in the Classroom
T Wubbels, M Brekelmans and H Hooymayers (1991), in B J Fraser and H J Walberg (eds) Educational Environments: Evaluation, Antecedents and Consequences, Oxford: Pergamon Press
A warm supportive environment has been found to be important to teacher effectiveness, especially in encouraging pupils to contribute constructively in the classroom. Teachers who are perceived as being understanding, helpful and friendly and show leadership without being too strict have been found to enhance pupils’ achievement and their affective outcomes. Teachers who come across as uncertain, dissatisfied with their pupils and admonishing produce lower cognitive and affective outcomes.
Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Relations
N S Schutte, J M Malouf, C Bobik, T D Coston, C Greeson, C Jedlika, E Rhodes and G Wendorf (2001) , Journal of Social Psychology 141 (4), 523-36
Recent research points to the importance of developing emotional intelligence, the extent to which people are able to empathise, show social adeptness and adaptability and are self-aware with respect to their impact on others.
School Matters: The Junior Years
P Mortimore, P Sammons, L Stoll, D Lewis and R Ecob (1988), Open Books
In classes where the pupils were stimulated and challenged, progress was greatest. Particularly important was where teachers used more higher-order questions and statements, when they encouraged pupils to use their creative imagination and powers of problem solving. Also, in classrooms which were bright and interesting, where the context created by the teacher was stimulating, and where teachers succeeded in communicating their own interest and enthusiasm to the pupils, greater pupil progress occurred.
Onward to Excellence: Effective Schooling Practices - a research synthesis
North WestRegional Educational Laboratory (1990), North West Regional Educational Laboratory, Portland, Oregon
Teachers had lower expectations for younger pupils in the class and for those from lower social classes, even when account was taken of children’s attainment in areas such as reading and mathematics. Even if teachers do not believe success is possible, conveying conviction that achievement can be raised can have a powerful effect. Teachers may need to monitor either or both their beliefs and behaviour.
Raising expectations is an incremental process and success plays a critical role. Reinforcing this success through praise is a key opportunity for communicating high expectations.
Effective Teaching Methods (3rd edition)
G Borich (1996), New York: Macmillan
Among the teacher behaviours that may be necessary to attain high achievement gains in classrooms are the following: generating a warm and supportive climate by letting children know help is available; the use of individually differentiated material; the use of the experiences of pupils; posing questions that that require associations and generalisations; the use of projects that require independent judgement, discovery, problem solving and the use of original information; and encouraging learners to take responsibility for their own learning.