The Influence of Teacher Expectancy Improvement Strategies on Student Attitude and Achievement in English Courses (An Action Research Sample)

The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of teacher expectancy improvement strategies on student achievements and attitudes in English courses. We investigated the existing situation, and have presented a method that can provide the educational processes necessary to bring about the required changes. For this reason, the emancipatory/improving/critical action research model was used. The study was carried out on a sample group consisting of 87 students, 43 sixth graders, and 44 eighth graders, attending a school located in Düzce’s city center during the 2015–2016 academic year. In order to collect the data, the “Teacher Expectancy Scale” that was developed by the researchers, as well as the “Attitude Scale towards English Course”, and a further seven tests, which were prepared by the Turkish Ministry of National Education (MoNE), were used. The study was conducted for a total of 48 hours over 12 weeks, for four hours per week. As a result of the study, it was revealed that teacher expectations influenced the attitudes of the students towards the English lesson in a positive way, and increased their academic achievements.

The Influence of Teacher Expectancy Improvement Strategies on Students’ Attitudes and Achievement in English Courses (An Action Research Sample) †

The aim of the existing study is to investigate the influence of teacher expectation on students’ achievement and their attitudes towards English lesson and to increase the students’ academic success and positive attitudes towards this issue. In the study, a process which defined the existing situtation and which provided the educational processes to improve by changing the existing situation could be seen. For this reason, emancipatory/improving/critical action research model was used. The study was carried out on a sample group consisting of 87 students; 43 6th graders and 44 8th graders attending a school located in the city center of Düzce during the 2015-2016 academic year. In order to collect the data, “Teacher Expectancy Scale” developed by the researchers, “Attitude Scale towards English Course” and 7 test exams prepared by Turkish Ministry of National Education (MoNE) were used. The study was conducted for a total 48 hours in 12 weeks, 4 hours a week. As the result of the study, it was revealed that teacher expectation influenced the attitudes of the students towards the English lesson in a positive way and increased their academic achievements.

Exploring Longitudinal Changes in Teacher Expectancy Effects on Children's Mathematics Achievement

The current study uses a large, nationally representative data set and a new method for computing teacher expectations to better understand the developmental effect of mathematics teacher expectations on future student achievement. The study utilizes autoregressive cross-lagged models with 5 time points between kindergarten and 8th grade as well as multigroup modeling to examine group differences in teacher expectancy effects on achievement for girls and minority students. Results indicate that students' experiences with teacher expectations from 1 time point to the next are not significantly associated with one another, but their association with future student achievement grows over time. Teacher expectancy effects in mathematics are stronger for White girls, minority girls, and minority boys than they are for White boys. Implications for teaching are discussed.

Research Commentary: A Rejoinder: A Reflection on the Evolution of a Replication Study

I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the thoughtful comments made by Alan Schoenfeld (2018) and Jon Star (2018) in their commentaries on replication studies in this issue of JRME, including their comments on our study of teacher expectancy effects (Jamil, Larsen, & Hamre, 2018). I have decided to write this rejoinder in the form of a personal reflection. As academics, we carry the tremendous burden of expertise, and perhaps that is partly why, as pointed out by Schoenfeld (2018), the academic reward system focuses so heavily on novelty and innovation. With our expertise, we are supposed to have all the answers, solve all the problems, and do so in brilliant, new ways. Replication studies are undervalued because they not only, by definition, recreate past research but, perhaps, also bring into question another scholar‧s expertise. Star (2018) even states that one of the three criteria of an outstanding replication study is that it “convincingly shows that there is reason to believe that the results of the original study may be flawed” (p. 99). Although this rigorous examination is precisely the way to build trust in the quality of our findings and move the field forward, it is also what makes it challenging to have candid conversations about what we do not know.