Lisette Hornstra

The Implicit Prejudiced Attitudes of Teachers: Relations to Teacher Expectations and the Ethnic Achievement Gap

Ethnic minority students are at risk for school failure and show a heightened susceptibility to negative teacher expectancy effects. In the present study, whether the prejudiced attitudes of teachers relate to their expectations and the academic achievement of their students is examined. The prejudiced attitudes of 41 elementary school teachers were assessed via self-report and an Implicit Association Test. Teacher expectations and achievement scores for 434 students were obtained. Multilevel analyses showed no relations with the self-report measure of prejudiced attitudes. The implicit measure of teacher prejudiced attitudes, however, was found to explain differing ethnic achievement gap sizes across classrooms via teacher expectations. The results of this study also suggest that the use of implicit attitude measures may be important in educational research.

Teacher Attitudes Toward Dyslexia: Effects on Teacher Expectations and the Academic Achievement of Students With Dyslexia:

The present study examined teacher attitudes toward dyslexia and the effects of these attitudes on teacher expectations and the academic achievement of students with dyslexia compared to students without learning disabilities. The attitudes of 30 regular education teachers toward dyslexia were determined using both an implicit measure and an explicit, self-report measure. Achievement scores for 307 students were also obtained. Implicit teacher attitudes toward dyslexia related to teacher ratings of student achievement on a writing task and also to student achievement on standardized tests of spelling but not math for those students with dyslexia. Self-reported attitudes of the teachers toward dyslexia did not relate to any of the outcome measures. Neither the implicit nor the explicit measures of teacher attitudes related to teacher expectations. The results show implicit attitude measures to be a more valuable predictor of the achievement of students with dyslexia than explicit, self-report attitude measures.

Does Classroom Composition Make a Difference: Effects on Developments in Motivation, Sense of Classroom Belonging, and Achievement in Upper Primary School.

The present study investigated the effects of socioeconomic and ethnic classroom composition on developments in students’ motivation, sense of classroom belonging, and achievement. A sample of 722 primary school students completed questionnaires from 3rd to 6th grade. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that the reading comprehension scores of students with a low socioeconomic status (SES) were lower for each measurement in more socioeconomically disadvantaged classes, whereas these scores were higher in classes with more ethnic minority students. In practice, these effects may often cancel each other out. Furthermore, in classes with a high share of low-SES or ethnic minority students, students of all backgrounds showed more positive developments in motivation. These findings contradict commonly held fears that disadvantaged students “bring down” other students in the classroom. The results furthermore highlight the importance of studying longitudinal developments.

The prevalence, development and domain specificity of elementary school students’ achievement goal profiles

This study’s aim was to examine the prevalence, development and domain specificity of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students’ achievement goal profiles. Achievement goals were measured for language and mathematics among 722 pupils at three points in time. These data were analysed through latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis. Results indicated that three similar goal profiles could be discerned at all measurement waves for both language and mathematics. Profiles were labelled ‘multiple goals’, ‘approach oriented’ and ‘moderate/indifferent’. In both mathematics and language, around 80% of the participants remained stable in their goal profiles across measurements. Students who transitioned between goal profiles mostly moved from less to more favourable profiles. Profile membership and transitions between profiles were found to be relatively domain general with 60% overlap between domains. The high level of stability over time and across domains suggests that students’ goal profiles represent relatively stable personal dispositions.

What is on our children's minds? An analysis of children's writings as reflections of group-specific socialisation practices

In the present study it has been examined how children’s creative writing tasks may contribute to teachers’ understanding of children’s values. Writings of 300 elementary school children about what they would do if they were the boss of The Netherlands were obtained and seemed to reflect different types of values. Most children were concerned with charity. Also, writings concerned materialist values and socio‐political topics, such as human rights, power and tolerance. Analyses of group‐specific differences showed girls to write more about charity and health when compared to boys. Children from low socio‐economic backgrounds wrote less about environmental issues compared to children from middle and high socio‐economic backgrounds. Children from ethnic minority backgrounds who wrote more about obtaining goods for themselves and less about environmental issues than Dutch‐origin children. In addition, age differences were found in line with an increase in social and moral development. These differences are discussed in light of differential socialisation practices.

Innovative Learning and Developments in Motivation and Achievement in Upper Primary School.

Although previous research has shown the potential of innovative learning for enhancing motivation and learning outcomes, further understanding is needed on which aspects of IL are most effective and whether these are equally motivating for different types of students. The present study investigated how developments in students’ motivation and achievement related to different aspects of innovative learning (i.e. authentic learning, collaborative learning and focusing on self-regulation), and whether these relations varied by students’ background characteristics. A sample of 722 grade five students from the Netherlands (average age 11 years old) and their teachers completed questionnaires during four measurements from grade five to grade six. Autoregression analyses were performed. Results showed both positive and negative relations between IL and developments in students’ motivation and achievement, indicating that IL is not a unidimensional construct. Furthermore, the effectiveness of different aspects of IL depended on students’ gender, and social and ethnic background characteristics.

Effects of full-time and part-time high-ability programs on developments in students’ achievement emotions

Abstract This study focused on effects of high-ability programs on students’ achievement emotions, i.e. emotions that students experience that are associated with achievement activities. Participants were students in grade 4–6 of primary education: 218 students attended full-time high-ability programs, 245 attended part-time high-ability programs (i.e. external pull-out class). Using propensity score matching, they were matched to a control group of 189 students from regular education with similar cognitive abilities. The respondents filled out questionnaires on their achievement emotions three times during a school year. Results of multilevel analyses showed that students who attended full-time high-ability programs did not report more beneficial achievement emotions compared to similar students in regular education. In contrast, students in part-time programs experienced more positive and less negative emotions during the part-time program compared to the control group in regular education. No differences in longitudinal developments throughout the school year were found between the groups.

Self-Esteem and National Identification in Times of Islamophobia: A Study Among Islamic School Children in The Netherlands

Despite strong debates about the role of Islamic education in Western societies, very little is known about the ways these schools can affect how Muslim children feel about these societies and themselves. This research examined how the self-esteem and national identification of Islamic schools students in a non-Muslim country (N = 707; Mage = 10.02; SD = 1.25; 56.9% girls) depend on their perceptions of religious discrimination and the student-teacher relationship, as well as their teachers’ religious background and implicit religious attitude. Children reported substantially more religious discrimination against their group than against themselves. Religious discrimination was associated with lower self-esteem and weaker national identification, whereas a close bond with the teacher was associated with higher self-esteem and stronger national identification. Children with a non-Muslim teacher reported more national identification than students with a Muslim teacher, but less so if this teacher had a comparatively positive attitude toward Muslims. Results provide insights on how self-esteem and national identification can be encouraged within the context of Islamic education.

A comparison of high-ability pupils’ views vs. regular ability pupils’ views of characteristics of good primary school teachers

Abstract High-ability pupils in primary schools often do not achieve up to their full potential and teachers seem to face difficulties to motivate these pupils. In this study 891 primary school pupils (463 high-ability pupils) were asked about their views on desired characteristics of good teachers by means of an open teacher-spider-questionnaire. The characteristics reported, were analysed using the three “basic needs” from the Self-Determination Theory. The answers of high-ability pupils were compared to answers of pupils from regular primary education. For both groups, teaching characteristics fostering relatedness, followed by competence, were mentioned most. It was autonomy which was mentioned less frequently by both groups. The answers of the two groups of pupils mostly corresponded, although some differences emerged in specific subcategories. High-ability pupils more frequently mentioned characteristics attuning to their needs (understanding) and encouragement (challenge), and mentioned “providing choice” less often. There were also some differences found between characteristics mentioned by (high-ability) boys and girls.

Achievement goal profiles and developments in effort and achievement in upper elementary school

Background The multiple goal perspective posits that certain combinations of achievement goals are more favourable than others in terms of educational outcomes. Aims This study aimed to examine longitudinally whether students’ achievement goal profiles and transitions between profiles are associated with developments in self‐reported and teacher‐rated effort and academic achievement in upper elementary school. Sample Participants were 722 fifth‐grade students and their teachers in fifth and sixth grade (N = 68). Methods Students reported on their achievement goals and effort in language and mathematics three times in grade 5 to grade 6. Teachers rated students’ general school effort. Achievement scores were obtained from school records. Goal profiles were derived with latent profile and transition analyses. Longitudinal multilevel analyses were conducted. Results Theoretically favourable goal profiles (high mastery and performance‐approach goals, low on performance‐avoidance goals), as well as transitions from less to more theoretically favourable goal profiles, were associated with higher levels and more growth in effort for language and mathematics and with stronger language achievement gains. Conclusions Overall, these results provide support for the multiple goal perspective and show the sustained benefits of favourable goal profiles beyond effects of cognitive ability and background characteristics.