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Teacher expectation effects in Chinese junior high schools: Exploring links between teacher expectations and student achievement using a hierarchical linear modelling approach

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Abstract

This study aimed to explore and compare individual student-level and teacher-level teacher expectation effects on student academic achievement in the Chinese junior high school context. The participants were 50 teachers and their 1199 students from 10 junior high schools. With differences in student baseline achievement controlled, hierarchical linear modelling was employed to see if early-year teacher expectations predicted student year-end achievement. Results showed that both student- and teacher-level expectations (relative to achievement) positively predicted student academic achievement. Teacher expectations at the student level showed a stronger influence on student-achievement outcomes. The results also indicated that teachers tended to hold higher expectations for girls than for boys and were more likely to underestimate students who were children of migrant workers.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the student and teacher participants and the school principals who generously shared their time, experience, and materials for the purposes of this study. Without their participation and cooperation, this study would not have been possible.

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  1. Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, 74 Epsom Ave, Epsom, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand

    Shengnan Wang, Kane Meissel & Christine M. Rubie-Davies

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Wang, S., Meissel, K. & Rubie-Davies, C.M. Teacher expectation effects in Chinese junior high schools: Exploring links between teacher expectations and student achievement using a hierarchical linear modelling approach. Soc Psychol Educ 24, 1305–1333 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-021-09654-7

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