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Observed classroom quality in first grade: associations with teacher, classroom, and school characteristics

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Abstract

The observation and assessment of quality of teacher–child interactions in elementary school settings are increasingly recognized as important; however, research is still very limited in European countries. In this study, we examined the quality of the interactions between teacher and children in first-grade classrooms in Portugal and the extent to which structural features at teacher-, classroom-, and school-level explained variation in this quality. One hundred fifteen classrooms participated in the study. Classrooms were observed through a standardized rating scale concerning emotional, organizational, and instructional support. Results indicated that the levels of emotional and organizational support in most classrooms were of moderate quality, but the levels of instructional support were low, suggesting that most observed activities did not encourage students’ higher-order thinking skills. An examination of the associations between teacher and classroom characteristics and the quality of teacher–child interactions indicated a small effect for teacher education. Teachers with an advanced degree were more likely to be more emotionally sensitive and to have better instructional interactions in the classroom. For school-level characteristics, findings showed that the classrooms in private and smaller schools were likely to provide higher levels of emotional, organizational, and instructional quality. The results suggest that focusing on the interactions between teacher and children can provide valuable information to enhance classroom quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal

    Joana Cadima, Carla Peixoto & Teresa Leal

Authors
  1. Joana Cadima
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  2. Carla Peixoto
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  3. Teresa Leal
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joana Cadima.

Additional information

Joana Cadima. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 4200–135 Porto, Portugal. E-mail: jcadima@fpce.up.pt

Current themes of research,

Teacher-child interactions and relationships in early childhood. Socioemotional development and self-regulation. Sociocultural risk. Observational methods.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education,

Cadima, J., Leal, T., & Burchinal, M. (2010). The quality of teacher–student interactions: Associations with first graders’ academic and behavioral outcomes. Journal of School Psychology, 48, 457–482.

Cadima, J. McWilliam, R. A., & Leal, T. (2010). Environmental risk factors and children’s literacy skills during the transition to elementary school. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 34, 24–33.

Cadima, J., Leal, T., & Cancela, J. (2011). Interacções professor-aluno nas salas de aula no 1.º CEB: Indicadores de qualidade. Revista Portuguesa de Educação, 24, 7–34.

Abreu-Lima, I., Leal, T., Cadima, J., & Gamelas, A. M. (2012). Predicting child outcomes from preschool quality in Portugal. European Journal of Educational Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s10212-012-0120-y

Cadima, J., Leal, T., & Peixoto, C. (no prelo). Observação das interacções educador-criança: Escala de Interacção do Prestador de Cuidados. Análise Psicológica.

Carla Peixoto. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 4200–135 Porto, Portugal. E-mail: peixoca@gmail.com

Current themes of research,

Emergent literacy development. Adult–child interactions in shared story book reading. Inclusive early elementary school contexts.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education,

Peixoto, C., Cadima, J., & Leal, T. (2011). Sistema de Observação de Leitura Conjunta Adulto-Criança: Qualidade socioemocional e instrucional dos comportamentos interactivos maternos. In A. S. Ferreira, A. Verhaeghe, S. R. Silva, L. S. Almeida, R. Lima, & S. Fraga (Eds.), Actas do VIII Congresso Iberoamericano de Avaliação/Evaluación Psicológica. XV Conferência Internacional Avaliação Psicológica: Formas e Contextos (pp. 771–783). Lisboa: SPP.

Peixoto, C., Leal, T., & Cadima, J. (2008). Comportamentos interactivos de leitura conjunta adulto-criança. In A. P. Noronha et al. (Coord.), Actas da XIII Conferência Internacional de Avaliação Psicológica: Formas e Contextos [CD]. Psiquilibrios: Braga.

Peixoto, C., Silva, M., Leal, T. & Cadima, J.(2008). Desenvolvimento da literacia emergente: Competências em crianças de idade pré-escolar, In F. L. Viana, E. Coquet & M. Martins (coord). Leitura, Literatura Infantil e Ilustração 6 [CD]. Braga: Edições Almedina.

Teresa Leal. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 4200–135 Porto, Portugal. E-mail: tleal@fpce.up.pt

Current themes of research,

Quality in preschool and elementary school education. Teacher-student interactions in classrooms. Language, literacy and social skills: relationships and evolution from preschool to elementary school. Adult–child interactions in shared story book reading. Participation in inclusive preschool contexts.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education,

Leal, T., Gamelas, A. M., Abreu-Lima, I., Cadima, J., & Peixoto, C. (2009) Qualidade em Educação Pré-escolar. Psicologia, XXIII, (2), Lisboa: Edições Colibri.

Leal, T., Gamelas, A.M., Abreu-Lima, I., Cadima, J., & Peixoto, C. (2009). Educação pré-escolar e desenv olv imento da literacia. In G. Portugal (Ed.) Ideias, projectos e inovação no mundo das infâncias: o percurso e a presença de Joaquim Bairrão. Av eiro: Univ ersidade de Av eiro.

Leal, T., Cadima, J., Silv a, P. & Gamelas, A. M., (2005). A aprendizagem da leitura e da escrita ao longo do 1° ciclo e.b.: Contributos de um programa de literacia numa comunidade em desv antagem social. In J.

Bairrão (Coord.) Desenvolvimento: Contextos familiares e educativos (pp. 256–282). Porto: Liv psic

Cryer, D., Tietze, W., Burchinal, M., Leal, T., & Palacios, J. (1999). Predicting process quality f rom structural quality in preschool programs: a cross-country comparison. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14, 339–361.

Abreu-Lima, I., Leal, T., Cadima, J., & Gamelas, A. M. (2012). Predicting child outcomes from preschool quality in Portugal. European Journal of Educational Psychology. DOI: 10.1007/s10212-012-0120-y

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Cadima, J., Peixoto, C. & Leal, T. Observed classroom quality in first grade: associations with teacher, classroom, and school characteristics. Eur J Psychol Educ 29, 139–158 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-013-0191-4

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