Children's Self-Predictions and Teachers' Predictions of Basic Concept Mastery: Effects of Socioeconomic Status, Locus of Control, and Achievement

Abstract

The relationship among socioeconomic status (SES), academic locus of control (LOC), classroom achievement levels, young children's ability to self-predict performance, teachers' predictions of their children's performances, and actual performance on an assessment of basic concepts was examined for 29 kindergarten and 34 first-grade children and their 18 teachers. As hypothesized, children with better self-prediction skills had significantly higher achievement scores and SES ratings than did children with poor self-prediction skills. Results from three multiple regression analyses support the following conclusions: Scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills Listening Subtest (ITBS Listening) strongly predicted the high and low accuracy self- predictors of the basic concept task. SES, Total Internality scores from the Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionnaire-Short Form (IAR), and ITBS Language Subtest scores related, in the order listed, to scores predicted by teachers on the basic concept task. ITBS Listening scores, Total Internality scores and, finally, SES scores best predicted children's assessed mastery scores on the basic concept task. Results extend the link between self-prediction skills and achievement to children in kindergarten and first grade. Results also indicate that teachers make accurate assessments based upon a number of relevant variables.