Classroom practices and peer social status in junior high school

Abstract

This study investigates the association between classroom practices and individual social status outcomes in junior high. A nested design using 678 grade 7 and 8 students in 38 classrooms showed that classroom practices are associated with peer social status. Classrooms rated high on instruction were associated with a decreased probability of students with rejected status. In contrast, classrooms rated high on atmosphere and student engagement were associated with an increased probability of students with rejected and popular status. Student perceptions of classrooms revealed that social comparison was associated with an increased probability of students with both rejected and popular status, while competition was associated with an increased probability of students with popular status. Results inform intervention programs that target the peer ecology of the classroom by raising teachers’ awareness of the intersection between pedagogical practices and student social status among peers.