Primary Teachers’ Instructional Behavior as Related to Learning Engagement and Homework Practices

Abstract

Problem Statement: The quality of teaching influences learning engagement. Engagement in school and at home has positive effect on outcomes but low engagement is correlated with lower achievement and with school dropoutResearch Questions: 1) How teachers use of autonomy supportive and structured teaching is related with pupils´ learning engagement 2) How teachers instructional behavior is related with parents effort in supporting pupils´ homeworkPurpose of the Study: The aim of the study was to investigate how teachers´ instructional behavior in second grade is related to pupils’ engagement in learning and homework practices. Better understanding of teachers’ role in students engagement and homework behavior can be used in developing teacher education courses.Research Methods: Data was collected for 11 second-grade teachers’ teaching and their pupils (n-224).. Autonomy supportive and structured teaching-style classroom observation sheets and home-work instruction observation sheets exploring teachers’ instructional behaviour were used. Also student questionnaire about engagement in observed lessons and parent questionnaire about homework practices were used. The quantitative and qualitative data analysis was combined.Findings: We found that a balanced teaching style, rather than a dominance of either structured or autonomy supportive teaching, resulted in more learning engagement but more structure supportive teaching is related with higher need of homework support from parents. Teachers´ autonomy supportive teaching style is bring to pupils´ more independent and meaningful homework.Conclusions: As findings revealed an the relationships between pupils´ learning and teachers´ instructional behavior and structured teaching the need of explaining the different teaching strategies in more detailed ways is teacher education is evident. Also the autonomy supportive strategies for fostering pupils´ independent and meaningful homework should be in focus both in pre- service and in-service teacher education.