Portuguese Version of Teacher Feedback Scale: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Teacher feedback in the classroom has a powerful influence on pupils’ performance and motivation. The study aims to analyze psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Teacher Feedback Scale (TFS) in a sample of 228 children in the 4th grade of schooling. Exploratory factor analysis shows similarities with the original version, and the differences observed were based on the children’s cognitive development characteristics and cultural specificities of the two samples. The relationship between teacher feedback and students’ motivational variables was confirmed, such as the preference that the children expressed for the school subjects. The possibility to make some changes in the items is contemplated, in order to increase validity and reliability of the measure. The data highlight the potential of using the TFS in schools, which could contribute towards clarifying the teachers’ role in the formation of pupils’ self-concept.