Classroom Context and Student Ability as Influences on Teacher Perceptions of Classroom Control

Abstract

Two studies examined teacher cognitive processes concerning personal control in the classroom. The extent to which teachers perceived classroom control and expected successful outcomes with high-and low-ability students were contrasted within five different hypothetical classroom contexts. The resultsindicate that high-ability students are perceived as more controllable than lowability students; teacher-initiated interactions are perceived as providing more control than student-initiated interactions; the setting has effects on perceived control of interaction duration; and interactions with high-ability students are seen as more likely to lead to successful outcomes than interactions with lowability students.

RESEARCH SECTION: Classroom interaction in regular and special education middle primary classrooms in the United Arab Emirates

“…Furthermore, teachers initiated interactions with high‐achieving students more than they did with low‐achieving ones. This may be because initiating more interactions with high‐achieving students is seen as more likely to lead to successful outcomes than initiating interactions with low‐achieving students (Cooper, Burger & Seymour, 1979). Furthermore, high‐achieving students may be seen as more controllable than low‐achieving ones (Cooper et al., 1979).…”

“…This may be because initiating more interactions with high‐achieving students is seen as more likely to lead to successful outcomes than initiating interactions with low‐achieving students (Cooper, Burger & Seymour, 1979). Furthermore, high‐achieving students may be seen as more controllable than low‐achieving ones (Cooper et al., 1979). The findings of the current study also reveal that teachers initiated more interactions with boys with disabilities than with girls with disabilities but, surprisingly, they initiated more interactions with low‐achieving girls than they did with low‐achieving boys.…”

“…It is worth noting here that the findings of the current study indicate that students initiated more interactions in the classrooms than teachers did. Some researchers (Cooper et al., 1979) have explained this by saying that teacher‐initiated interactions are perceived as providing more control in the classroom than student‐initiated ones. When a teacher initiates more interactions than the students, this may indicate that the classroom is teacher‐controlled; if students initiate more interactions, it may mean that the students control the classroom.…”

Teacher thinking during classroom interaction. A review of the “English language” literature

“…Marland (1977) et Wodlinger (1980 rapportent également des stratégies managériales sévères en relation avec des comportements déviants récidivistes. De façon complémentaire, Cooper, Burger et Seymour (1979) montrent que les interactions avec les élèves forts sont perçues par les enseignants comme étant plus contrôlables que celles avec les élèves faibles. Leurs résultats indiquent également que les enseignants estiment que les interactions avec les forts leur donnent plus de chances, que celles avec les élèves faibles, d'atteindre les objectifs qu'ils se sont fixés en planifiant la leçon.…”

Removing Incentives for "Dumbing Down" Through Curriculum Re-structure and Additional Study Time

“…There is a large body of research, (e.g. Douglass, 1964;Rosenthal and Jacobsen (1968);Mackler;1969;Chaiken, Sigler and Derlega, 1974;Cooper, Burger and Seymour, 1979;Cooper, Hinkel and Good, 1980;Cooper and Good, 1983) on how teachers' expectations can influence student interactions and academic development in the classroom. Having high expectations for students has been shown to have an impact on student performance (Bamburg and Andrews, 1989).…”