Classroom engagement mediates the effect of teacher–student support on elementary students' peer acceptance: A prospective analysis

Abstract

Participants were 360 (52.2% male) ethnically diverse and academically at-risk first-grade children attending one of three school districts in southeast and central Texas. Using latent variable structural equation modeling, we tested a theoretical model positing that the quality of the teacher-student relationship in first grade predicts children's peer acceptance the following year, controlling for children's previous externalizing problems and peer acceptance. We also expected that children's classroom engagement would mediate the effect of teacher-student relationship quality on peer acceptance. The hypothesized model provided a good fit to the data. Engagement fully mediated the effect of teacher support on subsequent peer acceptance. Neither ethnicity nor gender moderated the mediation findings.

Executive functions and school readiness intervention: Impact, moderation, and mediation in the Head Start REDI program

“…Oral language skills, including vocabulary and syntax, also support reading comprehension. In addition, they foster children's abilities to understand and comply with the behavioral demands of school (Catts, Fey, Zhang, & Tomblin, 1999 These findings underscore the value of focusing on oral language and emergent literacy skills in Head Start programs to enhance children's cognitive school readiness (Lonigan et al, 2000).Equally important is the acquisition of the social-emotional competencies that support adaptive behavioral adjustment to school and mature approaches to learning (Hughes & Kwok, 2006). During the preschool years, growth in inhibitory control skills promotes the capacity to follow classroom rules, sit still, and learn on demand through listening and watching (McClelland et al, 2006).…”

Mapping the Social World of Classrooms: A Multi‐Level, Multi‐Reporter Approach to Social Processes and Behavioral Engagement

“…Supportive social processes may be more important for Latino students with behavioral problems (Hughes & Kwok, 2006;Ladd et al, 1999). Replicating this study with a larger and more heterogeneous sample would increase the strength and generalizability of the findings.…”

“…Social network research suggests students who are connected to more classmates have higher academic engagement and achievement than students who are connected to few or no classmates (Kindermann, 2007;Wentzel & Caldwell, 1997). Similarly, sociometric research indicates students who are socially accepted are likely to be behaviorally engaged (Hughes & Kwok, 2006). In contrast, socially rejected, disliked, or isolated children tend to be denied access to peer activities and face risk of academic disengagement (Buhs et al, 2006;Gest et al, 2003).…”

“…Yet, initial evidence from samples of young children and adolescents (not elementary age students) suggests both teacher-student and peer relationships uniquely contribute to students' behavioral engagement (Ladd et al, 1999;Wentzel et al, 2010). Teacher-student relationship quality and peer connections are correlated in middle childhood and independently influence behavioral engagement (Hughes & Kwok, 2006;Ladd et al, 1999). Little is known, however, about the unique contribution of each type of relationship to students' behavioral engagement in elementary school.…”

Aprendendo a gerenciar conflitos: um programa de intervenção para a 1ª série do ensino fundamental

“…Resultados semelhantes foram relatados por Marturano e Gardinal (2008). Estudos longitudinais sugerem efeitos persistentes do modo como se resolvem essas dificuldades nos domínios do relacionamento com os companheiros (Ladd & Troop-Gordon, 2003) e com o professor (Hamre & Pianta, 2001;Hughes & Kwok, 2006Silver, Measelle, Armstrong, & Essex, 2005).…”