Students’ evocative impact on teacher instruction and teacher–child relationships: Theoretical background and an overview of previous research

• Published in: International journal of behavioral development 2015-09, Vol.39 (5), p.445-457
• Main Authors: Nurmi, Jari-Erik, Kiuru, Noona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0165-0254; 1464-0651
• DOI: 10.1177/0165025415592514

Classroom research has typically focused on the role of teaching practices and the quality of instruction in children’s academic performance, motivation and adjustment—in other words, classroom interactions initiated by the teacher. The present article presents a model of classroom interactions initiated by the child, that is, the notion that a child’s characteristics and active efforts may evoke different instructional patterns and responses among teachers. Then follows a review of previous research on the role of children’s academic performance, their motivation and their socio-emotional characteristics in their teachers’ instruction methods and teacher–child relationships. Some of the mechanisms that may be responsible for these “evocative impacts” are discussed. Classroom interactions initiated by the child, and those initiated by the teacher will then be considered from the perspective of the transactional theory of teacher–child interactions. Finally, some conclusions are drawn concerning possible future classroom research.