Teacher characteristics and choicesand their effects on reading achievement: A comparision between Sweden and Quebec
Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study is to compare teacher and classroom factors that are
believed to affect students’ reading achievement scores at the fourth grade level by using
PIRLS 2011 dataset. Teacher qualification and experience, along with how reading
instruction is done, reading material used, time spent on reading during class time, socio economic background of students, and school emphasis on academic success were included
in the analysis.
Theory. The Coleman report (1966) about school segregation triggered the need to highlight
teacher and classroom factors that are effective in helping student achieve acceptable reading
levels. The Dynamic Model of Educational Effectiveness (Creemers and Kyriakides, 2008)
provided the theoretical concepts on which the model of this study was constructed.
Method. Two two-level structural equation models were created for this study, one for
Quebec, and one for Sweden. This allowed the possibility to compare the results and
determine similarities and differences between the two jurisdictions.
Results. Students’ socio-economic status (SES) was controlled at the student-level for the
purpose of this study. Reading achievement is mainly explained by SES for both school
systems. In Quebec, time spent across the curriculum is also directly significant. It is the
choice of reading material that is significant in Sweden. Teacher qualifications seem to be
predictive of teacher’s instruction choices in Quebec but not as much in Sweden. The latter is
more influenced by students’ SES and the school’s emphasis on academic success
Degree
Student Essay
Collections
Date
2024-01-12Author
Barber, Andrea
Keywords
PIRLS 2011
reading achievement
SEM
cross-country comparison
teacher and classroom factors
Language
eng