"Teacher Effects" in Early Literacy Development: Evidence From a Study of Twins

Title
"Teacher Effects" in Early Literacy Development: Evidence From a Study of Twins
Publication Date
2010
Author(s)
Byrne, Brian J
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-9407
Email: bbyrne@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:bbyrne
Coventry, William L
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0864-5463
Email: wcovent2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:wcovent2
Olson, Richard K
Wadsworth, Sally J
Samuelsson, Stefan
Petrill, Stephen A
Willcutt, Erik G
Corley, Robin
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
American Psychological Association
Place of publication
United States of America
DOI
10.1037/a0017288
UNE publication id
une:5086
Abstract
It is often assumed that differences in teacher characteristics are a major source of variability in children's educational achievements. We examine this assumption for early literacy achievement by calculating the correlations between pairs of twin children who either shared or did not share a teacher in kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Teacher effects - or, more strictly, classroom effects - would show up as higher correlations for same-class than for different-class twin pairs. Same-class correlations were generally higher than different-class correlations, though not significantly so on most occasions. On the basis of the results, we estimate that the maximum variance accounted for by being assigned to the same or different classrooms is 8%. This is an upper-bound figure for a teacher effect because factors other than teachers may contribute to variation attributable to classroom assignment. We discuss the limitations of the study and draw out some of its educational implications.
Link
Citation
Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(1), p. 32-42
ISSN
1939-2176
0022-0663
Start page
32
End page
42

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