Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-wlg5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-30T15:59:52.325Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Classroom Management in Primary Schools: A Review of the Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2014

Ray Wilks
Ray Wilks*
Affiliation:
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
*
Department of Psychology and Intellectual Disability Studies, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Bundoora VIC 3083, Australia
Get access

Abstract

A considerable body of classroom management research has attempted to examine teacher and student variables believed to correlate with student academic achievement. However, only some of these variables are alterable by the school. Knowledge of these alterable variables may assist schools to make informed decisions about managing primary school classrooms to maximise student achievement. Evidence suggests that students' activity (level of academic engaged time and academic learning time) may be causally intermediate between the teacher's implementation of the curriculum (including a teacher's managerial skills, discipline procedures, and instructional methods) and the student's learning. This paper reviews the literature related to a number of alterable teacher and student variables that impact on a student's academic achievement. Existing difficulties of, and future directions for, classroom management research are discussed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , March 1996 , pp. 20 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Allan, P. (1994). On-task behaviour of primary school pupils: The affect of age, gender, and time-of-day: A pilot study. Bundoora, VIC: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Department of Psychology & Intellectual Disability Studies.Google Scholar
Alwin, D., & Thornton, A. (1984). Family origins and schooling processes: Early versus late influences of parental characteristics. American Sociological Review, 49, 784–802.Google Scholar
Anderson, J. (1994). A pilot observational study examining factors which effect positive and negative teacher responses in the classroom. Bundoora, VIC: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Department of Psychology & Intellectual Disability Studies.Google Scholar
Anderson, L.M., Stevens, D.D., Prawat, R.S., & Nickerson, J. (1988). Classroom task environments and students' task-related beliefs. Elementary School Journal, 88, 281–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Balson, M. (1982). Understanding classroom behaviour. Hawthorn, VIC: Australian Council for Educational Research.Google Scholar
Baumrind, D. (1973). The development of instrumental competence through socialization. In Pick, A. (Ed.), Minnesota symposium on child psychology (Vol. 7, pp. 3–46). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.Google Scholar
Baumrind, D. (1983). Rejoinder to Lewis's reinterpretation of parental control effects: Are authoritative families really harmonious?Psychological Bulletin, 94, 132–142. Berkeley: McCurchan.Google Scholar
Berliner, D. (1979). Tempus educate. In Peterson, P. & Walberg, H. (Eds.), Research on teaching: Concepts, findings, and implications (pp. 120–135). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Berliner, D. (1983). Developing concepts of classroom environments: Some light on the T in studies of ATI. Educational Psychologist, 18, 1–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bjorklund, D.F. (1989). Children's thinking: Developmental function and individual differences. Berkeley, CA: Brooks/Cole.Google Scholar
Bloom, B.S. (1976). Human characteristics and school learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Brookover, W.B., Schweitzer, J.H., Schneider, J.M., Beady, C.H., Flood, P.K., & Wisenbaker, J.M. (1979). Elementary school climate and school achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 15, 301–318.Google Scholar
Brophy, J., & Good, T.L. (1986). Teacher behaviour and student achievement. In Wittrock, M.C. (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed., pp. 328–375). New York: Harcourt BraceGoogle Scholar
Brophy, J.E., & Putnam, J.G. (1979). Classroom management in the elementary grades. In Duke, D. (Ed.), Classroom management. Chicago, IL: The National Society for the Study of Education.Google Scholar
Cairns, L.G. (1985). Behaviour problems in the classroom. In Husen, T., & Postlethwaite, T.N. (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of education (Vol. 1, pp. 451–456). Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Canter, L. (1976). Assertive discipline: A take-charge approach for today's educator. Berkeley, CA: Canter & Associates.Google Scholar
Canter, L. (1981). Assertive discipline follow-up guidebook. Santa Monica, CA: Canter & Associates.Google Scholar
Carroll, J.B. (1963). A model of school learning. Teachers College Record, 64, 723–733CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carroll, J.B. (1984). The model of school learning: Progress of an idea. In Anderson, L.W. (Ed.), Time and school learning (pp. 15–45). Beckenham, Kent: Croom Helm.Google Scholar
Carroll, J.B. (1989). The Carroll model: A 25 year retrospective and prospective view. Educational Researcher, 18, 26–31.Google Scholar
Clark, C.M. (1987). The Carroll model. In Dunkin, M.J. (Ed.), International encyclopedia of teaching and teacher education. New York: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Clarke-Stewart, K.A. (1989). Infant day care: Maligned or malignant? American Psychologist, 44, 266–273.Google Scholar
Cohen, P.A., Kulik, J.A., & Kulik, C. (1982). Educational outcomes of tutoring: A meta-analysis of findings. American Educational Research Journal, 19, 237–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooley, W.W., & Lohnes, P.R. (1976). Evaluation research in education. New York: Irvington.Google Scholar
Cordell, A.S., & Cannon, T.L. (1985). Gifted kids can't always spell. Academic Therapy, 21, 143–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Costa, L., & Garmston, R. (1985). Supervision for intelligent teaching. Educational Leadership, 42, 70–80.Google Scholar
Doyle, W. (1983). Academic work. Review of Educational Research, 53, 287–312.Google Scholar
Doyle, W. (1986). Classroom organisation and management. In Wittrock, M.C. (Ed ), Handbook of research on teaching. (3rd ed., pp. 392–431). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Dreikurs, R. (1968). Psychology in the classroom. (2nd ed.). New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Dunn, K., & Dunn, R. (1987). Dispelling outmoded beliefs about student learning. Educational Leadership, 44(6), 55–63.Google Scholar
Dunn, R. (1987). Research on instructional environments: Implications for student achievement and attitudes. Professional School Psychology, 2, 43–52.Google Scholar
Dunn, R., Beaudy, J., & Lavas, A. (1989). Survey of research on learning styles. Educational Leadership, 47(1), 50–58.Google Scholar
Edmonds, R. (1979). Effective schools for the urban poor. Educational Leadership, 37, 15–18.Google Scholar
Ellis, S., & Rogoff, B. (1982). The strategies and efficacy of child versus adult teachers. Child Development, 53, 730–735.Google Scholar
Emmer, E. (1986). Effects of teacher training in disciplinary approaches. Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.Google Scholar
Emmer, E., Evertson, C., & Anderson, L. (1980). Effective classroom management at the beginning of the school year. Elementary School Journal, 80, 219–231.Google Scholar
Ferguson, E., & Houghton, S. (1992). The effects of contingent teacher praise, as specified by Canter's Assertive Discipline Programme, on children's on-task behaviour. Educational Studies, 18(1), 83–93.Google Scholar
Fisher, C.W., Berliner, D., Filby, N., Marliave, R., Cohen, K., & Dishaw, M. (1978). Teaching behaviors, academie learning time and student achievements: An overview. In Denham, C. & Lieberman, A. (Eds.), Time to learn (pp. 7–32). Washington, DC: National Institute of Education.Google Scholar
Fraser, B.J. (1987). Use of classroom environment assessments in school psychology. School Psychology International, 8, 205–219.Google Scholar
Fraser, B.J., & Fisher, D.L. (1982). Predicting students' outcomes from their perceptions of classroom psychosocial environment. American Educational Research Journal, 19(4), 498–518.Google Scholar
Gage, N.L., & Berliner, D.C. (1988). Educational psychology. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.Google Scholar
Gardner, R., Sainato, D., Cooper, J., Heron, T., Heward, W., Eshleman, , & Grossi, T. (1994). Behaviour analysis in education: Focus on measurably superior instruction. Berkeley, CA: Brooks-Cole.Google Scholar
Glasser, W. (1969). Schools without failure. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Glasser, W. (1978). Disorder in our schools: Causes and remedies. Phi Delta Kappan, 59, 322–325.Google Scholar
Glasser, W. (1986). Control theory in the classroom. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Gleitman, H. (1991). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: Norton.Google Scholar
Goldberg, M., Passow, E., & Justman, J. (1986). The effects of ability grouping. New York: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Good, T. (1987). Teacher expectations. In Berliner, D. & Rosenshine, B. (Eds.), Talks to teachers (pp. 159–200). New York: Random House.Google Scholar
Good, T., & Brophy, J. (1986). School effects. In Wittrock, M.C. (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed., pp. 570–604). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Good, T., & Brophy, J. (1987). Looking in classrooms. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Good, T., & Marshall, S. (1984). Do students learn more in heterogeneous or homogeneous groups? In Peterson, P., Wilkinson, L.C., & Hallinan, M. (Eds.), The social context of instruction: Group organization and group processes (pp. 15–38). Orlando, FL: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Good, T.L. (1983a). Classroom research: A decade of progress. Educational Psychology, 18(3), 127–144.Google Scholar
Good, T.L. (1983b). Research on classroom teaching. In Shulman, L. & Sykes, G. (Eds.), Handbook of teaching and policy (pp. 42–80). New York: Longman.Google Scholar
Gordon, T. (1970). Parent effectiveness training: The tested new way to raise responsible children. New York: Peter H. Wyden.Google Scholar
Gordon, T. (1974). Teacher effectiveness training. New York: Peter H. Wyden.Google Scholar
Greenwood, C., Delquadri, J., & Hall, R.V. (1984). Opportunity to respond and student academic achievement. In Heward, W.L., Heron, T., Hill, D., & Trap-Porter, J. (Eds.), Focus on behaviour analysis in education (pp. 56–88). Columbus, OH: Merrill.Google Scholar
Guthrie, J., Martuza, V., & Seifert, M. (1976). Impacts of instructional time in reading. Newmark, DE: International Reading Association.Google Scholar
Hall, R.V., Delquadri, J., Greenwood, C., & Thurston, L. (1982). The importance of opportunity to respond in children's academic success. In Edgar, E.B., Haring, N.G., Jenkins, J.R., & Pious, C.G. (Eds.), Mentally handicapped children: Education and training (pp. 107–140). Baltimore: University Park Press.Google Scholar
Harnischfeger, A., & Wiley, D. (1976). Exposure to schooling: Method, conclusions, policy. Educational Researcher, 5, 18.Google Scholar
Heatherington, E.M. (1989). Coping with family transitions: Winners, losers, and survivors. Child Development, 60, 1–4Google Scholar
Hess, R. (1970). Class and ethnic influences upon socialization. In Mussen, P. (Ed.), Carmichael's manual of child psychology. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Horne, M. (1985). Attitudes toward handicapped students: Professional peer and parent reactions. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Humphrey, L.L. (1984). Children's self-control in relation to perceived social environment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 46, 178–188.Google Scholar
Hunt, D.E. (1975). Person–environment interactions: A challenge found wanting before it was tried. Review of Educational Research, 45, 209–230.Google Scholar
Johnson, D. (1970). The social psychology of education. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Joyce, B., & Weil, M. (1980). Models of teaching (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Keaves, J.P. (1986). Motivation and school learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 10, 117–127.Google Scholar
Keyser, V., & Barling, J. (1981). Determinants of children children's self-efficacy beliefs in an academic environment. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 5, 29–39.Google Scholar
Kounin, J. (1970). Discipline and group management in classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Kyriacou, C., & Roe, H. (1988). Teachers' perceptions of pupils' behaviour problems at a comprehensive school. British Educational Research Journal, 14, 167–173.Google Scholar
Lahadem, H.M. (1968). Attitudinal and intellectual correlates of attention: A study of four sixth grade classrooms. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 320–324.Google Scholar
Laosa, L. (1984). Ethnic, socioeconomic, and home language influences on early performance on measures of ability. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 1178–1198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacAulay, D.J. (1990). Classroom environment: A literature review. Educational Psychology, 10(3), 239–253.Google Scholar
McCormick, S.L. (1985). Students' off-task behaviour and Assertive Discipline (time-on-task, classroom management, educational interventions) (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon, 1985). Dissertation Abstracts International, 46, 1880A.Google Scholar
McDaniel, T.R. (1989, 03). The discipline debate: A road through the thicket. Educational Leadership, 81–82.Google Scholar
McDonald, F. (1994). A survey of 45 primary school teachers self-perceived discipline styles: A pilot study. Bundoora, VIC: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Department of Psychology & Intellectual Disability Studies.Google Scholar
Medley, D.M. (1979). The effectiveness of teachers. In Peterson, P. & Walberg, H. (Eds.), Research on teaching: Concepts, findings and implications (pp. 11–27). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan.Google Scholar
Njiokiktjien, C. (1988). Pediatric behavioural neurology: Vol. 1. Clinical principles. Amsterdam: Suji.Google Scholar
Paolitti, D. (1976). The effect of cross-age tutoring on adolescence: An inquiry into theoretical assumptions. Review of Educational Research, 46, 215–238.Google Scholar
Render, G.F., Padilla, J., & Krank, H.M. (1989). What research really shows about Assertive Discipline. Educational Leadership, 46(6), 72–75.Google Scholar
Ringer, M.M., Doerr, P.F., Hollenshead, J.H., & Wills, G.D. (1993). Behaviour problems in the classroom: A national survey of interventions used by classroom teachers. Psychology in the Schools, 30, 168–175.Google Scholar
Rosen, L.A., Taylor, S.A., O'Leary, S.G., & Sanderson, W. (1990). A survey of classroom management practices. Journal of School Psychology, 28, 257–269.Google Scholar
Rosenshine, B. (1979). Content, time, and direct instruction. In Peterson, P. & Walberg, H. (Eds.), Research on teaching: Concepts, findings and implications (pp. 28–56). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan.Google Scholar
Rosenshine, B.V. (1980). How time is spent in elementary classrooms. In Denham, C. and Lieberman, A. (Eds.), Time to learn (pp. 107–126). Washington, DC: National Institute of Education.Google Scholar
Rosenshine, B. (1988). Explicit teaching. In Berliner, D. & Rosenshine, B. (Eds.), Talks to teachers (pp. 75–92). New York: Random House.Google Scholar
Rosenshine, B., & Berliner, D. (1978). Academic engaged time. British Journal of Teacher Education, 4, 3–16.Google Scholar
Rosenshine, B., & Stevens, R. (1986). Teaching functions. In Wittrock, M. (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed., pp. 376–391). New York: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Rowe, K.J. (1991). Students, parents, teachers and schools make a difference: A summary report of major findings from the “100 Schools Project” – Literacy programs study. Melbourne: Ministry of Education and Training, Victoria.Google Scholar
Rowe, K.J., & Rowe, K.S. (1991, 10 4–6). The impact of inattentive behaviours in the classroom on students' reading achievement, mediated by home background and attitudinal factors: An explanatory study. Paper presented at the Third National Conference on Children with Emotional or Behaviour Problems: Family, School and Community, University of Queensland, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Rutter, M., Maughan, B., Mortimore, P., Ouston, J., & Smith, A. (1979). Fifteen thousand hours. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Sattler, J. (1988). Assessment of children. New York: Author.Google Scholar
Sattler, J. (1992). Assessment of children (3rd ed.). San Diego: Author.Google Scholar
Scarr, S., & Carter-Saltzman, L. (1982). Genetics and intelligence. In Sterberg, R. (Ed.), Handbook of human intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Sharpley, A.M., Irvine, J.W., & Sharpley, C.F. (1983). An examination of the effectiveness of a cross-age tutoring program in mathematics for elementary school children. American Educational Research Journal, 20, 103–111.Google Scholar
Slaby, R.G, & Crowley, C.G. (1977). Modification of cooperation and aggression through teacher attention to children's speech. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 14, 442–458.Google Scholar
Slavin, R.E. (1986). Educational psychology: Theory into practice. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Slavin, R.E. (1987). Ability grouping and student achievement in elementary schools: A best-evidence synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 57, 293–336.Google Scholar
Snider, V.E. (1990). What we know about learning styles from research in special education. Educational Leadership, 48(2), 53.Google Scholar
Stallings, J. (1980). Allocated academic learning time revisited, or beyond time on task. Educational Researcher, 8, 11–16.Google Scholar
Stipek, D.J. (1981). Children's perceptions of their own and classmates' ability. Journal of Educational Psychology, 72, 861–865.Google Scholar
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G.R. (1977). Applying behavior analysis with children and youth. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Mayer, G.R. (1991). Behavior analysis for lasting change. Chicago: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Thomas, J.D., Presland, J.E., Grant, M.D., & Glynn, T.L. (1978). Natural rates of teacher approval and disapprovai in grade-7 classrooms. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 11, 91–94.Google Scholar
Tricket, P.K. (1983). The interaction of cognitive styles and classroom environment in determining firstgraders' behaviour. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 4, 43–46.Google Scholar
Vandenburg, S.G., & Kuse, A.R. (1979). Space ability: A critical review of the sex linked major gene hypothesis. In Wittig, M.A. & Peterson, A.C. (Eds.), Sex-related differences in cognitive functioning. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Vogler, E.W., van der Mars, H., Cusimano, B.E., & Darst, P. (1992). Experience, expertise, and teaching effectiveness with mainstreamed and nondisabled children in physical education. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 9, 316–329.Google Scholar
Weiner, B. (1980). Human motivation. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.Google Scholar
Weiner, B. (1984). An attributional theory of motivation and emotion. New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Weiner, B. (1990). History of motivational research in education. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 616–622.Google Scholar
Weinstein, C., & Magnano, A. (1993). Organising the elementary classroom: Lessons from research and practice. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Weinstein, R. (1991). Student perceptions of schooling. Elementary School Journal, 83, 287–312.Google Scholar
Welch, W.W., & Bridgman, R.G. (1968). Achievement gains as a function of teaching duration. School Science and Mathematics, 68, 499–454.Google Scholar
Wheldall, K., Houghton, S., & Merrett, F. (1988). Natural rates of teacher approval and disapproval in British secondary school classrooms. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 38–48.Google Scholar
Wheldall, K., & Merrett, F. (1988). Which classroom behaviours do primary school teachers say they find the most troublesome? Educational Review, 40, 13–27.Google Scholar
White, K. (1982). The relationship between socioeconomic status and academic achievement. Psychological Bulletin, 91(3), 461–481.Google Scholar
White, M.A. (1975). Natural rates of teacher approval and disapproval in the classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 8, 367–372.Google Scholar
Woolfolk, A. (1993). Educational Psychology (5th ed.). New York: Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar
Ysseldyke, J.E., & Christenson, S.L. (1987). The instructional environment scale: A comprehensive methodology for assessing an individual student's instruction. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Ysseldyke, J.E., Samuels, S.J., & Christenson, S.L. (1988). Teacher Evaluation Rating Scales: A comprehensive system for assessing and improving teacher performance, Supervisor's Manual. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.Google Scholar
Zahn, G.L., Kagan, S., & Widaman, K.F. (1986). Cooperative learning and classroom climate. Journal of School Psychology, 24, 351–362.Google Scholar