Abstract
Learning is an active process requiring conscious and deliberate activity. Even the most able students will not learn if they do not attend to instruction and exert some effort on tasks. Thus, motivation is an important factor in maximizing children’s learning. If all children are to derive the maximum benefits from schooling, educators must provide a learning context in which students are motivated to engage actively and productively in learning activities. This chapter discusses what we know about how different classroom contexts and instructional approaches affect young children’s motivation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Becker, W., & Gersten, R. (1982). A follow-up of Follow Through: The later effects of the Direct Instruction Model on children in fifth and sixth grades. American Educational Research Journal, 19, 75–92.
Benenson, J. R., & Dweck, C. S. (1986). The development of trait explanations and self-evaluations in the academic and social domains. Child Development, 57, 1179–1187.
Bereiter, C. (1986). Does direct instruction cause delinquency? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 1, 289–292.
Bredekamp, S. (Ed.) (1989). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bredekamp, S., & Rosegrant, T. (Eds.) (1992). Reaching potentials: Appropriate curriculum and assessment for young children, Vol. 1. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bredekamp, S., & Rosegrant, T. (Eds.) (1995). Reaching potentials: Transforming early childhood curriculum and assessment, Vol. 2 Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bredekamp, S., & Copple, C. (Eds.) (1997). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs (Rev. ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Bryant, D., Clifford, R., & Peisner, E. (1991). Best practices for beginners: Developmental appropriateness in kindergarten. American Educational Research Journal, 28, 783–803.
Burts, D., Hart, C., Charlesworth, R., & Kirk, L. (1990). A comparison of frequencies of stress behaviors observed in kindergarten children in classrooms with developmentally appropriate versus developmentally inappropriate instructional practices. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 5, 407–423.
Burts, D., Hart, C., Charlesworth, R., Fleege, P., Mosley, & Thomasson, R. (1992). Observed activities and stress behaviors of children in developmentally appropriate and inappropriate kindergarten classrooms. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7, 297–318.
Carnine, D., Carnine, L., Karp, J., & Weisberg, P. (1988). Kindergarten for economically disadvantaged children: The direct instruction component. In C. Warger (Ed.), A resource guide to public school early childhood programs (pp.73–98). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Charlesworth, R., Hart, C., Burts, D., & DeWolf, M. (in press). The LSU studies: Building a research base for developmentally appropriate practice. In S. Reifel (Ed.), Advances in early education and day care. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Clifford, M (1975). Validity of expectation: A developmental function. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 48, 220–226.
Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children: Cultural conflict in the classroom. New York: New Press.
DeVries, R., Reese-Learned, H., & Morgan, P. (1991). Sociomoral development in direct-instruction, constructivist, and eclectic kindergarten programs: A study of children’s enacted interpersonal understanding. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 6, 449–471.
Durkin, D. (1987). A classroom-observation study of reading instruction in kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 275–300.
Educational Research Service (1986). Kindergarten programs and practices in public schools. Arlington, VA: Author.
Elkind, D. (1986). Formal education and early childhood education: An essential difference. Phi Delta Kappan, 68, 631–636.
Elkind, D. (1987). Miseducation. New York: Alfred Knopf.
Entwisle, D. & Hayduk, L. (1978). Too great expectations: Young children’s academic outlook. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Eshel, Y., & Klein, Z. (1981). Development of academic self-concept of lower-class and middle-class primary school children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 73, 287–293.
Gallimore, R., & Tharp, R. (1992). Teaching mind in society: Teaching, schooling, and literate discourse. In L. Moll (Ed.), Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology (pp. 175–205). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
Gersten, R. (1986). Response to “Consequences of three preschool curriculum models through age 15.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 1, 293–302.
Gersten, R., Darch, C., & Gleason, M. (1988). Effectiveness of a direct instruction academic kindergarten for low-income students. The Elementary School Journal, 89, 227–240.
Huntsinger, C., Jose, P., & Larson, S. (1998). Do parent practices to encourage academic competence influence the social adjustment of young European American and Chinese American children? Developmental Psychology, 34, 747–756
Hiebert, E. (1988). The role of literacy experiences in early childhood programs. The Elementary School Journal, 89, 161–171.
Jencks, C., & Phillips, M. (1998). The Black White test score gap. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institute.
Kamii, C. (1985). Leading primary education toward excellence: Beyond worksheets and drill. Young Children, 40, 3–9.
Karnes, M., Schwedel, A., & Williams, M. (1983). A comparison of five approaches for educating young children from low-income homes. In Consortium for Longitudinal Studies, As the twig is bent-lasting effects of preschool programs (pp.133–170). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Katz, L. (1988). Engaging children’s minds: The implications of research for early childhood education. In C. Warger (Ed.), A resource guide to public school early childhood programs (pp.32–52). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Kinder, D., & Carnine, D. (1991). Direct instruction: What it is and what it is becoming. Journal of Behavioral Education, 1, 193–213.
Kush, J., & Watkins, M. (1996). Long-term stability of children’s attitudes toward reading. Journal of Educational Research, 89, 315–319.
Lauritzen, P. (1992). Facilitating integrated teaching and learning in the preschool setting: A process approach. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7, 531–550.
Marcon, R. (1992). Differential effects of three preschool models on inner-city 4-year-olds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 7, 517–530.
Marcon, R. (1993). Socio-emotional versus academic emphasis: Impact on kindergarteners’ development and achievement. Early Child Development and Care, 96, 81–91.
Marsh, H., Barnes, J., Cairns, L., & Tidman, M. (1984). Self-description questionnaire: Age and sex effects in the structure and level of self-concept for preadolescent children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 581–596.
McKenna, M. C., Kear, D. J., & Ellsworth, R. A. (1995). Children’s attitudes toward reading: A national survey. Reading Research Quarterly, 30, 934–956.
Meyer, L., Gersten, R., & Gutkin, J. (1983). Direct instruction: A project follows through success story in an inner-city school. Elementary School Journal, 84, 241–252.
Miller, L., & Bizzell, R. (1983). Long-term effects of four preschool programs: Sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Child Development, 54, 727–741.
Nicholls, J. (1978). The development of the concepts of effort and ability, perceptions of academic attainment and the understanding that difficult tasks require more ability. Child Development, 49, 800–814.
Nicholls, J. (1979). The development of perceptions of own attainment and causal attributions for success and failure in reading. Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 94–99.
Parsons, J., & Ruble, D. (1977). The development of achievement-related expectancies. Child Development, 48, 1975–1979.
Pianta, R., & Steinberg, M. (1992). Teacher-child relationships and the process of adjusting to school. New Directions for Child Development, 57, 61–80.
Pianta, R., Nimetz, S., & Bennett, E. (1997). Mother-child relationships, teacher-child relationships, and school outcomes in preschool and kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 263–280.
Pintrich, P., & Blumenfeld, P. (1985). Classroom experience and children’s self-perceptions of ability, effort, and conduct. Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, 646–657.
Rawl, R., & O’Tuel, F. (1982). A comparison of three prereading approaches for kindergarten students. Reading Improvement, 19, 205–211.
Ruble, D., Grosovsky, E., Frey, K., & Cohen, R. (1992). Developmental changes in competence assessment. In A. Boggiano & T. Pittman (Eds.), Achievement motivation: A social-developmental perspective (pp. 138–164). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Schweinhart, L., & Weikart, D. (1988). Education for young children living in poverty: Child-initiated learning or teacher-directed instruction? Elementary School Journal, 89, 213–225.
Shepard, L., & Smith, M. (1988). Escalating academic demand in kindergarten: Counterproductive policies. The Elementary School Journal, 89, 135–145.
Sigel, I. (1987). Does hot-housing rob children of their childhood? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 211–225.
Stipek, D. (1984a). The development of achievement motivation. In R. Ames & C. Ames (Eds.), Research on motivation in education (Vol. I): Student motivation (pp. 145–174). New York: Academic Press.
Stipek, D. (1984b). Young children’s performance expectations: Logical analysis or wishful thinking? In J. Nicholls (Ed.), Advances in motivation and achievement (Vol. 3): The development of achievement motivation (pp.33–56). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Stipek, D., & Hoffman, J. (1980). Development of children’s performance-related judgments. Child Development, 5, 92–94.
Stipek, D., & Tannatt, L. (1984). Children’s judgments of their own and their peers’ academic competence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 75–84.
Stipek, D., & Daniels, D. (1988). Declining perceptions of competence: A consequence of changes in the child or the educational environment? Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 352–356.
Stipek, D., & Maclver, D. (1989). Developmental change in children’s assessment of intellectual competence. Child Development, 60, 521–538.
Stipek, D., & Byler, P. (1997). Early childhood education teachers: Do they practice what they preach? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 12, 305–325.
Stipek, D., & Ryan R. (1997). Economically disadvantaged preschoolers: Ready to learn but further to go. Developmental Psychology, 33, 711–723.
Stipek, D., Daniels, D., Galluzzo, D., & Milburn, S. (1992). Characterizing early childhood education programs for poor and middle-class children. Early Childhood Quarterly, 7, 1–19.
Stipek, D., Feiler, R., Daniels, D., & Milburn, S. (1995). Effects of different instructional approaches on young children’s achievement and motivation. Child Development, 66, 209–223.
Stipek, D., Feiler, R., Byler, P., Ryan, R., Milburn, S., & Salmon, S. (1998). Good beginnings: What difference does the program make in preparing young children for school? Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 19, 41–66.
Stipek, D., Roberts, T., & Sanborn, M. (1985). Preschool-age children’s performance expectations for themselves and another child as a function of the incentive value of success and the salience of past performance. Child Development, 55, 1983–1989.
Stipek, D. (in press). Pathways to constructive behavior: Importance of academic achievement in the early elementary grades. In A. Bohart & D. Stipek (Eds.), Constructive and destructive behavior: Implications for family, school, and society. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Walsh, D. (1989). Changes in kindergarten: Why here? Why now? Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 377–391.
Wigfield, A., Eccles, J., Yoon, K., Harold, R., Arbreton, A., Freedman-Doan, C., & Blumenfeld, P. (1997). Change in children’s competence beliefs and subjective task values across the elementary school years: A 3-year study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59, 451–469.
Yussen, S., & Berman, L (1981). Memory predictions for recall and recognition in first-, third-, and fifth-grade children. Developmental Psychology, 17, 224–229.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Stipek, D.J. (2001). Classroom Context Effects on Young Children’s Motivation. In: Salili, F., Chiu, C.Y., Hong, Y.Y. (eds) Student Motivation. Plenum Series on Human Exceptionality. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1273-8_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1273-8_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5472-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1273-8
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive