Teacher–child Interaction and Preschoolers’ Learning Behavior in China: A Piecewise Growth Model

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: This longitudinal study examined how teacher-child interaction quality related to growth in children’s approaches to learning (ATL), measured by Competence Motivation Learning Strategies, and Attention and Persistence, in a stratified random sample of 607 Chinese children. Data on classroom teacher-child interaction quality (three domains of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System: Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support) and ATL were collected three times (T1, T2, and T3) across the three years of preschool. The influence of teacher-child interaction quality on children’s ATL was examined by using piecewise growth curve modeling. Findings showed that Emotional Support was significantly positively related to children’s growth of Attention and Persistence in the kindergarten year; Classroom Organization negatively predicted children’s growth of Competence Motivation and Attention and Persistence; however Instructional Support, showed no correlation with growth of any measured learning behavior. Practice or Policy: Findings are discussed within the sociocultural context of Chinese early childhood classrooms, including limitations and future research directions.

Acknowledgments

The study and the preparation of the manuscript were supported by the following project: “The Impact of Early Childhood Education Quality on Preschool Children’s Development: A Longitudinal Study” (National Social Science Fund of China; No. BHA180133). The authors of this paper deeply appreciate the support.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).