Expectations for academic success
Expectations for academic success is a research-based measure from the Tell Them From Me surveys. It is a source of evidence linked to What works best and the School Excellence Framework.
What is it?
Expectations for success represent the extent to which school staff value academic achievement and hold high expectations for all students. In the classroom, teachers promote high expectations of their students when they differentiate instruction, provide individualised feedback and engage in ongoing, and meaningful classroom interactions in order to challenge their students and encourage continuous improvement.
The Tell Them From Me surveys ask students about their interactions with adults at school to determine the extent to which school staff value academic achievement and hold high expectations for all students. The results are reported as the average of students' scores.
Why is it important?
Teachers' beliefs about their students can influence the way they teach and interact with them. Teacher expectations can influence students' sense of academic self-efficacy and their intellectual engagement. This may have an impact on students' confidence and motivation, which in turn impacts learning and achievement.
School improvement links
| School Excellence Framework element | What works best theme |
|---|---|
| High expectations | High expectations |
Resources
Classroom management: Creating and maintaining positive learning environments
How high expectations and engagement in primary school drive student learning
Improving high school engagement, classroom practices and achievement
Six effective practices in high growth schools
Evidence base
Dunleavy, J., Milton, P., & Willms, J. D. (2012). Trends in intellectual engagement. “What did you do in school today?” research series: Report number three. Toronto: Canadian Education Association.
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York: Routledge.
OECD (2016), Low-performing students: Why they fall behind and how to help them succeed. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Rubie-Davies, C., Hattie, J., & Hamilton, R. (2006). Expecting the best for students: Teacher expectations and academic outcomes. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(3), 429-444.
Explainers of the Tell Them From Me measures have been produced in collaboration with The Learning Bar. The Tell Them From Me measures are provided by, and remain the intellectual property of, The Learning Bar. The explainers can also be found online within the Tell Them From Me portal. Tell Them From Me and TTFM are trademarks of The Learning Bar.