The Impact of Teachers' Praise on Students' Self-Talk and Self-Concepts

This study investigated the mediating effect of self-talk between positive and negative statements made by teachers and students' academic self-concepts (reading, mathematics, and learning) . Participants were 269 students in grades 3-7 at a middle-class, metropolitan, Australian elementary school. A research assistant administered the following instruments: (1) the "Significant Others Statements Inventory" (which measured children's perceived frequency of positive and negative statements made by parents, teachers, siblings, and peers); (2) the "Self-Talk Inventory" (which examined positive and negative self-talk); and (3) the "Self-Concepts" scale (which examined reading and mathematics self-concept). Data analysis indicated that positive self-talk did mediate between the perceived frequency of teachers' praise and students' reading self-concept. Additionally, negative self-talk predicted math self-concept, but it was not related to teacher statements. Positive statements made by teachers were more influential than negative statements as indicated by direct paths from positive statements to positive self-talk and math and learning self-concepts and the fact that negative statements were not predictive of any of the self-talk or self-concept variables. (Contains 12 references.) (SM) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** The Impact of Teachers' Praise on Students' Self-Talk and Self-Concepts PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY