Detangling the Connection Between Teacher Support and Student Engagement in Math Education: A Meta-Analytic Perspective

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:45 pm - Gold 3
  In Roundtable Session: Meta-analytic and Systematic Reviews of Learning Environments

Abstract

This meta-analysis investigates the association between teacher support and student engagement in K–12 mathematics classrooms, a core pathway in the instructional-relational model. Synthesizing 290 effect sizes from 36 studies, we found a moderate, statistically significant overall correlation (r = 0.28, SE = 0.03). Emotional support showed stronger associations with emotional (r = 0.36) and social engagement (r = 0.42) than instructional support. The relationship was also strongest in early elementary grades (Grades 1–3) and in high-SES samples. These findings underscore the importance of emotionally supportive teaching in fostering student engagement, particularly during foundational years. Future work will test whether these patterns persist in pathways linking teacher support and engagement to mathematics achievement.

Authors

• Qi Zhang, American Institutes for Research

• Li Yibing, American Institutes for Research

• Ming-Te Wang, University of Chicago