Beyond Teaching: How English Teachers Shape Aspirations

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: Division K - Section 01: Teaching and Teacher Education in the Content Areas Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

This study examines how English teachers are associated with students’ educational aspirations in China’s compulsory education stage. Using secondary analysis of China Education Panel Survey data (N = 19,487), we explore relationships between subject perceptions, teacher interactions, and students' intended educational pathways, controlling for socioeconomic and academic factors. English teacher praise and perceptions of English as useful show stronger associations with aspirations than Chinese and Mathematics counterparts. These findings highlight how teacher interactions, particularly praise in English classrooms, shape students' motivational beliefs and aspirations, offering key insights for educational psychology research and practice in non-native English-speaking contexts.

Author

• Yi Feng, Durham University