IMPACT OF TEACHERS BEHAVIOR ON STUDENTS LEARNING AT

PRIMARY LEVEL IN DISTRICT OKARA

Abstract
This research focused to find out the impact of teachers behavior on students learning at
primary level in district Okara. Teacher’s behavior, as measured by the standard
inventory used in this research, comprises of eight element of behavior (clarity, enthusiasm,
interaction, organization, pacing, disclosure, speech and rapport) while students learning
of the students was measured by their (student’s) results. By using stratified proportionate
sampling technique, 300 students were selected from various primary schools as well as
primary sections of elementary and high schools of district Okara. A cross sectional survey
was conducted to measure the effect and to find out the relationship between variables. It
has been established from data analysis that teachers’ behavior has a significant
relationship with students learning. Out of these eight components, the analysis revealed
six components (clarity, interaction, pacing, disclosure, speech and rapport) have a highly
significant relationship with students’ learning while two components (enthusiasm and
organization) have no relationship with dependent variable. Students have significant
differences of their academic learning, while the only one component (speech) was found to
reveal difference on the basis of their (student’s) gender.

Key words: Teacher, Behavior, Students, learning.

 CHAPTER # 1

Introduction

Teacher’s behaviors the term used for the behavioral manifestation of the act of teaching,
facilitating the learning by a student or a group of students. It therefore encompasses all
verbal and nonverbal behaviors demonstrated by a teacher in an effort to impart education
within an academic setting. It is seen that the teaching approach and techniques applied by
different teachers, have different results for student performances. The teacher therefore
has a key role to play in providing an encouraging learning environment for their students
to excel academically.

A major portion of the bonus for quality learning therefore falls upon the personality and
attitude of teachers. ‘Education’ occurs through the marriage of teaching and learning,
therefore, learning is half-way important, and has equal, if not greater share in the
academic performance of students. Learning tendency and behavior differ from student to
student, but since the focus of this study is upon the supply side of the education equation,
therefore, we do not go into details of students’ learning behavior, and leave that topic for a
different project at this stage.

Extensive literature on various aspects of quality education, as well as the central role of
teaching within it, exists. To instrument effective learning, (Vegas & Petrow, 2008)
emphasize that increase in enrollment must also be accompanied by the more important
effort of enhancing quality of education. With respect to academic achievement, (Fredricks,
Blumenfeld, & Paris,2004)argued that it is the study habits of students, one, and their
attitude towards their studies, secondly, the two most important determinants of academic
performance.

Random sampling technique is used for data collection. 300 hundred students of primary
level are selected as a sample through random sampling technique. Data is collected
through adopted questionnaires whereas likers scale is use for data response from
respondents.
Research Questions:

 Do the teacher behaviors affect the students learning at primary level?

 Does the teacher clarity affect the students learning at primary school level?
 Does the teacher enthusiasm affect the student learning at primary schools?
 Does the teacher organization positively affect the student learning at primary
schools?
 Does the teacher pacing positively affect the students learning at primary level?
 Does the teacher disclosure affect the students learning at primary school level?

Research Objectives:

 To analyze weather teacher behaviors affect the students learning at primary level.
 To analyze effects of teacher clarity on students learning at primary school level.
 To analyze weather the teacher enthusiasm affects the student learning at primary
schools.
 To analyze weather teacher organization positively affect the student learning at
primary schools.
 To analyze the effect of teacher pacing on students learning at primary level.
 To analyze the effect of teacher disclosure on students learning at primary school
level.
 CHAPTER # 2

Literature Review

The attitude of the teacher can play a major role in enhancing the learning abilities and
performance of the students. They recommend rigorous academic and behavioral capacity
building of teachers for not only helping the teachers acquire the right teaching attitude,
but also eventually impact the learning abilities and academic performance of the students
that are taught by the teachers at hand(Caprara, Barbaranelli, Steca, & Malone, 2006).

Study by (Riahipour, Ketabi, & Dabbaghi, 2014) on student’s perception of teachers’

knowledge, grasp and clarity on their subject, revealed interesting findings. The teaching
skills, the knowledge of subject at hand, and the attitude of the teacher, were all recorded
as perceived by the students at hand. The results and analyses of this study revealed that
each of these factors had a significant relationship with the academic performance of the
students. Furthermore, (Mulalic, Shah, & Ahmad, 2009) conducted their study on
university students in Malaysia, to explore that the learning styles of the students is not
given any importance in research or practice of pedagogy.

They assert that the teachers are usually themselves unaware of what their own learning
styles are, and indulge in teaching without paying attention to the needs, as defined by the
learning styles of each of their students. They revealed in their research, that students’
preferred learning style is kinesthetic, that is, they learn by physically participating in
activities; whereas, they displayed little preference for auditory and visual learning. At the
same time they did not appreciate individualized teaching or learning approaches by their
teachers. Most teachers employed the classic auditory and visual approaches to teaching in
class rooms.

Students’ academic performance Student’s academic performance is a dynamic

phenomenon as there are a number of different factors that affect a student’s performance.
Such effect of each of these factors varies from student to student and context to context.
Therefore, the research on measuring impact of various factors on student performance is
challenging to generalize (Ding & Sherman, 2006). One specific factor that has received
attention from (Ulug, Ozden, & Eryilmaz, 2011) is the teacher’s attitude towards the
student at hand. The authors have argued that a student’s motivation, attitude towards
school, their willingness to do homework and confidence in their learning behavior are all a
factor of the teacher’s attitude of teaching towards the students.

These instrumental factors collect together to shape a pupil’s personality over time,
therefore, argue the authors, that teacher’s attitude has long lasting impact on the student,
well beyond his or her academic career. In their research, the authors have strongly
recommended teachers to offer support to their students in their learning, and for this, they
have advised teachers to create an environment of positive expectations. This, it is argued,
would motivate the student to put efforts in active learning and retention. The expectation
and positive and motivated response to such expectations yield a constructive relationship
between the teacher and his or her student (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001).

The created relation further encourages the teacher to build upon the positive behavior of
the students, as opposed to retarding because of a typical negative behavior; therefore, a
reinforcing act of teaching and learning is achieved, that results in a desired level of
learning for the students and satisfaction for their respective teachers. In a meta- analysis
conducted to examine the accuracy of judgments that academicians and teachers make
about their pupils academic performance and achievements, the authors,(Südkamp,
Kaiser, & Möller, 2012)highlighted the importance that a teacher’s predisposed judgment
or expectations- in other words, hold for the actual academic well- being of his or her
students.

This meta- analysis corroborated findings from existing research, vis-à-vis teachers’
judgments of academic performance and the actual resulting performance. For instance,
(Alvidrez & Weinstein, 1999)had revealed that such judgments guide instructional
approach of the teachers; it allows identification of students who are struggling to cope
with study requirements or complexity (Bailey & Drummond, 2006)and it also shades the
expectations of a teacher from his or her student’s abilities.
Teaching behavior is enacted upon its base material – its content, which comes in form of
the instructions provided by the teachers in class. In their study,(Garrett & Steinberg,
2015; Staginess, 2007;Yates & Yates, 1990)described a number of features required for
instrumental effective instruction in a class room setting. The objectives of learning, or
learning objective, need to be clearly defined; the learning outcome of students need to be
assessed routinely from the day- to- day teaching; and such assessment needs to be used to
alter and adapt the instructions in line with students needs and level of achieved learning.

They further elaborate that for adapting and streamlining the methods of instructions for
enhancing students’ learning, the teachers need to be capable of making correct judgments
or estimates about the level of their students’ learning. Even, if the teachers are able to
make accurate judgments, the judgments alone does not necessitate that they will also go
on to adjust their instructional designs as a result (Pajares, 1992). Therefore, though the
capability of making accurate judgments, and making these judgments, is a necessary but
not sufficient condition for enhanced student learning, because, there is no certainty that
the teachers would also go on to alter instructions on basis of their judgments (Caine &
Caine, 1991).

Typically, the teaching process impacts students learning through: the teachers adopted
pedagogy approach; the classroom environment created; and a teachers accommodating
attitude towards students (Carroll et al., 2009) Ideally, the class environment should on the
one hand ensure students of actual teaching being carried out, while on the other, it should
ascertain teachers of actual learning occurring (Hattie, 2012). Moreover, the learning curve
is amplified when a student thinks more like a teacher, and the teacher, a student. In an
argument presented by (Wenglinsky, 2000) deepening a students' advanced thought
pattern paves the way for improved classroom performance, thereby encouraging them to
bring forth innovative and differing ideas that come with their unique knowledge and skills
set.

Some accommodating behavioral patterns adopted by teachers positively impact students

motivational level, and consequently, their overall performance. For example, a teacher
demonstrating an open door policy, responding to students queries, being empathetic
towards students, being involved and commending students hard work are all reflective of
positive teacher behavior. Students look up to their teachers as teachers are their source of
information, knowledge and experience, those displaying positive attitudes. In a scholarly
endeavor, (Gecer, 2013) highlights the negative effects on student performance of a teacher
who mocks at or targets a students' failure.

It is argued by (Babad, 2009) that student performances are mostly reflective of a teacher’s
expectation, whereby an overrated student would perform better than an underestimated
student. Though at-times the ones dwindling in-between and those considered below
average, outperform (Urhahne, Chao, Florineth, Luttenberger, & Paechter, 2011;
Urhahne, Schanze, Bell, Mansfield, & Holmes, 2010).

This finding becomes all the more significant when seen through the lens of teachers
opinion on these misjudged or below average/underperforming students. Means that it is
not mandatory for an overrated student to be a high performer or an under-rated one to be
essentially a low-performer (Urhahne, 2015). Also, it would not be wrong to rule out
ateachers discriminatory behavior or favoritism towards a self-proclaimed high achiever,
which invariably are more in number than those low-ranked underestimated students
(Bates &Nettelbeck, 2001; Begeny, Eckert, Montarello, & Storie, 2008)(Begeny et al., 2008;
Feinberg & Shapiro, 2003, 2009). Irrespective of a teachers bias on students’ performance
outcomes; a significant lead is that groups of students who over or under achieve display
varying personal characteristics.
Conceptual Framework

Figure # 01

Teachers Behavior
Clarity

Enthusiasm
Students Learning
Interaction
Results/ Marks
Organization

Pacing

Disclosure
s
Speech

Hypotheses:

Sr. # Hypotheses
H1. Teacher behaviors will positively affect the students learning.
H2. Clarity of teacher will positively affect the student learning.
H3. Teacher enthusiasm affects the student learning at primary level.
H4. Interaction of teacher will positively affect the student learning at primary level.
H5. There is a positive relationship between student learning and teacher organization.
H6. Teacher pacing has a strong positive relationship with student learning at primary
level.
H7. Teacher disclosure affects the student learning at primary level.
H8. Teacher speech will positively affect the student learning at primary level.

CHAPTER # 3

Methodology
Population and sampling technique

The population for this research is the entire student body, including students from all the
primary schools at Okara district 300 students were selected out of 50000 students enrolled
in all primary schools at Okara district. Of this population, the sample was selected
through a stratified proportionate random sampling technique.

The stratified proportionate sampling technique lends reliability to the study, as proper
representation of the entire population is ensured. Statistical formula for sampling,
n=N/1+N (e) is used to reach the ideal sampling size for the study. The unit of analysis in
this research is the individual student, whose response on the eight components of teachers’
behavior would be collected, and the academic performance of the student would be
captured by his or her results.

Due to the requirements of this study, as dictated by the research objectives, and keeping in
view the applicable epistemological paradigm, an objectivist approach would be employed,
and thereby, with support from existing studies in the field, a quantitative research study is
set up for this research.

Instrument

A structured questionnaire based upon teacher’s behavior inventory developed by

(Murray, 1983) was used to collect the data. The inventory measures teachers’ behavior
across eight aspects of behavior, each of which further contains indicators of behavior.
Thus in total, 60 indicators of teachers’ behavior were graded across a likert scale by the
study sample.

The standard tool has been surveyed in a number of teaching evaluation and teaching
behavior studies including those from (Angelo & Cross, 1993; Chickering & Gamson,
1987)(van derSchaaf, Stokking, & Verloop, 2008)among others.

Data collection procedure

Data for this research was collected through voluntary participation from respondents. The
teacher behavior inventory was printed and additional demographic information columns
were added to collect relevant information from respondents.

The dependent variable for this framework, i.e. student’s academic performance, is
measured through their respective current results. This is collected through the same data
collection tool, along with basic demographic detail.

Data analysis procedure

The collected data is properly coded and entered in SPSS software for enabling
quantitative data analysis. According to the nature of variables, the following statistical
operations are carried out on the data for determining results:

1. Frequencies of demographic data

2. Descriptive statistics for relevant variables

3. Correlation between teachers’ behavior and CGPA of students

4. Independent t-tests

5. Linear regression analysis.

Specific objectives of the study

 To find out the effect of teacher’s behavior on learning of students at primary level.
 To measure the difference of students learning and teacher’s behavior among
students at primary level.

CHAPTER # 4

                                          Results and Discussion
Table 2
 Demographic variables of  respondents 
Variable  Frequency Percentage
Gender 
         Male   99  70.2 
         Female 42 29.8
Marital status
         Single 137 97.2

Data recorded in table 2 showed that male students are 70.2% while female are 29.8% of
the total population.

Table 3
Correlation matrix of teache
Variables  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 .  Clarity
**
                        r value .463  
2 .  Enthusiasm
                               p  value .000
** **
                        r value .701   .704  
3 .  Interaction
                               p  value .000 .000
** ** **
                        r value .652   .515   .588  
4 .  Organization
                               p  value .000 .000 .000
* **
                        r value .169  .161 .077 .352  
5 .  Pacing
                               p  value .045 .057 .362 .000
** * ** ** **
                        r value .379   .204  .353   .519   .361  
6 .  Disclosure
                               p  value .000 .015 .000 .000 .000
** ** ** ** ** *
                        r value .425   .329   .405   .361   .491   .196 
7 .  Speech
                               p  value .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .020
** ** ** ** ** ** **
                        r value .625   .458   .500   .720   .292   .498   .492  
8 .  Rapport
                               p  value .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000 .000
** * * * ** *
                        r value .357   .112 .189  .087 .207  .200  .218   .191   
9 .  CGPA
                               p  value .000 .185 .025 .307 .014 .017 .010 .023 
**p<0.01, *p<0.05
Table 3 includes the correlation analysis of eight distinct components of teachers’ behavior
and academic performance of students (measured by their cumulative grade point
averages). A number of significant relationships observed from the correlation analysis
between the independent and dependent variables of the research. It has been observed
that components of teacher’s behavior (clarity, interaction, pacing, disclosure, speech and
rapport) have positive relationship (p<0.05) with academic performance of students while
the two other components (enthusiasm and organization) have no significant relationship
(p>0.05) with dependent variable of the study.

                                                                                                                                 
Variance  for  regression  model 
Model Sum of Squares df Mean Square F  p 
            Regression 3.596 8 .449  4.880 .000
1 Residual  12.157  132  .092
            Total 15.753 140

The regression significance (p<0.05) with (F= 4.88). This paves our study to move ahead
and look at coefficients for the variables, and determine the impact of teachers’ behavior
on student learning.it can be seen that coefficients are positively significant (p<0.05) for
clarity and pacing while negativity significant (p<0.05) for organization. The standard
coefficient beta for clarity is 0.543, which means, with one degree increase in clarity, the
student’s academic performance would rise by 54.3 percent of academic performance of
students. Similarly, with an increase of one degree in pacing, (beta value= 0.20), the results
would increase by 20 percent. In case of organization, however, it has been noted that a
negative0.426 beta coefficient is given, which means that with an increase of one degree in
organization, the academic performance of students falls by about 42 percent. All other
components of teachers’ behavior do not hold a significant effect on academic performance
of students.

CHAPTER # 5

Conclusion
This research study measured the effect of a teacher’s behavior in class, on the academic
performance of the students at primary schools in Okara. In this study, teacher’s teaching
behavior in a classroom setting was analyzed vis-à-vis eight categorized sets of behavior,
with each category subdividing into a number of descriptive indicators. At the same time,
students ‘current result was recorded as a measure of their learning. The sixty descriptive
indicators of teacher’s behavior were recorded through likert scale based responses from
the students.

From the statistical operations in the study, novel factors within the teachers’ behavior
have been identified and described; that have a clear significance for academic
performance of students. Under the overture of the study’s aim, this research has the
objective of correlating sixty different measures of teacher’s behavior, as observed by
students in primary schools at Okara in their classrooms, against their own academic
performance, which has been measured by the students’ self- declared current cumulative
grade point average scores.

The findings from this research enable academicians, faculty, and senior management of
the varsity to encourage those teaching behaviors that correlate strongly with high
academic achievements, while, at the same time, discourage or amend those behaviors that
are associated with low academic performance. Prior to the causation effect, the study also
highlights the strength of the relationship between different teacher behavior occurrences
as perceived by the students, and academic performance of those students in primary
schools. By highlighting effective and beneficial behaviors from teachers, the study holds
paramount importance as it lays out an effective teaching regimen for teachers in general
and schools particular, to adapt and utilize, for instrumentation of high achieving academic
performance from their students. It has been established from data analysis that teachers’
behavior has a significant relationship with academic performance. Teacher’s behavior, as
measured by the standard inventory used in this research, comprises of eight distinct
components of behavior. Of these eight components, the analysis reveals that two
components have a highly significant relationship with students’ results while four
components have a significant relationship with results.
Analysis of data collected under this study reveals that two components of the independent
variables, that is, clarity and speech have a highly significant positive relationship with
academic performance, the dependent variable. While the teachers’ behavior components
of interaction, pacing, disclosure and rapport have a significant relationship with learning
outcomes.

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