Teacher Evaluation Bias toward LD Children-Attenuating Effects of the Classroom Ecology

Abstract

The present study investigated whether classroom context cues in videotapes showing a nonhandicapped and an LD expectancy would attenuate teacher evaluation bias. Participants were 80 elementary-school teachers who were randomly divided between a nonhandicapped and an LD expectancy. The teachers completed a rating scale on a child's behavior before and after viewing a videotape of children engaged in individual seatwork or group instruction. Results showed that at pretest the teachers' ratings differed according to the assigned label. After viewing the videotape, the teachers rated the two expectancy groups as not differing significantly. However, the teachers rated the child's behavior during group instruction as less appropriate concurring with the child's actual behavior. The findings suggest that teachers hold initial biases about the behavior of LD and normal children, but take into account the classroom context when rating actual behavior.