Longitudinal associations between third‐grade teaching styles and sixth‐grade reading skills: a 3‐year follow‐up study.

Background: Most previous studies of teaching styles and reading skills have been cross‐sectional. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction of effects. The present longitudinal study examined the degree to which differences in teaching styles in the third grade predict the sixth‐grade reading performance. The consistency of the findings was addressed by comparing results across students in two countries (Finland and Estonia). Methods: A total of 1,057 students (50.9% boys) were followed from the third to sixth grade. Teaching styles of third‐grade teachers (N = 70) were examined as predictors of the development of reading (i.e., third‐grade to sixth‐grade reading fluency and comprehension). Results: Five patterns of third‐grade teaching practices were found across two countries: child‐centred style, teacher‐directed style, child‐dominated style, extreme child‐centred style, and mixed child‐centred and teacher‐directed style (mixed teaching style). The mixed teaching style and the child‐centred style in the third grade were related to the greatest increases in reading fluency from the third to sixth grade, over and above the contribution of age, gender and maternal education. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of the flexible use of child‐centred and teacher‐directed practices, which are both linked to the development of reading fluency during late primary school years. Highlights: What is already known about this topicA person‐oriented approach is an effective method to identify groups of teaching practices, known as teaching styles.Teaching styles have been differentially linked to reading skills, but the associations have been limited to cross‐sectional data.Finnish teachers apply effective teaching styles more often than Estonian teachers. What this paper addsThis paper adds to previous studies by examining longitudinal associations between teaching styles and reading skills.The study established the consistency of teaching styles between Finland and Estonia.The study found that mixed teaching style is beneficial for reading fluency development. Implications for theory, policy or practiceThe combinations of child‐centred practices and teacher‐directed practices are the most effective teaching styles for reading development.The beneficial effect is consistent across Finland and Estonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]