Modelling the Influence of Teacher Characteristics on Student Achievement for Canadian Students with and without Learning Disabilities

The present study explored the relationships between teacher characteristics and the academic achievement of students with and without Learning Disabilities (LD) in a path model. Teacher-related variables included teacher self-efficacy, expectations of students' educational attainment, level of education and years of experience. Data were drawn from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth and participants included students in grades one through six who were taught by a single teacher (N = 2367). Results indicated that the hypothesized path model was an excellent fit to the data. Furthermore, academic achievement was significantly impacted by teacher expectations, LD status, and teacher efficacy. Teachers felt less confident in their ability to instruct students with LD, had lower expectations of their long-term success and also rated their achievement more poorly. The findings are discussed within existing research and implications for teacher preparation and in-service training programs are presented. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)