Student Learning Engagement: The Impact of Teacher Emotional and Academic Support

This thesis focused on understanding the relationship between teacher support and student engagement in classroom learning. The thesis was informed by Self-Determination Theory and focused on students with and without special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream school settings. A systematic literature review identified 10 studies (seven quantitative and three qualitative) that assessed the relationship between teachers' observed emotional support and students’ (aged 5 to 18) self-reported emotional engagement in learning. Positive weak to moderate significant relationships were found between teacher emotional support and student emotional engagement in learning. Teacher well-being, student age, student gender, and school type impacted this relationship. Subsequently, an empirical study explored the relationships between teacher academic support, student academic self-concept, and student behavioural engagement. Correlation and regression analysis were used to analyse a single wave of data from the Children’s School Lives Irish cohort study (N = 2,184; aged 10 to 12 years). Behavioural engagement in learning increased for all students with teacher academic support and when students had higher academic self-concept. Student gender impacted the behavioural engagement in students' learning. Female students with and without SEN had a greater need for emotional support to enhance their academic self-concept needs. In contrast, male students with and without SEN had a greater need for autonomy support. The conclusion from the overall findings is that teachers need to differentiate their teaching support to satisfy the different learning needs of male and female students.