Die Herausbildung erster Leistungsprofile nach Schuleintritt: Zusammenhänge zu Motivation, Vorläuferkompetenzen und Beziehungsqualitäten

Empirical studies on students' early education have demonstrated that first graders who had developed close relationships towards their teachers are better adjusted to school than students without these experiences. However, little is known about the part that these social-emotional influences play on academic performance, taken into account that cognitive and motivational factors already influence academic success significantly. The present study thus investigated the quality of relationships between students (N = 165) and teachers (N = 78), and tested academic achievements in numeracy and literacy. During these test situations students' effort making (motivation) was taped. Also students' precursor competencies in calculating and reading/writing were assessed prior school entry. Results clearly revealed effects of precursor competencies in reading/writing on achievements in literacy, and of precursor competencies in calculating on school achievements in numeracy with boys exceeding girls. Path analyses showed that conflicts in student-teacher relationships acted badly on school achievements via effort making which inhibited students' academic performances.