Teacher talk about student characteristics and patterns of behaviour : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany Campus, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

This thesis reports on the discourse analysis of two groups of secondary school teachers' conversation about student behaviour. The study involved a two stage analysis. The teachers' conversation was first analysed according to its reflection of teachers' views of students and the environment on continua from active to passive. Main themes emerging across the conversations were then identified with links between the themes established through understanding of the teachers' views on the active to passive continua. This method of analysis generated a theory of behaviour management for the teachers who took part in the study. It provided in-depth understanding of the relationship between the teachers' sense of agency at the time and the forms of interventions they implemented to address student behaviour. This theory identified contextual factors that affected teachers' choices of action in relation to student behaviour and indicated pivotal points for intervention to foster shared student-teacher problem solving.