Explore the vast range of titles available.

We investigated the extent to which different aspects of home literacy environment (HLE) relate to literacy skills among Grade 2 students in Lithuania. The participants were Lithuanian second-graders (n = 522; 48% girls; Mage = 8.29 years, SD = .32) and their parents (88.3% mothers). Children were tested in their language and literacy skills; whereas parents completed questionnaires concerning HLE. We ran three hierarchical regression models to predict children’s sentence reading fluency, spelling to dictation, and reading comprehension. Control variables (parental education, child gender, vocabulary and word reading fluency) were entered at the first step; the four variables of HLE (teaching of literacy, reading to a child, access to literacy resources, child’s own independent reading) were entered at the second step. The results showed that HLE variables added a significant amount of explained variance to the regression models (5.4% for sentence reading fluency, 4.8% for spelling, and 4.9% for reading comprehension). Overall, the results suggest that in order to promote children’s literacy skills in Grade 2 most effectively, parents should provide access to literacy resources and create opportunities for children’s independent reading. When considering all HLE factors together in one analysis, children’s actual independent reading of the reading materials emerged as an important factor in their success in reading and spelling.

This study investigated differences in teachers’ and parents’ perceptions about homework and their correlations with children’s achievement in Grade 4 – the end grade for primary school in Lithuania. Data were collected at the end of Grade 4 (February–March 2024). Teachers (n = 39) answered online questionnaires on homework frequency and expected homework time; parents (n = 525) completed paper questionnaires about homework frequency, time, and help. Children (n = 576) completed tests measuring literacy and math skills, and school administrations provided children’s Grade 4 grades and results from national standardized testing. Most parents and teachers reported that homework was assigned daily. Teachers reported that children should spend around one hour daily on homework; parents reported children spending on average one hour and ten minutes daily on homework and a great variation in the amount of weekly homework help children received. Compared to teachers, parents reported more frequent homework and more homework time. Only parental reports of time spent and help received for homework significantly correlated to children’s academic performance measures, albeit negatively. Overall, parents and teachers perceived homework time differently. Additionally, the less well Grade 4 students did academically, the more time they spent on homework, and the more help they required from family.

This cross-sectional study investigated correlations between six types of work motivation (intrinsic motivation; integrated, identified, introjected, and external regulation; and amotivation), teaching quality, and well-being among primary school teachers. Forty Grade 3 teachers in Lithuania answered a questionnaire about their work motivation (six types), teaching quality (frequency of instruction and degree of affection), and well-being (self-efficacy and exhaustion). Concerning teaching quality, the results showed that both autonomous motivation (intrinsic motivation and integrated and identified regulation) and controlled motivation (introjected and external regulation) positively correlated with teachers’ frequency of literacy and math instruction, whereas only autonomous motivation positively correlated with teachers’ affection when interacting with their class. Regarding well-being, autonomous motivation positively correlated with self-efficacy, whereas amotivation positively correlated with exhaustion.

To better understand the motivational mechanisms underlying students’ academic success, this study examined the mediating role of emotions in the relationship between academic motivation and mathematics achievement, while controlling for prior achievement. Academic motivation was conceptualized within Expectancy–Value Theory and operationalized through motivational beliefs in mathematics, including expectancies for success, three value dimensions (interest, utility, and attainment value), and four cost dimensions (effort, opportunity, emotional, and ego cost). As value reflects positively and cost reflects negatively valenced appraisals of learning situations, we focused on the mediating role of positive and negative classroom-related emotions. The study used data from the longitudinal research project “Towards Effective Learning: Analysis of the Psychological Mechanisms of Obstacles to Learning Mathematics”. The sample comprised 1,430 ninth-grade students (Mage = 15.26) from across Lithuania, who completed questionnaires assessing motivational beliefs and classroom-related emotions, while mathematics achievement was obtained from school records. SEM-based mediation analysis revealed that positive emotions consistently served as mediators in the relationships between value and cost dimensions and mathematics achievement, whereas negative emotions played a more limited mediating role, as mediation through negative emotions was observed only for utility value and ego cost. Notably, ego cost exhibited a pattern distinctive from other costs: a higher ego cost was associated with stronger positive emotions, which in turn predicted higher mathematics achievement, while also being associated with stronger negative emotions, which predicted lower achievement. These findings highlight the importance of considering emotions as mediators in the relationships between motivational beliefs and achievement within the Expectancy–Value framework.

This study involved a comparison of the prevalence of two work-related stressors (job-related issues and information and communications technology [ICT] use) and three situational stress factors (COVID-19, geopolitical concerns, and economic conditions) among 40 Grade 2 teachers in Lithuania. Also investigated were associations between the stress factors, the frequency of classroom activities (literacy and mathematics), and teacher interaction styles (affection, behavioral, and psychological control). A total of 40 Grade 2 teachers answered online questionnaires in April–May 2022, a period defined by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the recent (2–3 months prior) start of the Russo–Ukrainian war. The results showed that, of the five stress factors examined, the highest levels of stress expressed by teachers were related to the geopolitical situation, which scored significantly higher than work-related stress factors (job-related issues and ICT use). The results also indicated that all stress factors except geopolitical situation were associated with behavioral and psychological control, suggesting that teachers who report higher levels of stress apply more controlling interaction styles when teaching their second graders. Moreover, the findings revealed that the frequency of classroom activities and the positive dimension of the interaction style of teaching (i.e., affection) were not related to any of the stress factors.

It has been suggested that the quality of pre-primary education influences children's learning abilities in a variety of ways. Teachers’ behaviors are among the major factors relating to the quality of the classrooms, and one aspect of them – teachers’ self-efficacy – has been put forward to predict successful development of childrens’ learning and abilities to learn. Given this, it is surprising that relatively few studies have taken pre-primary techers' self-efficasy into account, and no research on the topic has been conducted in Lithuania. Futhermore, a few studies have analyzed how teachers' self-efficacy relates to childrens' learning abilities, such as, tasks persistence and self-regulation. Consequently, the present study analyzed relations between teachers' self-efficacy, childrens' task persistence and self-regulation. This study is based on the theory of teachers’ self-efficacy by Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy (2001). The aim of the current study is to determine whether the self-efficacy of Lithuanian pre-primary teachers' is related to the learning outcomes, in particular, childrens' tasks persistence and ability to regulate their behavior. Childrens' tasks persistence was measured using the Behavioral strategy rating scale (teachers' form) (Aunola et al., 2000; Zhang et al., 2011); the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task (McCellandet al., 2007; Ponitz et al., 2008; Ponitz at al., 2009) was used to measure  childrens' self-regulation. Participants were 18 pre-primary education teachers from six Lithuanian schools and their 229 pre-primary class students (116 [50.7%] girls and 113 [49.3%] boys). Teachers answered questionnaires concerning their self-efficacy towards the whole class and towards each child’s task persistence; school psychologists tested each child on their self-regulation. The statistical analyses of this study comprised of correlation analyses and hierarchical regression analyses. The results supported our expectations about the positive significant relations between teachers' self-efficacy, childrens' tasks persistence and self-regulation. That is, the greater teachers' self-efficacy was, better childrens' tasks persistence and self-regulation were. The results stayed significant even after controlling for, child gender, parental education, and teachers’ experience. MoreoverIn particular, gilrs and children of higher educated parents were more likely to have better task persistence and self-regulation. Moreover, surprisingly, it was found that teachers' work experience predicted childrens' self-regulation. Taken together, the results have  verified that techers' self-efficacy plays a meaningful role in promoting childrens’ tasks persistence and self-regulation in Lithuanian preschool. Thus,  from the practical point of view, in order to facilitate children’s learning in preschool and primary school, one should also pay attention to the ways of strengthening teachers’ self-efficacy. 

This study investigated differences in teachers’ and parents’ perceptions about homework and their correlations with children’s achievement in Grade 4 – the end grade for primary school in Lithuania. Data were collected at the end of Grade 4 (February–March 2024). Teachers (n = 39) answered online questionnaires on homework frequency and expected homework time; parents (n = 525) completed paper questionnaires about homework frequency, time, and help. Children (n = 576) completed tests measuring literacy and math skills, and school administrations provided children’s Grade 4 grades and results from national standardized testing. Most parents and teachers reported that homework was assigned daily. Teachers reported that children should spend around one hour daily on homework; parents reported children spending on average one hour and ten minutes daily on homework and a great variation in the amount of weekly homework help children received. Compared to teachers, parents reported more frequent homework and more homework time. Only parental reports of time spent and help received for homework significantly correlated to children’s academic performance measures, albeit negatively. Overall, parents and teachers perceived homework time differently. Additionally, the less well Grade 4 students did academically, the more time they spent on homework, and the more help they required from family.

This cross-sectional study investigated correlations between six types of work motivation (intrinsic motivation; integrated, identified, introjected, and external regulation; and amotivation), teaching quality, and well-being among primary school teachers. Forty Grade 3 teachers in Lithuania answered a questionnaire about their work motivation (six types), teaching quality (frequency of instruction and degree of affection), and well-being (self-efficacy and exhaustion). Concerning teaching quality, the results showed that both autonomous motivation (intrinsic motivation and integrated and identified regulation) and controlled motivation (introjected and external regulation) positively correlated with teachers’ frequency of literacy and math instruction, whereas only autonomous motivation positively correlated with teachers’ affection when interacting with their class. Regarding well-being, autonomous motivation positively correlated with self-efficacy, whereas amotivation positively correlated with exhaustion.

The present study investigated the differences between parent- and child-reported perceptions of parental homework practices and their associations with children’s achievement in Lithuania across grades three and four. A total of 446 parent-child dyads participated in the study. In grade 3, parents completed questionnaires on the frequency of their homework help and autonomy support, while children completed questionnaires about their perceptions of the frequency with which their parents provided homework help and autonomy support. Children’s achievement was measured using literacy and math tests in grade 3. In grade 4, children’s scores on the national standardized exam in literacy and math were obtained from school records. Hierarchical regressions were used to predict children’s achievement (national standardized scores in literacy and math), after controlling for the autoregressors (literacy or math skills), child’s gender, and the highest education level in the family. Children reported receiving more help and less autonomy support than was reported by parents. Additionally, parent-reported help negatively and parent-reported autonomy support positively predicted children’s achievement in literacy and math. As for children’s perceptions, only child-reported help negatively predicted math achievement. These findings indicate that parents and children may differently perceive parental homework practices: children feel more controlled than parents believe they are, and less autonomy supported than parents believe themselves to be. El presente estudio investigó las diferencias entre las percepciones informadas por progenitores y sus descendientes sobre las prácticas parentales relacionadas con las tareas escolares y su asociación con el rendimiento académico de escolares lituanos, en tercero y cuarto curso de educación primaria. Un total de 446 díadas filo-parentales participaron en el estudio. En tercer curso, los progenitores completaron cuestionarios sobre la frecuencia con la que ofrecían ayuda con las tareas y apoyo a la autonomía, mientras que los escolares respondieron sobre su percepción de la frecuencia con la que sus progenitores ofrecían ayuda con las tareas y apoyo a su autonomía. El rendimiento académico se evaluó mediante pruebas de lecto-escritura y matemáticas. En cuarto curso, se obtuvieron las puntuaciones en el examen nacional estandarizado de lecto-escritura y matemáticas. Se realizaron regresiones jerárquicas para predecir el rendimiento académico (puntuaciones nacionales estandarizadas en lectura y matemáticas), controlando las variables autorregresivas (habilidades en lectura o matemáticas), género y nivel educativo más alto en la familia. Los escolares informaron recibir más ayuda y menos apoyo a la autonomía que sus progenitores. La ayuda informada por los progenitores predijo negativamente, y el apoyo a la autonomía positivamente, el rendimiento en lectura y matemáticas. Solo la ayuda informada por los escolares predijo negativamente el rendimiento matemático. Estos hallazgos indican que progenitores y sus descendientes pueden percibir de manera diferente las prácticas parentales respecto a la tarea escolar: los escolares se sienten más controlados y menos apoyados en su autonomía de lo que los progenitores perciben.

The aim or the present study was to examine the relative importance of financial education in school and families and dispositional factors (competitiveness, work mastery, meta-cognition) in predicting financial literacy among Finnish adolescents. The data on the 4328 Finnish 15-year-olds was drawn from the PISA 2018 assessment. Financial literacy was measured by tests, and financial education and dispositional factors were assessed by adolescent questionnaires. First, the results showed that financial education in school was positively associated with adolescents’ financial literacy skills, whereas parental involvement in financial matters did not relate or related negatively to financial literacy scores. Second, dispositional factors, such as competitiveness, work mastery, and meta-cognition (effective strategies to understand/remember information, to summarize information, and to evaluate source credibility) were the strongest positive predictors of the financial literacy scores. Overall, the present study emphasizes that certain social factors (schools and families) and especially dispositional characteristics (personality/motivation and critical thinking/learning strategies) may shape the development of the financial skills of adolescents.