The effects of teachers' homework follow-up practices on students' EFL performance: a randomized-group design

Abstract

This study analyzed the effects of five types of homework follow-up practices (i.e., checking homework completion; answering questions about homework; checking homework orally; checking homework on the board; and collecting and grading homework) used in class by 26 teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) using a randomized-group design. Once a week, for 6 weeks, the EFL teachers used a particular type of homework follow-up practice they had previously been assigned to. At the end of the 6 weeks students completed an EFL exam as an outcome measure. The results showed that three types of homework follow-up practices (i.e., checking homework orally; checking homework on the board; and collecting and grading homework) had a positive impact on students' performance, thus highlighting the role of EFL teachers in the homework process. The effect of EFL teachers' homework follow-up practices on students' performance was affected by students' prior knowledge, but not by the number of homework follow-up sessions.

“Did you do your homework?” Mathematics teachers’ homework follow‐up practices at middle school level

“…To the authors’ knowledge, the current study is the first to explore middle school mathematics teachers’ homework follow‐up practices delivered in class, their purposes for using such practices, and the constraints associated with the delivery of these practices. All homework follow‐up practices (i.e., checking for homework completion, checking homework on the board, and giving individual feedback in the forms of written comments, praise, criticism, and conference feedback) mentioned by the participating teachers are consistent with Cooper’s model and extant findings (e.g., Cooper, ; Kaur, ; Rosário et al, ). The current study extends previous research by exploring overlooked aspects related to the purposes of several homework follow‐up practices and their associated constraints.…”

“…The Portuguese Department of Education prescribes a mandatory curriculum nationwide and all middle schools follow a continuous assessment policy. Mathematics teachers assign homework regularly even though the Portuguese Ministry of Education does not have formal guidelines or policies for the teachers to follow regarding homework assignments (Rosário et al, ). At the end of the school year (in June), ninth graders take a national examination in mathematics which counts for 30% of their final grade.…”

“…These researchers were knowledgeable about homework literature and focused the classroom observations on each teacher’s response to students’ homework and behaviors during the homework follow‐up practices. The observational process was guided by a structured rubric (Choo, Garro, Ranney, Meisel, & Morrow, ) based on Cooper’s homework process model and recent research (Cooper, ; Rosário et al, ). Whenever necessary, the researchers took field notes about the dynamic of the implementation of homework follow‐up practices (e.g., time and order of the homework follow‐up practices delivered in class and teachers’ expressions).…”

“…Teachers' homework follow-up practices (Cooper, 2001) encompass the various ways teachers cope with homework presented in class, which may vary depending on the individuals' and the schools' characteristics (e.g., students' prior knowledge of the subject; number of students per class). Examples of such practices are collecting homework assignments, checking homework tasks orally, and providing homework feedback using different strategies (i.e., giving praise, criticism, incentives, rewards, and numerical grades; Cooper, 2001;Rosário et al, 2015). ROSÁRIO ET AL. | 93 3 | HOMEWORK EMPIRICAL FINDINGS In the last decades, there is a cumulative set of studies that provides information on the best homework practices related to each phase of the homework process.…”

Academic Goals, Student Homework Engagement, and Academic Achievement in Elementary School

“…It is essential for teachers and school administrators to be sensitized about the effects of teachers' homework follow-up practices on students' homework engagement (Rosário et al, 2015), and of these variables in students' school engagement and academic success. Likewise, research on students' learning should be undertaken from the perspective of the learners to understand how students use their knowledge and skills to do homework and to solve problems posed therein.…”