Secondary school teachers’ perceptions of student misbehaviour: A review of international research, 1983 to 2013

Abstract

This literature review of secondary school teachers’ perceptions of student misbehaviour from 1983 to 2013 comprised studies from various countries including Australia, China, Greece, Jordan, Malta, the United Kingdom and the United States. Identified materials enabled international comparisons and the analysis of changes over time. Of the 20 papers included in the final review, most were categorised as looking at perceptions of serious student misbehaviours or high frequency student misbehaviours. The main conclusions were that teacher perceptions of high frequency misbehaviours and serious misbehaviours were largely consistent over time and between countries. Teachers perceived talking out of turn and similar misbehaviours as being most frequent. Teachers consistently perceived stealing and vandalism as serious misbehaviours while more extreme violent or potentially violent behaviours were not reported to occur frequently. The study raises the issue of the lack of a common research methodology in the reviewed materials, including agreed student behaviour descriptors, which impede conclusive recommendations.