Teacher behavior as a mediator of the relationship between teacher judgment and students' motivation and emotion

• Teachers may under- or overestimate students' test performance.
• Students underestimated in test performance differ from overestimated students.
• Underestimated students show lower motivation and emotion.
• Underestimated students perceive less teacher accessibility.
• Teacher accessibility is the link of teacher judgment and student motivation.

The study examines whether teacher behavior is a mediator of the relationship between teacher judgment and students' motivation and emotion. Two hundred forty-six sixth grade students completed a standardized English test and answered a questionnaire on motivation, emotion, and perception of differential teacher behavior. Thirteen English teachers assessed students' test performance. Students underestimated in test performance showed lower motivation and emotion than students overestimated in test performance. The two student groups perceived differential teacher behavior. Teacher behavior mediated the relationship between performance judgments and students' motivation and emotion. A rethinking of teacher's behavior towards students might counter these undesirable tendencies.