ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the concepts of self-efficacy, internal locus of control and agency, which all mean that we believe we can make a difference to our own lives and those of others. It presents evidence that disadvantaged pupils on average may have lower self-efficacy than their more advantaged peers, and that this is an important factor in predicting attainment. The chapter suggests that when a disadvantaged child is underachieving, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to make the pupil feel more powerful in their own lives. To build self-efficacy we can praise strategies rather than success, use growth mindset language, monitor our expectations of pupils, find a talent in every learner, give less help, rank tasks not children, enable children to independently choose tasks at the right level of challenge, give pupils responsibility and choice, and explicitly teach them to understand concepts of agency and locus of control.
