What is the best example of an implicit bias that may negatively affect a relationship with a group of students?

• A. over-identifying certain students for special education services because of race
• B. over-teaching certain concepts to students because of gender
• C. under-teaching certain students because of a disability
• D. under-identifying certain students for special education services because of socioeconomic status

Answer: (C)

Implicit bias in teaching shows up when a teacher’s subconscious beliefs influence how much instruction or support a student gets. When bias centers on disability, it can lead a teacher to provide less teaching to students with disabilities, assuming they don’t need or can’t handle more. That under-teaching sends a message that these students aren’t valued or capable of more challenging work, which can erode trust, motivation, and engagement in the classroom and strain the teacher–student relationship.

Other forms of bias—such as allocating more or less to students based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status—are harmful as well, but the direct impact on daily instructional time and the quality of learning for students with disabilities makes under-teaching due to disability the clearest example of an implicit bias that most strongly harms relational quality and educational outcomes in this context.