The Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is an ongoing large-scale survey of teachers, school leaders and their learning environments, with the first survey taking place in 2008. The survey is administered in lower secondary schools (ISCED 2) and, as an option, is administered in primary (ISCED 1) and upper secondary (ISCED 3) schools. The survey is also optionally administered in PISA sampled schools, forming a TALIS-PISA link. Therefore, this TALIS 2018 conceptual framework builds on the previous two cycles in 2008 and 2013 and underpins the survey’s focus on effective instructional and institutional conditions that enhance student learning, while describing how these vary both within and across countries, and over time.

The 2018 framework addresses enduring themes and priorities related to professional characteristics and pedagogical practices at the institutional and individual levels: teachers’ educational background and initial preparation; their professional development, instructional and professional practices; self-efficacy and job satisfaction; and issues of school leadership, feedback systems, and school climate. It also addresses emerging policy and research interests related to innovation and teaching in diverse environments and settings. The document provides scientific foundations for each area, along with the major influences from related research in education at the OECD and beyond. Finally, the conceptual framework provides a general overview of the survey’s operations and its implementation process through its different stages.