Teacher expectations, defined as educators' beliefs in their learners' abilities to achieve, play a crucial role in determining both the level of educational content and its delivery. While this phenomenon has been extensively studied in developed countries, there is a notable research gap in the context of developing nations such as South Africa. This paper is based on a study that sought to explore the formation and enactment of teachers' expectations regarding the reading habits of learners in a rural South African school.

Adopting a qualitative case study design, the research involved a purposive sample of eight English First Additional Language teachers, teaching Grades 3 to 9. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis. The combination of a qualitative case study design, purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and content analysis was found to be well-suited to the research aims. This methodological approach allowed for an in-depth, contextually rich exploration of teachers' expectations and the factors that shape them, providing valuable insights that can inform educational policy and practice in similar contexts.

Findings revealed that teachers hold generally low expectations for their learners' reading habits, influenced by socio-economic factors including government policies, school quintile status, resource availability, and curriculum constraints. The study underscores the importance of increasing teachers' awareness of how their expectations shape learners' reading practices. By enhancing teachers' understanding of this dynamic, it is possible to foster more positive reading habits among learners.

Keywords: Teachers’ expectations, reading habits, socio-economic factors, reading.