[Maths-Education] Re: Research and teacher practices for 'working class' underachievement in secondary mathematics

[Lerman, Stephen]

Dylan's contribution is very interesting and helpful. But I think it
supports Basil Bernstein's argument. He was indicating the lack of
linguistic resources that generally is found amongst children from
working class and other disadvantaged backgrounds, and the ways that
schooling reinforces that linguistic disadvantage, but in pointing out
the causes he was also demonstrating that if schools can provide those
resources on school entrance (small classes, informed teachers etc.)
those children can acquire the resources needed. Dylan is showing us
that Scandinavian schools provide those resources and it has some
success.
Steve

Professor Stephen Lerman
Department of Education
London South Bank University
103 Borough Road
LONDON SE1 0AA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7815 7440



-----Original Message-----
From: maths-education-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk on behalf of
dylanwiliam at mac.com
Sent: Sun 2/27/2011 8:55 PM
To: Mathematics Education discussion forum
Cc: phillip.kent at gmail.com
Subject: [Maths-Education] Re: Research and teacher practices for
'working class' underachievement in secondary mathematics
 
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While I agree that the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and
educational achievement is not a new phenomenon, it is also worth
noting that it is not universal. We will probably never stop affluent
parents from securing educational advantages for their children, but
there are countries that have managed to ensure that socioeconomic
disadvantage does not lead to lower achievement. While in the US and
the UK, the relationship between the income of parents and children is
linear (and steeper in the US than the UK) in some countries, it is
not. Notably in some Scandinavian countries, while the richest do
best, the poorest do as well as average students. In fact the research
on educational quality, whether in child care, primary school, or
secondary schools, shows that high-quality education benefits low
achievers more than higher achievers. In some studies, this effect has
been so strong that the effect of quality teaching has completely
overcome socio-economic disadvantage. So it may be that Basil
Bernstein was wrong. Education _can_ perhaps compensate for society,
provided it is of very high quality. I therefore see the challenge as
political-how to get get the best teachers working with the students
who need them most...

Dylan Wiliam


On 27 Feb 2011, at 17:59, Alan Rogerson wrote:

>
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> Dear Phillip,
> 
> The link:
> 
>
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/social-clas
s-determines-childs-success-934240.html
> 
> makes depressing reading: eg
> 
> Children's social class is still the most significant factor in
determining their exam success in state schools, the Government's head
of teacher training acknowledges today. In an interview with The
Independent, Graham Holley, the chief executive of the Training and
Development Agency, said: "The performance of a school and a child in
it is highly linked to social class. If you turn the clock back on
pupils in school today 15 years and predict their outcomes from where
they were born, you can do it. We need to change that. It's not
something this government has done. It's not something the last
government has done. It's something that has been there since the
Second World War and probably even before that."
> 
> There is no "probably" (Graham was simply restricting his comments
to his own experience) the right word is "inevitably".
> 
> As you will recall, I told you of my experiences of working class
culture growing up after WW2, and sadly and clearly the problem is
still with us, and in no way is it restricted to mathematics! We are
speaking here of the strength of exclusive social/cultural world-views
derived from primary socialisation,... "give us a child until he is
11"..... etc.
> 
> Best wishes,
> Alan
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 18/02/2011 15:08, Phillip Kent wrote:
>>
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>> This message has been generated through the Mathematics Education
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>> Hitting the REPLY key sends a message to all list members.
>>
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>> Dear colleagues,
>> 
>> I'd appreciate some pointers to research and guidance on dealing
with
>> the problem of 'working class' underachievement in maths in
secondary
>> school. I realise there is a huge literature on this, in terms of
>> statistical analysis on the existence of the problem,
sociological-type
>> analysis of classroom behaviours (a la Bernstein, etc), and
research on
>> teachers' beliefs about 'ability' and so on.
>> 
>> However, I'm specifically interested in any research/guidance about
what
>> is effective for maths teachers to do in practice in classrooms.
There
>> is a very familiar type of student who for 'social' reasons comes
to
>> construct for him or herself an identity as someone who 'can't do
>> maths', which is not related to his or her actual mathematical
>> potential. Then how should the teacher break through this identity
to
>> tap into the actual potential and interest?
>> 
>> Perhaps I am wrong to see this as essentially a problem of 'class'.
Any
>> thoughts welcome.
>> 
>> - Phillip
>> 
> 
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