Raising Achievement of Ethnic Minority Children Essay

This literature review would explore the barriers in raising educational achievements of ethnic minority students. As this is a broad area of concern the literature would examine two main barriers such as social background issues and English as Additional Language (EAL) while briefly looking at other barriers such as†¦ Statistical data collected from the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) 2002 would be analysed in respect to this group social economic status and its effect on their learning. The literature would outline the significance of raising achievement, particularly ICT teacher’s responsibility. This report would identify some strategies/solutions including pedagogical approaches to raising achievement which would be supported by research. The overall findings would illustrate why ethnic minority children underperform academically than their counterparts in school. INTRODUCTION It is important to recognise that ethnic minority pupils may fall into the category of low class low achievement. (Battle and Lewis 2010 pg35) said â€Å"a person’s education is closed linked to their life chances, income and wellbeing† it’s therefore, fair to say that ethnic minority communities are most likely to underachievement than others because of their socio-economic conditions. Language in education has long been the subject of attention by educationists at all levels. Initially as concerning the ‘problem’ of teaching English to children for whom it is not a first language, The Swann Report 1985 pg385 Other drawbacks to raising achievement are institutional racism, lack of motivation, lack of suitable challenge, the appropriateness of activities and tasks, a mix-match of expectations, a perceived irrelevance of the activities and tasks. National Education Authority claim to be â€Å"raising achievement to higher levels and closing student achievement gaps are priorities in schools and communities at all economic levels and in urban, rural, and suburban settings†. (http://www.nea. org/home/17413. htm. Accessed 02/11/12) What is Raising Achievement? According to (DfES 0013-2006. Pg. 6) (Excel and enjoy) raising achievement means a â€Å"tailored education for every child and young person, that gives them strength in the basics, stretches their aspirations, and builds their life chances. It will create opportunity for every child, regardless of their background†. Teachers have a committed liability to enable all learners to attain and achieve their full potential, whether they are SEN (Special Education Needs), EAL (English as an Additional Language) or ethnic minority student. What is Ethnic Minority? The ethnic minorities in the UK, 50% are Asian or Asian British (Indian, Pakistani etc. ), 25% are Black or Black British (Black African, Black Caribbean etc. ), 15% are Mixed Race, 5% are Chinese and 5% are of other ethnic backgrounds. (http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/ethnic_minorities_education. htm. Accessed 02/11/12) Cabinet Office defined it as â€Å"Ethnicity refers to cultural heritage (thus the term ethnic minorities can also be used to include White ‘ethnic’ minority groups in Britain, such as the Irish or people from other European countries). However, the systematic historical and continuing pattern of disadvantage for Black and Asian groups singles them out for special consideration†. (webarchive. gov. uk. Accessed 02/11/12). Barriers to Raising achievement Socio-Economic Backgrounds: Socio class can cause inequality in class which could in turn influence the achievement in children; (C. Stephen pg. 269) Social scientists have recognised the importance of an individual’s family socio economic status (SES) has an influence on the academic achievement of children since the mid-1960s. It could cause low their self-confidence and self-esteem â€Å"ethnic minorities may have special issues related to self-esteem. Because of prejudice, minority members are likely to see a negative image of themselves† ( DeLamater. J & Myers. D pg. 88). (http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/ethnic_minorities_education. htm) â€Å"Ethnic backgrounds that are less successful in education is because they have a higher percentage of pupils from working class backgrounds. Also the lower a child’s class position, the lower their income. Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black pupils are more likely to be raised in low income families. This can affect how well they do in school because lack of funds means lack of school equipment, less favourable working conditions e. g. cold house, no desk etc. This inequity could lead to poor or erratic attendance which was cited as a contributory factor to poor attainment in several schools. Table1 the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) 2002 illustrates the impact of socio-economic disadvantage by comparing relative GCSE performance for pupils who are eligible for free school meals. This shows that pupils from lower socio-economic groups tend to achieve less good results than those from higher socio-economic groups and that this difference is particularly large for white pupils. (Aiming High Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils) Table2: The pupil level annual school census (PLASC) 2002 characteristics: Proportion achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs for those entered for GCSEs in Maintained Schools in 2002 Note: these charts are based on data collected as part of the 2002 Pupil Level Annual Schools Census. From 2003, data will be based on an updated set of categories including mixed heritage, Gypsy/Roma and Travellers of Irish heritage which are listed at annex A. (Aiming High Raising the Achievement of Minority Ethnic Pupils) Discrimination on grounds such as race will affect effective learning fundamentally in most cases, which is linked to disparities in school. Some schools are ‘institutionally racist’, says Oftsed’s Director of Inspections, Jim Rose – to the annoyance of teachers’ unions. Mr Rose said â€Å"Much of that [racism], we think, is to do with unwitting stereotyping of youngsters and the lack of expectation or lowered expectation of teachers as a result of that sometimes (http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/education/294078. stm)†. With the fact that their â€Å"ethnicity influences their class and their class influences their attitude†, there is concern about the aspirations of underprivileged children â€Å"socio-economic barriers may hinder aspiration formation for these children because of lack of mentors, opportunities, and resources and also doubt their ability to attain in learning† (http://www.learningbenefits. net/Publications/ResReps/ResRep27. pdf pg3). The majority of schools are engaged in a wide variety of initiatives to improve provision and raise the attainment of all pupils. However, few schools monitor these activities systematically and rarely do they have a specific ethnic focus. (Raising_the_attainment_of_minority_ethnic_pupils_school_and_LEA_responsespg7). Strategies to raising achievement of Socio-economic barrier: Having realistic expectations of the educational achievement of children of lower socioeconomic groups will make them feel they can achieve their potential. â€Å"Expectations are also shaped by teacher and student perceptions of the reasons for successes and failures. A â€Å"low ability† student, who views failures as lack of ability and successes as luck, will lose his motivation, feeling that there is little he can change to improve his learning†. (Rose Miller 2001) As evidenced earlier pupils from ethnic minority group have low self –esteem therefore, it is crucial for teachers to encourage the child or young person to find their own preferred style and rhythm of learning so they are motivated to pursue their learning process, making them have ownership of their own learning and work. To help raise achievement teachers and leaders should monitor and track achievement, encourage and support the child to maximize their potential – be aspirational for them. â€Å"Parents with fewer financial resources tend to hold lower aspirations for their children, and young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds tend to have lower aspirations than their more advantaged peers (Schoon, 2006). Promoting a culturally friendly environments and establishing classroom ethos of respect with a clear approach to racism and bad behaviour â€Å"modelling and promoting values, attitudes and behaviour supportive of race equality in class would explore and target underachievement to raise attainment†. (excellentandenjoymentlearning pg23). Strategically choosing students to work in groups, peer assessment where they can see others work which could help them shape their own work and attain a better grade. However, teachers need to provide students with a stress free learning environment so they can feel included . (EVIDENCE OF WHY THEY NEED STRESS FREE ENVIRON,ENT) The revised National Curriculum includes a statutory inclusion statement setting out how teachers can ensure the curriculum is accessible to all pupils which would certainly help raise attainment for also ethnic minority students . It states that teachers must follow three principles for inclusion: setting suitable learning challenges; responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs; and overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils. (cabinet office pg14). NALDIC (National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum), states that we should therefore ensure access to and progress through the curriculum or subject content. (using ict for eal pg5) Also very few schools review their curricular and pastoral strategies to ensure that they are sensitive to the ethnic groups in the student population and the wider community. In those instances where schools have done this as a result of concerns about a particular minority ethnic group, positive outcomes have resulted. (Raising_the_attainment_of_minority_ethnic_pupils_school_and_LEA_responsespg7) Schools working effectively with pupils in low attaining groups were not found to adopt specific approaches for particular groups of pupils such as minority ethnic groups, but instead personalised the curriculum, pedagogy and assessment such that pupils in any group could benefit. (Effective Teaching and Learning for Pupils in Low Attaining Group). Self- assessment and appropriate target setting according to individual learning styles would help them to build identities as successful learners. The new Teachers’ Standards (DfE, 2011) would enable this strategy to work perfectly as teachers have to ‘Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils’†¦evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them’. (Standard 5 The QTS Standards: DFES ‘Qualifying to Teach’(2002) In additional, as â€Å"they are much more likely than their peers of a higher socioeconomic environment to have a poor attendance, leave school earlier and with fewer qualifications, and are at far greater risk of being excluded from school. † http://education-landscapes. eu/pdf/learning_barriers. pdf . Teachers recognise strengths and improvements praising their effort would encourage children participation. Using positive words (‘I’ve seen a spark in you) and encourage this group would make them feel motivated, believe in themselves and appreciated to want to attend school (promoting attendance) regardless of any socio-economic worries. Attending â€Å"parents’ evenings and other less formal school functions can help understand difficulties and help to remove any barriers† http://education-landscapes. eu/pdf/learning_barriers. pdf. This could help build parent teacher relationship and both parties could devise ways to help raise the achievement and eliminate barriers affecting this young person’s learning. ? Respect frustration and encourage a positive approach to setbacks. http://education-landscapes. eu/pdf/learning_barriers. pdf. English as an Additional Language (EAL) barrier on Ethnic Minority: EAL learners will be affected by attitudes towards them, their culture, language, religion, and ethnicity http://www.mkweb. co. uk/emass/documents/Website_EAL_Artwork. pdf. The proportions of pupils with English as an additional language are from ethic minority background groups about five per cent (Black Caribbean pupils) to over 90 per cent (those from Bangladeshi backgrounds). Approximately 9. 3% (over 632,000) of all pupils in schools in England are recorded as having English as an additional language (EAL) according to Statistics of Education 2002(aiminghighraisingachievent pg28). These speech patterns are argued to be consistent with many low income families which are inadequate to meet the demands of the education system. These patterns directly contribute to educational failure as students cannot always understand elaborated speech which teachers use and teachers often misunderstand students who use the restricted speech. As a result there is a breakdown in communication between teachers and pupils. http://www. historylearningsite. co. uk/ethnic_minorities_education. htm. This is a major barrier to achievement as English is not their first language and cannot communicate effectively in lesson, with peers and content of the curriculum it is helpful for the to access prior knowledge so they have a fair understanding before the next lesson â€Å"Language learners need access to the subject curriculum while they are learning English†. EAL students learning is NOT a learning difficulty, learners should not be placed in groups or sets for ‘slow learners’–they need good peer models of subject specific talk and writing. Teacher expectations are powerful determiners of student success. Teachers should reflect high expectations in the ambitious targets set for these children. Bilingual learners need to make more progress each year than their peers in order to catch up (Collier, 1995) –their efforts need to be acknowledged and appreciated, to build their self-image and self-esteem as successful learners. (Making the Difference Teaching and learning strategies in multi-ethnic schools) Solution/Approaches: (Bourne, 1998 and others) Reforming the mainstream to be more language aware is not only good for bilingual learners, but benefits ALL students (Making the Difference Teaching and learning strategies in multi-ethnic schools). Education authorities have recognised the fact that student with EAL will struggle to reach their potential and has incorporate into the new Teachers’ Standards, saying that â€Å"all teachers and trainee teachers will benefit from an understanding and recognition of EAL as a significant field of teaching and learning. (http://www. naldic. org. uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/pedagogy.) It is important to recognise that children learning EAL are as able as any other children, and the learning experiences planned for them should be no less cognitively challenging â€Å"High challenge can be maintained through the provision of contextual and linguistic support and raise attainment. (ExcellenceandEnjoyment:learningandteachingintheprimaryyears,Creatingalearningculture:Classroomcommunity,collaborativeandpersonalisedlearning(DfES 0522-2004 G) However, Schools and colleges will need therefore to provide both physical and virtual learning environments that motivate and support the EAL learner’s distinctive needs. Raising achievement of ethnic minorities students with low attainment and EAL by developing appropriate resources across the curriculum; make effective use of displays boards to support their learning and develop their knowledge of the linguistic, cultural backgrounds. (excellentandenjoymentlearning pg32) It is a legal requirement for literacy to be included into lesson; literacy is fundamental to good learning and achievement. It must therefore be a top priority for teachers consider how subject specific vocabulary like writing out keywords on white board, spelling and pronouncing words correctly which would help improve their English language â€Å"grammar should be introduced, modelled, extended and supported through the teaching of subject content to enhance literacy† (ExcellenceandEnjoymentlearningandteachingforbilingualchildrenintheprimaryyears). Organise small groups for computer-based activities that enable early stage learners to work with other first language speakers and to hear good models of English. â€Å"Establishing layered curriculum targets as a context for language development. Speaking and listening: guided sessions for language development. † (Effective Teaching and Learning for Pupils in Low Attaining Group). Using ICT to raise achievement of Ethnic Minority pupils with EAL. ICT has a vital role to play in providing the appropriate resources and technology for both learners and teachers. Using ICT to support EAL students presents challenges for many teachers of how best to make use of these new and emerging technologies to raise the achievement of their EAL students. (Using ICT to support students who have English as an additional language) Using Creative use of ICT in the classroom can promote inclusion and reflect cultural and linguistic diversity. Multimedia Projects provide excellent opportunities for learners to work collaboratively with other first language speakers. Email, local network links, user groups and video conferencing facilities provide opportunity for learners to communicate with proficient speakers of English and also of their first language across the world. Pupils learning EAL require opportunities to draw on additional contextual support to make sense of new information and language. Content learning for pupils learning EAL can be greatly improved through the use of visual support. This can help learners to conceptualise learning tasks that are being presented to them, or in which they are engaged, even when their knowledge of the target language is limited. http://www. naldic. org. uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/pedagogy OCD/Migraine/ Metal plate in head due to past injury. If *** bumps her head call carer immediately/ unhappy to come SRS/difficult to make friends/suffered bullying/kept away from other students at break times in primary school/attention seeker/ mother died due to violently attacked by father (sees father in prison) / CAMHS/ care placement/ Literacy/maths/low self esteem/limited support from home/ IEP/PEP Pedagogy approach to EAL EAL pedagogy is the set of systematic teaching approaches which have evolved from classroom based practices in conjunction with the development of knowledge through theoretical and research perspectives. These approaches meet the language and learning needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language. They can be used in a wide range of different teaching contexts. http://www. naldic. org. uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/pedagogy Setting out limited number of objectives criteria describe what the outcomes will look like when they are achieved; and actions linked to the target objectives to identify what has to be achieved by the end of lesson is said to raise success of learners whose second language is English (excellentandenjoymentlearning pg23). Personalisation is the key to tackling the persistent achievement gaps between different social and ethnic groups. It means a tailored education for every child and young person, that gives them strength in the basics, stretches their aspirations and builds their life chances. Higher standards, better schools for all (HMSO 2006)(from-excellentandenjoymentlearning pg14) The development of EAL pedagogy has been influenced by social constructivist theories which emphasise the importance of scaffolding learning, and those which highlight the importance of socio-cultural and emotional factors. Children learning EAL will be affected by attitudes towards them, their culture, language, religion and ethnicity. (excellentandenjoymentlearning pg14) Learning of English should be distinguished into communicative skills and cognitive and academic language proficiency. Children should be paired up in group so they can become conversationally fluent in the new language by communication and collaborating with others and to catch up with monolingual peers in the development of cognitive and academic language. Activating pupils prior knowledge â€Å"Finding out what pupils know about a topic through questioning, supporting self-monitoring and using KWL (Know, Want to find out, Learned) charts, brainstorming in small groups or pairs, discovery tasks, enabling use of first language. †http://www. naldic. org. uk/eal-teaching-and-learning/outline-guidance/pedagogy. Peer and share, questioning strategies using oral feedback is also important to move learners towards the forms of language used in writing (cognitive) and linguistic development. Children learning an additional language are not just learning vocabularies, grammars and pronunciations; it helps them to learn all other language functions such as questioning, analysing, hypothesising that they need for other subjects like mathematics, science, ICT and so on. Planning lesson for a class that has EAL student.