The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-ISC-15e

Bibliographic reference :
Chryssochou, X., Picard, M., & Pronine, M. (1998). Explication de l'échec scolaire. Les théories implicites des enseignants selon l'origine sociale et culturelle de l'élève. Psychologie et éducation, 32, 43-59.

Abstract :

Study Purpose
In this experimental research conducted in France, the authors enquire into the role played by the perceptions teachers have of students from different social and cultural origins when explaining school failure. More specifically, they formulate the hypothesis to the effect that a school failure situation would be explained differently according to the presumed social (high/low) and cultural (French/Maghrebian) affiliations of a student.

Study Description
To verify this hypothesis, 65 teachers were questioned. Each teacher was presented with the same case of a student’s school failure. However, the student’s social and cultural origin varied for the various sample sub-groups (independent variables). Content and factorial analyses were performed on the teachers’ responses regarding academic achievement and school failure (dependent variables). The teachers were also questioned about family practices they consider conducive either to school failure or academic achievement.

Main Results
Results have confirmed the original hypothesis to the effect that the teachers’ explanations for school failure vary according to student social and cultural affiliations. Social origin ranked ahead of cultural origin as the most determining factor. Moreover, family practices considered by teachers as related to school failure or academic achievement were associated with student status.

Two response profiles were particularly striking. In the case of students with French/privileged origin, the teachers chiefly attributed failure to a difficult but normal period of adolescence. Incidentally, it was the only profile for which teachers predicted more long-term achievement. In the case of students of Maghrebian/underprivileged origin, the teachers considered their situations as being harder to change (e.g. language problem, family perceptions non-conducive to academic pursuits), entailing greater effort on the part of students with this profile.

As the authors state, explaining school failure is not a structured universal process in relation to teachers’ theories on academic performance. Belonging to particular cultural or ethnic groups plays a fundamental role in developing this explanation.

This study underscores the importance that teachers be attentive to the fact that their perceptions of students may be tinged with external representations conveyed within society; these expectations may directly effect student academic achievement.

Key Words :
Social Origin, Cultural Origin, School Failure, Teachers' Perceptions, Family Practices, Social Representations, School Environment, Factorial Analysis, Content Analysis

Monitored Countries :
France