Patterns of educational achievement among groups of immigrant children in Denmark emerge already in preschool second-language and preliteracy skills

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 853-875
Author(s):  
Anders Højen ◽  
Dorthe Bleses ◽  
Peter Jensen ◽  
Philip S. Dale
Keyword(s):  
Linear Models ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Immigrant Children ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
Immigrant Background ◽  
L2 Development ◽  
Preliteracy Skills ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Before School

AbstractImmigrant children in Denmark differ greatly in educational outcomes. This study examined whether systematic differences in majority language (L2) and preliteracy skills are apparent already at ages 2–6 in immigrant children in Denmark across regional immigration background. Danish language and preliteracy skills in 1,211 immigrant children in four regional groups (based on maternal origin) and 11,259 native Danish nonimmigrant children, all enrolled in Danish childcare centers, were assessed using an age- and gender-normed language assessment instrument. Hierarchical linear models showed that all four immigrant groups scored significantly lower than the native Danish group; the negative coefficients diminished but remained significant when socioeconomic background and having a native Danish father were controlled for. In addition, even with these controls, significant differences existed between some of the immigrant groups, suggesting that factors relating to regional immigrant background were important sources of differences in L2 development. A greater immigrant disadvantage for language than preliteracy skills was found; two immigrant groups did not differ significantly from the nonimmigrant Danish group for preliteracy skills. The results suggest that measures to reduce inequalities in long-term educational achievement between immigrant groups should be taken already before school with a particular focus on L2 language skills.

Social inequalities in overweight and obesity in 26 European countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Charafeddine ◽  
S Demarest ◽  
S Drieskens ◽  
F Renard
Keyword(s):  
Weight Status ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Consistent Pattern ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Reverse Inequality ◽  
Socially Disadvantaged ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Low Educated

Abstract Background Previous studies have shown inequalities in overweight and obesity in disfavor of the socially disadvantaged groups. This study examines the extent of these inequalities in 26 European countries. Methods Data from the 2017 EU Statistics on Income and living Conditions (EU-SILC) were used (18 years and older, n = 482,595). A body mass index of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2 was classified as overweight and 30.0 and more as obese. Educational level (EL) was used as socioeconomic indicator. Generalized linear models were fitted to compute low-versus high absolute (RD) and relative (RR) inequality. Absolute inequality amplitude (RDA) was calculated as RD/Prevalence. Results Among men, average EU inequalities for overweight were slightly in disfavor of the low educated (RR = 1.05, RDA=5%). A mixed inequality pattern was observed across countries, as the risk of overweight was higher among high educated men in most Eastern countries, in contrast to other parts of Europe (RR from 0.74 to 1.19, RDA from -27% to 20%). Male obesity showed more pronounced inequalities (RR = 1.22, RDA=18%), and a consistent pattern of higher risk among the low educated and wide variation across countries (RR from 1.20 to 2.18, RDA from 16% to 49%). Among women, significant inequalities in overweight were observed (RR = 1.23, RDA=21%), with a consistent pattern of higher risk among the lowest EL, and substantial variation across countries (RR from 1.06 to 1.53, RDA from 7% to 36%). Inequalities were even larger for female obesity, with average RR and RDA reaching 1.49 and 35%, and wider variation (RR from 1.35 to 2.77, RDA from 12% to 88%). Conclusions Social inequalities in weight status are widespread in Europe, but vary substantially between countries. Inequalities are larger among women. For male overweight, a reverse inequality is observed in most Eastern countries. This study allows countries to benchmark the inequalities observed nationally to the situation in other EU countries. Key messages Social inequalities in weight status are widespread in Europe. The pattern of social inequalities in overweight and obesity varies substantially by country and gender.

Towards a dialect-neutral assessment instrument for the language skills of Afrikaans-speaking children: the role of socioeconomic status

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRENETTE SOUTHWOOD
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Assessment Instrument ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
Parental Education Level ◽  
Father Figures ◽  
African Context ◽  
Neutral Language

ABSTRACTThe aims of the study were to establish whether there is a correlation between the socioeconomic background of Afrikaans-speaking children and their performance on a dialect-neutral language test, and to ascertain whether the allowance the test currently makes for parental education level is sufficient. The Afrikaans version of the DiagnosticEvaluation ofLanguageVariation(Seymour, Roeper & de Villiers, 2005a) was administered to 231 Afrikaans-speaking children age 4 ; 0 to 9 ; 11 from various socioeconomic backgrounds. A positive correlation was found between the composite language scores as well as the scores for each of the language domains (syntax, pragmatics, semantics) and the primary female caregivers' highest level of education. Children with father figures present did not outperform those without. It appears that the original manner of accommodating parental education level in interpreting the children's language scores on the test is sufficient and need not be refined for the South African context.

Girl fights: exploring females’ resistance to educational structures

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 15-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Leitz
Keyword(s):  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Peer Groups ◽  
Peer Culture ◽  
Oppositional Culture ◽  
Student Culture ◽  
School Girl ◽  
Family Expectations ◽  
Oppositional Culture Theory ◽  
Educational Structures ◽  
And Gender

This article looks at girls who fight in order to evaluate theories of education for marginalized girls. As oppositional culture and educational resistance theories suggest for boys’ misconduct in school, girl fights are found to be a product of deindustrialization, family expectations, and peer culture. Within peer groups of marginalized students an oppositional culture develops such that girls gain respect from their peers by fighting because they demonstrate a necessary toughness. Girls who fight have a complicated relationship to education. Contrary to oppositional culture theory, these girls value educational achievement. However, the girls’ relationships with teachers are strained. Teachers do not appreciate “tough” girls. Race, class, and gender together construct a student culture that produces girls who fight in school.

How has Educational Expansion Changed the Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Achieving Professional, Managerial and Technical Class Positions in Britain? A Configurational Analysis

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Cooper ◽  
Judith Glaesser
Keyword(s):  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient Conditions ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Configurational Analysis ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient ◽  
Modelling Approach

This paper, whose purpose is both substantive and methodological, focuses on changes over a nine year period, drawing on data from two British birth cohorts (individuals born in 1958 and 1970), and, substantively, employs set theoretic methods to explore the extent to which an upward shift in qualifications achieved led to any reduction in the roles class and gender played in the achievement of professional, managerial and technical (PMT) social class destinations in early adulthood. Our methodological purpose is to illustrate how a counterfactual modelling approach can be used together with Ragin's set theoretic methods to provide an alternative way of analysing relationships in this area. We draw on earlier work exploring the extent to which educational achievement was ‘meritocratic’ with respect to ability for these cohorts (Cooper 2005, 2006). Our configurational account of the causal pathways to various class destinations is set against the background of a simple model of ‘meritocracy’ (allocation to available class positions by qualifications alone taking account of the empirical marginal distributions). This model allows us to specify, counterfactually, what qualifications would have represented necessary and sufficient conditions in our modelled meritocracy for reaching the PMT class. By comparison of these conditions with the empirically derived necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving these outcomes (using Ragin et al's fs/QCA software) we show that while allocation processes were far from meritocratic in both cohorts, there were some changes in the way both class and gender combined with qualifications as conditions for destinations. We also show that Ragin's configurational methods, focussing on holistically-conceived cases and conjunctural causation rather than on the net effects of independent variables, provide a useful analytic technique for capturing relationships in this field.

scholarly journals Association between temperature and back pain among lumbar disc herniation patients

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cai Chen ◽  
Dandan Wang ◽  
Fanjie Liu ◽  
Hao Qin ◽  
Xiyuan Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Ambient Temperature ◽  
Lumbar Disc Herniation ◽  
Disc Herniation ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Lumbar Disc ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractPurposeThis paper was designed to critically provide empirical evidence for the relationship between temperature and intensity of back pain among people with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).MethodsDistributed lag linear and non-linear models (DLNM) was used to evaluate the relationship between lag-response and exposure to ambient temperature. Stratification was based on age and gender.ResultsWhen daily average temperature was on the rage of 15-23□, the risk of hospitalization was at the lowest level for men group. About below 10□, risk for male hospitalization could keep increase when lag day were during lag0-lag5 and lag20-lag28. 40<age≤50 group was little affected when they exposed to ambient temperature.

Does Schooling Decrease Socioeconomic Inequality in Early Achievement? A Differential Exposure Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 000312242110491
Author(s):  
Giampiero Passaretta ◽  
Jan Skopek
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Inequality ◽  
Educational Achievement ◽  
Family Background ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
Replication Studies ◽  
Learning Domains ◽  
Differential Exposure ◽  
Schooling Effects

Does schooling affect socioeconomic inequality in educational achievement? Earlier studies based on seasonal comparisons suggest schooling can equalize social gaps in learning. Yet recent replication studies have given rise to skepticism about the validity of older findings. We shed new light on the debate by estimating the causal effect of 1st-grade schooling on achievement inequality by socioeconomic family background in Germany. We elaborate a differential exposure approach that estimates the effect of exposure to 1st-grade schooling by exploiting (conditionally) random variation in test dates and birth dates for children who entered school on the same calendar day. We use recent data from the German NEPS to test school-exposure effects for a series of learning domains. Findings clearly indicate that 1st-grade schooling increases children’s learning in all domains. However, we do not find any evidence that these schooling effects differ by children’s socioeconomic background. We conclude that, although all children gain from schooling, schooling has no consequences for social inequality in learning. We discuss the relevance of our findings for sociological knowledge on the role of schooling in the process of stratification and highlight how our approach complements seasonal comparison studies.

Does student grade contribute to the declining trend in Programme for International Student Assessment reading and mathematics in Australia?

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-226
Author(s):  
John Ainley ◽  
Dan Cloney ◽  
Jessica Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Regression ◽  
International Student ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Socioeconomic Background ◽  
Achievement Scores ◽  
Regression Methods ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
Reading And Mathematics

Declines in the scores of Australian 15-year-old students from the Programme for International Student Assessment are a matter of policy interest. Some of the declines may have resulted from shifts in the age-grade distributions of students in the Programme for International Student Assessment samples. We use multiple regression methods to model the student-level effects of grade for each Programme for International Student Assessment cycle allowing for the effects of student characteristics (e.g. socioeconomic background and gender) and jurisdiction. We estimate an average net effect of grade over the Programme for International Student Assessment cycles since 2006 as 42 scale points with no difference between reading and mathematics. We explore the extent to which differences between grades in achievement and changes in the grade distributions of students contributed to changes in average Programme for International Student Assessment achievement scores. We conclude that the relatively greater decline in Grade 11, compared to Grade 10 achievement, contributed to the overall decline and that shifts in distributions may have also contributed a little to those declines.

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