Page 143 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 143
the interplay of factors contributing to esl ...
Knight and Thornberry (2012) confirm the importance of engagement for
ESL as ESLers had a history of disengagement from school (e.g. absence,
truancy, expulsion; NESSE, 2010). In a study by Janosz, Archambault,
Morizot and Pagani (2008), ESLers demonstrated unstable pathways of
school engagement (transitory increasing, transitory decreasing, decreas-
ing, and increasing trajectories). Archambault et al. (2009) found that glob-
al engagement and its behavioural dimension were significant predictors of
ESL (also see Janosz et al., 1997). In Wang and Fredricks’ study (2014), low-
er behavioural and emotional engagement was predictive of a higher ESL
rate. The perceived fit between students and the school’s social environ-
ment plays a central role in school engagement (Järvinen, Soini, Pyhältö, &
Pietarinen, 2012).
Closely linked to student engagement, another important non-cogni-
tive factor is motivation (European Commission, 2014). To some extent,
motivational differences are partly reflected by differences in conscien-
tiousness, but these differences are more general across contexts and situa-
tions; thus, in this section we focus specifically on motivation in a learning
and achievement-related setting. Motivation to perform well in school was
significantly lower for ESLers compared to regular school leavers, but the
differences were quite small compared to the differences in cognitive skills;
regardless of this, a high score on achievement motivation decreased the
risk of becoming an ESLer (Traag, 2012). The size of the impact remained
unchanged even when including background variables (SES, migrant sta-
tus). Bridgeland, DiIulio and Morison (2006) surveyed actual ESLers and
69% of the respondents identified a lack of motivation as a reason for drop-
ping out and a similar share was confident they would have graduated if
they had tried. Lack of motivation in ESLers was also found by Beekhoven
and Dekkers (2005).
Negative attitudes to school (e.g. not liking school, disconnected-
ness from school) are a non-cognitive factor that occurs at higher rates in
ESLers. For example, not liking school was cited as a reason for ESL by 50%
of ESLers in Australia; although wanting to get a job/ apprenticeship was
more frequent and more important (Marks & McMillian, 2001). Similarly,
ESLers in Europe experience school rules and regulations in a negative way
and list this as a reason for ESL (GHK Consulting, 2011). The literature re-
view by Audas and Willms (2001) supports this – ESLers feel disconnected
from school, believe their teachers do not care about them, and think the
‘cards are stacked against them’.
143
Knight and Thornberry (2012) confirm the importance of engagement for
ESL as ESLers had a history of disengagement from school (e.g. absence,
truancy, expulsion; NESSE, 2010). In a study by Janosz, Archambault,
Morizot and Pagani (2008), ESLers demonstrated unstable pathways of
school engagement (transitory increasing, transitory decreasing, decreas-
ing, and increasing trajectories). Archambault et al. (2009) found that glob-
al engagement and its behavioural dimension were significant predictors of
ESL (also see Janosz et al., 1997). In Wang and Fredricks’ study (2014), low-
er behavioural and emotional engagement was predictive of a higher ESL
rate. The perceived fit between students and the school’s social environ-
ment plays a central role in school engagement (Järvinen, Soini, Pyhältö, &
Pietarinen, 2012).
Closely linked to student engagement, another important non-cogni-
tive factor is motivation (European Commission, 2014). To some extent,
motivational differences are partly reflected by differences in conscien-
tiousness, but these differences are more general across contexts and situa-
tions; thus, in this section we focus specifically on motivation in a learning
and achievement-related setting. Motivation to perform well in school was
significantly lower for ESLers compared to regular school leavers, but the
differences were quite small compared to the differences in cognitive skills;
regardless of this, a high score on achievement motivation decreased the
risk of becoming an ESLer (Traag, 2012). The size of the impact remained
unchanged even when including background variables (SES, migrant sta-
tus). Bridgeland, DiIulio and Morison (2006) surveyed actual ESLers and
69% of the respondents identified a lack of motivation as a reason for drop-
ping out and a similar share was confident they would have graduated if
they had tried. Lack of motivation in ESLers was also found by Beekhoven
and Dekkers (2005).
Negative attitudes to school (e.g. not liking school, disconnected-
ness from school) are a non-cognitive factor that occurs at higher rates in
ESLers. For example, not liking school was cited as a reason for ESL by 50%
of ESLers in Australia; although wanting to get a job/ apprenticeship was
more frequent and more important (Marks & McMillian, 2001). Similarly,
ESLers in Europe experience school rules and regulations in a negative way
and list this as a reason for ESL (GHK Consulting, 2011). The literature re-
view by Audas and Willms (2001) supports this – ESLers feel disconnected
from school, believe their teachers do not care about them, and think the
‘cards are stacked against them’.
143
