Page 148 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 148
ear ly school leaving: contempor ary european perspectives
male and having a migrant/minority status are also risk factors: howev-
er, the relationships are not straightforward. On the other hand, the article
draws attention to a series of non-cognitive factors and highlights the com-
plex interplay of the cognitive and non-cognitive factors. Conscientiousness
plays the role of a protective ESL factor (more strongly for low achievers),
while problem behaviour seems to be a risk factor. Achievement motiva-
tion is also important. Within family and social background factors, SES is
the most consistent and strongest predictor. In addition, the family’s social
capital (e.g. parental education support, their involvement, parenting prac-
tices, but also family structure) impacted the risk of ESL.
When planning interventions or policy changes targeting ESL, it is im-
portant to note what Wand et al. (1993) observed: in general, proximal var-
iables (e.g., psychological, instructional) were more important for students’
learning than distal variables (e.g., policy and organisation). This implies
that introducing new policies (at the state or school level) will not necessar-
ily enhance student learning. Thus, whenever introducing policies aimed at
the protective or risk factors of ESL, it should be ensured that distal varia-
bles become translated into changes for the student.
Finally, interventions to combat ESL need to be based on an under-
standing of its complex determinants and the factors that operate at multi-
ple levels and vary from one student to another – ESLers are a very hetero-
geneous group (no single ‘profile’ can be established). The impact of factors
related to ESL may vary for different subgroups. Interventions therefore
need to address issues pertaining to the individual, the microsystem (fami-
ly, school, teachers and other educators) and the exosystem (education sys-
tem) in a co-ordinated way. Attention to the mesosystem should not be
overlooked; e.g. developing a home-school mesosystem that is supportive
of the student and his/her school attendance. Moreover, the fact the devel-
opmental pathway to ESL may already begin in elementary school or even
before then is important.
References
Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Horsey, C. S. (1997). From first grade for-
ward: Early foundations of high school dropout. Sociology of Education,
70(2), 87–107.
Anthony, W. S. (1983). The development of extraversion and ability: Analysis of
data from a large-scale longitudinal study of children tested at 10–11 and
14–15 years. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 53, 374–379.
148
male and having a migrant/minority status are also risk factors: howev-
er, the relationships are not straightforward. On the other hand, the article
draws attention to a series of non-cognitive factors and highlights the com-
plex interplay of the cognitive and non-cognitive factors. Conscientiousness
plays the role of a protective ESL factor (more strongly for low achievers),
while problem behaviour seems to be a risk factor. Achievement motiva-
tion is also important. Within family and social background factors, SES is
the most consistent and strongest predictor. In addition, the family’s social
capital (e.g. parental education support, their involvement, parenting prac-
tices, but also family structure) impacted the risk of ESL.
When planning interventions or policy changes targeting ESL, it is im-
portant to note what Wand et al. (1993) observed: in general, proximal var-
iables (e.g., psychological, instructional) were more important for students’
learning than distal variables (e.g., policy and organisation). This implies
that introducing new policies (at the state or school level) will not necessar-
ily enhance student learning. Thus, whenever introducing policies aimed at
the protective or risk factors of ESL, it should be ensured that distal varia-
bles become translated into changes for the student.
Finally, interventions to combat ESL need to be based on an under-
standing of its complex determinants and the factors that operate at multi-
ple levels and vary from one student to another – ESLers are a very hetero-
geneous group (no single ‘profile’ can be established). The impact of factors
related to ESL may vary for different subgroups. Interventions therefore
need to address issues pertaining to the individual, the microsystem (fami-
ly, school, teachers and other educators) and the exosystem (education sys-
tem) in a co-ordinated way. Attention to the mesosystem should not be
overlooked; e.g. developing a home-school mesosystem that is supportive
of the student and his/her school attendance. Moreover, the fact the devel-
opmental pathway to ESL may already begin in elementary school or even
before then is important.
References
Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Horsey, C. S. (1997). From first grade for-
ward: Early foundations of high school dropout. Sociology of Education,
70(2), 87–107.
Anthony, W. S. (1983). The development of extraversion and ability: Analysis of
data from a large-scale longitudinal study of children tested at 10–11 and
14–15 years. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 53, 374–379.
148
