Parents, Homework and Socio-Economic Class: Discourses of Deficit and Disadvantage in the "New" South Africa

Autor/inn/en	Felix, Nadine; Dornbrack, Jacqui; Scheckle, Eileen
Titel	Parents, Homework and Socio-Economic Class: Discourses of Deficit and Disadvantage in the "New" South Africa
Quelle	In: English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 7 (2008) 2, S.99-112 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1175-8708
Schlagwörter	Homework; Study Habits; Racial Bias; Parent Participation; Foreign Countries; Grade 4; Equal Education; Elementary Schools; Socioeconomic Influences; Principals; Elementary School Teachers; Parent Role; Language Usage; Parent Teacher Cooperation; Social Bias; Socioeconomic Status; Interviews; Focus Groups; Observation; Discourse Analysis; South Africa + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hausaufgabe; Study behavior; Study behaviour; Studienverhalten; Racial discrimination; Rassismus; Elternmitwirkung; Ausland; School year 04; 4. Schuljahr; Schuljahr 04; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Sozioökonomischer Faktor; Principal; Schulleiter; Teacher; Teachers; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Parental role; Elternrolle; Sprachgebrauch; Parent teacher relation; Parent-teacher cooperation; Parent-teacher relation; Parent-teacher relationship; Parent teacher relationship; Eltern-Lehrer-Beziehung; Socio-economic status; Sozioökonomischer Status; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Beobachtung; Diskursanalyse; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik
Abstract	It has been claimed that homework is an effective means of developing good study habits (Cooper, 1994) and fostering positive attitudes (Marzano & Pickering, 2007) and self-responsibility (Brown, in Plato, 2000). If we are to believe this, then we need to ensure that all learners have equal or at least similar opportunities to gain these advantages. However, it seems unlikely in the Republic of South Africa, given the history of discrimination and deliberate under-funding of specific schools during apartheid. In order to discover in what ways and how schools in different socio-economic situations manage homework, we designed a multiple case study of three primary schools in the Eastern Cape. Since we could not assume that homework formed a regular part of the daily activities, we interviewed the principals and Grade 4 teachers of each school. This paper discusses the discourses of the teachers and principals and particularly the language used by them when discussing parents and homework. The study found that parents from the school situated in a more affluent area were ascribed agency and power, whereas parents from poorer socio-economic groups were positioned as disinterested and unable to assist their children. Such discourses reproduce deficit notions and practices resulting in further inequalities. (Contains 1 footnote and 3 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wilf Malcolm Institute for Educational Research, University of Waikato. PB 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand. Tel: +64-7-858-5171; Fax: +64-7-838-4712; e-mail: wmier@waikato.ac.nz; Web site: http://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/journal/index.php?id=1
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10